Home Remedies for Anxiety Attacks: Simple Tips for Staying Calm and in Control
What is an Anxiety Attack?
An anxiety attack is an abrupt onset of a short period of intense fear or discomfort that has physical and mental symptoms associated with it. An anxiety attack begins when a message of fear sends a signal to the adrenal glands that there is an emergency. Adrenaline is then suddenly and unexpectedly released into your bloodstream.
Symptoms of an anxiety attack include:
- Racing heart
- Difficulty breathing
- Nervousness, shaking
- Dizziness, lightheadedness or nausea
- Chest pains
- Hot flashes or chills
- Tingling
- Fear that you may go crazy or die
In some situations a person may feel as if they are having a heart attack. At that point, usually only a medical professional can determine if it is indeed a true heart attack or just an anxiety attack. Attacks are generally short and last from about 10 to 30 minutes. There are many home remedies for anxiety attacks that a person could implement to reduce their symptoms. However, in the case of a heart attack, immediate medical attention is required.
What Causes Anxiety Attacks?
The purpose of anxiety is basically to protect oneself through the fight or flight response. An anxiety attack is basically an extreme anxiety response that is your body’s way of protecting itself. However, the symptoms often seem inappropriate for the situation and are instead terrifying. The most common causes of anxiety attacks are stress, anxiety, fear, lifestyle and diet. Attacks are most commonly brought on by a stressful situation, the anticipation of a stressful situation or a situation in which an attack previously occurred.
Home Remedies for Anxiety Attacks
To overcome anxiety attacks, the first step is to honestly evaluate yourself. When and where do you most often experience attacks? Determine what situations and events trigger your attacks. Next, if you have not done this already, tell your family and friends about what is going on. Not only will this help to create a sense of love and security, but they will also be able to help you by being available, supportive and encouraging. Their positive reinforcement will in turn, help you be able to be more positive and stop the attacks.
The following home remedies for anxiety attacks can be helpful in many situations:
- Sit down, close your eyes and put all your attention on a sound in the environment.
- Take deep breaths and breathe from your diaphragm.
- Go for a peaceful walk.
- Listen to some relaxing music.
- Watch a comedy on TV.
- Talk to someone either about your attack or about anything at all.
- Read a book.
- Drink water.
- Face your fear - Ask yourself where is this fear coming from? Is this logical? Laugh out loud at it.
- Don’t fight it. Let it come and take its course and assure yourself that you will be fine.
If you continue to experience attacks it may be time to give yourself a break, lower your workload and take a stress-free vacation. In addition, it is important to maintain a healthy diet. Vitamin B12, thiamin and niacin are helpful in maintaining your nervous system. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, sugar, and other stimulants which can aggravate attacks. The more you practice overcoming your anxiety attacks the easier it will be. Do not give in to the anxiety, you are in control.
Resources
Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General: Anxiety Disorders - https://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/mentalhealth/chapter4/sec2.html
Anxiety Disorders Association of America - https://www.adaa.org/
Photo Credit
WikiMedia Commons – small waterfalls - Danny Steaven
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