Strategies for Managing Panic
Racing mind. Pulsing heart. Intrusive thoughts. Sweating, trouble sleeping, nausea. For those who experience panic or anxiety, the physical and psychological symptoms can feel insurmountable. While you may not be able to eliminate the cause of your anxiety — at least in the short term — you can learn strategies to cope with it. Read on for tips for keeping calm and carrying on.
Remove Yourself From the Situation
When you find yourself in a situation or an environment that is making you feel anxiety or panic, a natural in-the-moment coping mechanism is to remove yourself from that situation. Putting some physical distance between yourself and your stressors, even if just for a little while, can be extremely helpful in gathering your thoughts and coming back into your body. It isn’t always possible, but when it is, it’s a good place to start.
Breathing Exercises
There’s nothing like a good old fashioned deep breath, but as proponents of mindfulness can tell you, there are plenty of breathing exercises beyond the classic inhale/exhale that can calm you in times of stress. You might try Box Breathing, Bhramari (Humming Bee Breath), Sitali Breath, or whatever else you come across that works for you. Not only is the breathing itself calming, but the thought that goes into following the steps of the exercise can be a welcome distraction from troubling thoughts.
Drink Some Ice Water
Water isn’t just for hydration! Ice cold water in particular has a lesser-known superpower: It can calm your parasympathetic nervous system. Specifically the vagus nerve, which runs from your brain to your small intestine and plays a role in regulating breathing and heart rate. Drinking ice water, applying a cold compress to your neck area, taking an extra cold bath or shower, or dunking your face in some ice water can activate your vagus nerve which, in turn, slows your heart rate and lowers your blood pressure. Science is cool!
“Bear Down”
Another tried and true way of activating your vagus nerve — a vagal maneuver, if you will — is “bearing down.” Bearing down is the physical maneuver in which you try to breathe out by squeezing your stomach muscles but you don’t actually let the air out of your nose or mouth. In easier-to-understand terms, you inhale, squeeze your muscles the same way you would while going to the bathroom, hold for as long as you can, and let out your breath.
Find a Buddy
Panic can be a very isolating feeling, physically and emotionally. It can help, when you’re dealing with acute panic or anxiety, to seek out support from a person you trust. If you’re around friends, you might pull someone aside for a calm-inducing rendezvous. But in situations where you find yourself physically isolated, you can also phone a friend or family member to help talk you down. And if that isn’t possible, there are lots of videos online for guided meditation or anxiety relief. The presence of another person, or even just a voice can really make a difference.
While we love to share self-care tips and strategies, we are not medical professionals! If you are experiencing persistent anxiety and need support, you can find resources and connect with counselors using these directories from the American Psychological Association and Psychology Today.