What do I do when I'm pre-panic attack?

Jesusfreak4life8629 · Dec 6, 2008

I've tried deep breathing technics, but they don't always work...that's the only coping method I have for panic attacks, and I need some more...

Could anyone help me?

Feeling pre-panic attack now...needing help...please...

UnitynLove · Dec 6, 2008

Jesusfreak4life8629 said:
I've tried deep breathing technics, but they don't always work...that's the only coping method I have for panic attacks, and I need some more...

Could anyone help me?

Feeling pre-panic attack now...needing help...please...

Repeat out loud a scripture on fear just like Jesus did. For it is written "and nothing shall by in any means harm me" ect...

Soulwings · Dec 7, 2008

Repeating a verse is a good thing to do; it's worked for me before in the past. Also, a line of a song has really helped me before, one that Rich Mullins wrote: So hold me, Jesus, 'cause I'm shakin' like a leaf. You've been King of my glory, now won't You be my Prince of peace?

Also, try "touch therapy." Find something - anything - that you can touch, and notice its texture. The wall, a chair or other piece of furniture, your clothing - notice what it's made out of, what it feels like - categorize it in your mind - what does it feel like that you've felt before? etc.

Pray. Give Jesus your anxiety. Imagine it's a bag of lead on your back, making you hunch over... then hand it to Him and He puts that sack in a sack on His back, and it doesn't bother Him at all. That helps me sometimes.

Find something of yours that is small and holds memories for you, and play with it. Rub it, turn it over in your hands, notice its color. For me, it's my wedding ring. I play with it, turn it 'round and 'round on my finger, sometimes take it off and read the inscription and remember the day we got married.

Imagery. Imagine yourself somewhere that you love. Somewhere safe and peaceful that holds only good memories for you. For me, it's a little place in the woods by my parents' house that I call Willowhaven. There's a little nook under a rosebush/grapevine tangle where I used to go... a little creek... a squishy area that was always green, even in winter...

I hope some of that helped. :hug:

s Hang tough. And what deep breathing techniques do you do??

Jesusfreak4life8629 · Dec 8, 2008

Soulwings said:
Repeating a verse is a good thing to do; it's worked for me before in the past. Also, a line of a song has really helped me before, one that Rich Mullins wrote: So hold me, Jesus, 'cause I'm shakin' like a leaf. You've been King of my glory, now won't You be my Prince of peace?

Also, try "touch therapy." Find something - anything - that you can touch, and notice its texture. The wall, a chair or other piece of furniture, your clothing - notice what it's made out of, what it feels like - categorize it in your mind - what does it feel like that you've felt before? etc.

Pray. Give Jesus your anxiety. Imagine it's a bag of lead on your back, making you hunch over... then hand it to Him and He puts that sack in a sack on His back, and it doesn't bother Him at all. That helps me sometimes.

Find something of yours that is small and holds memories for you, and play with it. Rub it, turn it over in your hands, notice its color. For me, it's my wedding ring. I play with it, turn it 'round and 'round on my finger, sometimes take it off and read the inscription and remember the day we got married.

Imagery. Imagine yourself somewhere that you love. Somewhere safe and peaceful that holds only good memories for you. For me, it's a little place in the woods by my parents' house that I call Willowhaven. There's a little nook under a rosebush/grapevine tangle where I used to go... a little creek... a squishy area that was always green, even in winter...

I hope some of that helped. s Hang tough. And what deep breathing techniques do you do??

Thank you, so much for all the ideas. :hug:

Sometimes I run upstairs and read this poem my friend wrote for me, and it soothes me knowing that someone does care.

My deep breathing technic is one that one of the staff members in the hospital taught me. You clench something with your hands, clench it as tight as possible, and breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Then, imagine your favorite place to be, think on that place, then you should be calm in no-time.

It's works most times, but when it's a really bad panic attack, I can't cope with just that.

So, thank you for the ideas, it means a lot to me that someone cares and understands.

Soulwings · Dec 8, 2008

Another breathing technique that I was taught in a day group that my T held was to put your hand up by your nose, thumb blocking off one nostril (from the side by pushing the cartilage in, not directly blocking it from the front/bottom) as you breathe in through the other, then middle finger block off the opposite nostril as you breathe out the other. It helps me a lot of hte time, and is especially good because it's also "touch therapy" - believe it or not, focusing on now my nose feels beneath my fingers helps.

You're welcome for the ideas. :hug:

I hope they help. If you need to talk or anything, I'm here.

I understand, that's a definite. I hate panic attacks but I've had them since I was 5.

Not cool at all.

petrospetra · Dec 11, 2008

Jesusfreak4life8629 said:
I've tried deep breathing technics, but they don't always work...that's the only coping method I have for panic attacks, and I need some more...

Could anyone help me?

Feeling pre-panic attack now...needing help...please...

Hi,
I used to suffer the worst ever panic attacks, beyond imagination, but I was completely set free from them simply by applying the self-help techniques that are presented in the book 'Self Help for Your Nerves' by Dr Claire Weekes. (You can still get if from Amazon, or borrow from many libraries).

The technique is so effective that by simply changing the way you think, I can now stop approaching panic attacks in a few seconds.

In a nutshell, the technique is as follows:
when a panic attack starts the first thing to do is to recognise that you are having a panic attack and label it as such. Jesus Himself said the secret on what to do next - Do not let your hearts be troubled. Of course someone suffering from panic attacks cannot do this by force of will, but this Bible verse has a practical application. And that is to make a conscious decision not to fight against or fear the fearful thought or emotion that is causing the attack, but to accept it instead. Accept that you are having a panic attack, and accept that the fearful thought will reside in the back of your mind for some time, almost like background music, and just leave it there. And because you are accepting instead of fleeing or fighting your body will not flood with adrenalin and the attack and its symptoms will fade away.

God bless
Peter

Soulwings · Dec 11, 2008

^^ That actually makes sense. If you don't fight against it, it seems like sometimes it would be better, because by fighting it, you're tensing up all of your muscles against it, and making yourself think about it. If you just accept that it's there, then the panic will be there, but the attack itself may not come because the trigger - you worrying and fighting the panic - won't be present.

That said, I still worry and fight and have panic attacks.

But I've noticed that sometimes I can just "blow it off" and tell the panic attack "I don't care." And that works some too. Mind tricks.

KTKat · Jan 13, 2009

The breathing technique never works for me neither! I usually try saying a prayer, thinking of scriptures, or just thinking of something good, like a moment where I felt no anxiety. Distraction is the best, if possible... but sometimes you reach that point of no return, and the best thing to do is just calm yourself the best you can.

also what Peter said is excellent!! That's something I have always read, acceptance is really your best tool.

Ave Maria · Jan 14, 2009

Wow! This thread should be stickied! I have found it to be very helpful!

I was about to have a panic attack when I read this thread and now it's gone.

honorthesabbath · Jan 16, 2009

The best way to stop a panic attack is to 'float' with it--don't fight it! Fighting it causes the escalation of it because of the 'second fear' of more adreniline we pump into our blood streams during anxiety.

If anyone hasn't visited these two sites--allow me to encourage you to do so--they save my life!

http://www.controllinganxiety.com/dsp_downloads.php

Listen to Dr. Weeks recordings over and over again until you get what she is trying to tell you--it's NOT easy--but she is right on with this!

http://www.anxietycentre.com/

I joined the above site and it's also been a huge blessing for me. I never had a panic attack in my life until July 23rd, 2008 ( I'll be 60 yrs old tomorrow--ugh! lol ) and I'm still in an anxiety state right now, although--it is MUCH better then it was. "Accepting' is not easy to do, but I find when I am able to do so--all my symptoms disappear almost instantly!

I also recommend you buy Dr. Weeks book. I got it on Amazon for $4--shipping included--lol. It's a wonderful CURE book for panic.

Chaplain David · Jan 16, 2009

Jesusfreak4life8629 said:
I've tried deep breathing technics, but they don't always work...that's the only coping method I have for panic attacks, and I need some more...

Could anyone help me?

Feeling pre-panic attack now...needing help...please...

I usually repeat some scripture such as:

I am strong in the Lord
I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me.
God does not give me the spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind.

I might repeat these several time. I also try to call a friend who knows about my panic and we talk.

I'll also try to immurse myself in busyness of some kind to get my mind off me and the feelings, house chores for example.

And I pray.

God bless you.

iwanttobefree · Jan 16, 2009

hi.
I always thought the idea of a panic attack was silly or all in someone's head...until i got them myself!

I get especially bad on public transportation - like rush hour trains and traffic jams.

There are some good suggestions on this thread - its good to have several approaches - breathing and having a 'calm place' you can go to in your mind are both effective techniques but they take practice- if you practice them regularly - at home, for example when you are calm its easier to implement them when you have an attack.

Another thing that sometimes helps me (sometimes not) is having a list of 'power music' on my ipod- not calm music but upbeat marches and fast tempo music - i guess this just helps to redirect the energy into from 'panic' to 'excitement'

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What do I do when I'm pre-panic attack?

Jesusfreak4life8629

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UnitynLove

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Soulwings

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Jesusfreak4life8629

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Soulwings

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petrospetra

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Soulwings

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KTKat

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Ave Maria

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honorthesabbath

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Chaplain David

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iwanttobefree

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