What can i do when i'm having a panic attack/anxiety attack? any advice from your personal experience?

i've been taking meds for anxiety for about 3 1/2 weeks but i still get panic attacks...please help.What can i do when i'm having a panic attack/anxiety attack? any advice from your personal experience?
if you take a panic attack make sure you sit down...if you hyperventilate you could fall and hurt yourself...the best way to stop panic attacks is to identify them before they strike...try wearing rubber band round your wrist...if you feel the panic raising twang the rubber band against your wrist...the pain should take your mind off the attack and focus on the wrist pain...deep breathing is the best way to get rid of one if you are having an attack...it's a vicious circle that you are going through...you have the attacks and you feel like your going to die...your body produces adrenalin to cope with the shock...in turn the heart beats faster because it thinks it needs to because of the increased adrenalin...you need to break the cycle...slow down your breathing...breath in slowly counting up to 6 and then exhale again counting to 6...keep doing this...distract your mind by counting things...words on a page is good...it is important to distract your mind to help stop the attack...take care...been where you have on and off for 18 yearsWhat can i do when i'm having a panic attack/anxiety attack? any advice from your personal experience?
i would suggest some soul searching and figure out what is going on. when you know what causes them you can generally handle it better
Read, write, listen to music, play games or sing. Singing is a very good way to calm yourself. Do things that calm you, meditation is another option as with sitting out side or talking with someone, maybe spend time with a pet?. Do you have a pet?, sometime an animal can help. There are so many different solutions, I personally never go the medicine route, because it doesn't really work, and when it does it hurts your body.
Think of something else.. something that will make you calm down and relax. Take a drink of water or milk or whatever and just try to chill out and not think about it. I have terrible anxiety but am not on medications and I'm doing fine.
i personly dont have them but my mum does. She tries to ';zone out'; basically breathe slowly and imagine you are not in the place that is causing the panic. Or she walks to the nearest quite area and just sits on the floor until it passes. She found the drugs didnt really help either and she would rather try to beat it without them. Hope it gets better for you!
Let the pills work for about another 2 weeks, then go back to the doctor, and tell her they aren't working.


You might try exercising. You might try eating right, and meditating., too.
drink a glass of water and sit down and take deep breaths. w orking out may also help reduce these attacks
thick of happy thoughts and get some air
Deep breathing exercises, meditate and seeing a psychiatrist may not be a bad idea.
smoke a fat joint
go to ur happy place,
Chill out... try meditation.
You may be taking a drug that takes a while to work. Zoloff, for example, takes 4-6 weeks to be affective and that was too long for me


When I feel like I'm going to have an attack I use Xanax (.5) and thay work very well, usually within 20-30 min. You should ask your Dr. if he will give you a script for some. Do not abuse them as they can be habit forming. Good luck
Breathe like this:





In, 2, 3, 4


Out 2, 3, 4


In, 2, 3


Out, 2, 3


In, 2, 3


Out, 2, 3


In, 2, 3


Out, 2, 3





And keep going ...








When you are having a panic attack you are hyperventilating (even though it may not be that severe or obvious)





Your body needs to reciece regular oxygen and only release a small ammound of carbon dioxide.





This breathing exercise regulates your breathing!
Try to relax and not think of your panic attack or anything stressful, its all in your head you just have to control your mind and the rest will follow.
Having anxiety attacks myself, and taking medication, sometimes when it sneaks up on me I have to block out everything going on around me, breathe deep and slow, and try to be alone and not talk for a few moments. Anxiety attacks are never fun, but realize they only last for a few minutes.
Practice meditation. Find a quiet spot. Listen to your lungs breathing for several minutes, then add a phrase that calms you, like ';peace and quiet'; and say it over and over. Practice this for a couple of weeks, and then the next panic attack you get, go to your quiet place in your mind and listen to yourself breathe.





TX Mom
take a short nap.
Pray
I'm taking medication for my panic attacks too and I still get them, they just aren't as bad. What I usually do is go outside as fast as i can when i feel one coming on and get some fresh air and just sit for a while until i feel like it's passed over. I could never learn the proper breathing techniques but fresh air does the trick for me.





What are you taking? It may not be doing the trick or you may need a higher dosage.
It will take a bit longer for your medication to really kick in.





I suffer from panic attacks as well. When I feel one coming on, I immediately try to relax myself. I close my eyes, try to make my body relax and I practice very slow breathing and focus my thoughts on something that makes me happy. It definitely does help.
Change your thinking to only positive thoughts.Sometimes try holding your breath and counting or anything to distract your self.Don't isolate yourself from people and don't be depressed.
your medicine is not good enough. strong ones block them completely. I was taking tranquilizers for 10 days and never had any attacs during that time. change your doctor. when you have an attack you should take a big dose of a special medicine that calms you down. you can use herbal ones like persen or Novo-passit but... you need not only medicines. you need to solve your problems. a good doctor can define what's your problem by the description of what you feel during a panic attatck. find the reason that is making you feel annoyed or under pressure. often it's your relationship with parents, boyfriend.... something in your life is not satisfying you and your body tells you it's enough to tolerate it, start fighting. it's like a cry for help, not just an illness. don't take it so easy. till you change your life or your attitude to it you'll never cure.
Close your eyes and pay attention to your breathing. Think only of your breathing. If it helps, imagine the ocean surf coming up on the beach as you breathe in, and going out and as you breathe out. Sitting down definitely helps, especially when my lungs or heart are doing anything irregular.
i found i have to make sure to tell myself I'm in control of these and only i can make it stop. try to sit down and take deep breaths. let your heart rate come down and then go back to what ever i was that you were doing. most of mine happen at night when I'm trying to go to bed, i have to get up sit on the couch and talk myself down and try to let all the stress from the day go. try listening to your ipod with music you like on it before going to bed do that is the last thing in you mind. i hope this helped. good luck i know how hard it is
Find a quiet place.....sit down and take deep breaths, make sure u breathe really slowly.....if u can't leave the area physically try leaving it mentally, think happy thoughts but continue the deep slow breathing thing. I find shaking my hands infront of me really fast(like i'm fanning myself) while i'm breathing slowly helps the panic attacks go away faster.
run like hell till you cant remember what the panic was about.
Boy do I have experience! First off, I am sorry you get them. They can be scary sometimes. Do you live alone or have a SO? If you have a SO or with a good friend when this happens, get them to gentlely rub your back in a calm manner with the palm of their hand and while doing this talk to you in a calm manner about something you both love. eg pets or the outdoors.If you are in a public place go somewhere private (bathroom stall). Always keep a small supply of small paper bags in your purse so if the occassion arises, pull out a bag and breathe in and out of it til you feel calmer. Try and find what's causing them so you can work on the problem. But first, go back to your dr. tell him you are still getting them. It may be a case of adjustment of your meds or you might need something different. Good Luck!
I have panic disorder too. It is hard to stop the ball rolling once it starts, but I do a cycle of breaths. Breath in for a count of 4, hold for a count of 4 and release in a count of four, do it four times, then try to just focus on breathing slow and calm.





Know that you are not alone too. So many people go through this and it sucks because it is real pain and fear that you are feeling, but you can control it. Be tough.