5 Helpful Tips to Get Through Anxiety/Panic Attacks

Introduction

NOTE: THE THREADS "TIPS" ARE MEANT FOR IMMEDIATE RELIEF FROM AN ANXIETY/PANIC ATTACK. FOR GENERAL ANXIETY MAINTENANCE (I.E. DAILY ROUTINES), THERE ARE OTHER LONG TERMS METHODS TO UTILIZE (EXERCISE, EAT HEALTHY, ETC) . THESE 5 TIPS ARE FOR IF YOU ARE GOING THROUGH A STRONG BOUGHT OF ANXIETY OR A PANIC ATTACK

I’ve been dealing with diagnosed anxiety for over a decade now (General Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder), but I’ve really been dealing with it my whole life thinking back before I knew what it was.

I used to feel extreme anxiety all day, everyday, and have multiple panic attacks a day to boot. I actually missed a lot of my junior year of HS due to anxiety. I have also been to the hospital over 10 times throughout my life due to panic attacks (thought I was dying, etc). After like the 5th time, they almost kept me involuntarily (I wasn’t acting out physically or anything, they were just concerned about how many times I came for panic attacks).

I’ve been on and off meds (used to take Zoloft and Ativan), and now I just have klonopin for when I really need it (but I rarely take it - last bottle expired before I used them all, over half was remaining). Basically, I don’t need medication at all anymore, and have been off Zoloft for like 7 years.

my general anxiety and panic attacks that I used to go through have significantly subsided. It has turned into something I can access when I need to help me in life (more on that later)

For those suffering, you’ll see a lot of generic tips on the Internet: “oh just take deep breaths”, “meditate”, “make a journal”, “lay down and listen to your favorite music”. If you are an acute suffer, that may work for you, but if you are really going through it like I used to, here are some full proof tips that made my anxiety more manageable.

JUST BECAUSE THESE TIPS WORKED FOR ME, THEY MAY NOT WORK FOR YOU. IF THEY DONT WORK FOR YOU, THATS OK AND COMPLETELY NORMAL. AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU WILL FIND A METHOD THAT WORKS FOR YOU. IF NOT, SEE A TRAINED PROFESSIONAL, THEY WILL TALK TO YOU/OR PRESCRIBE YOU SOMETHING THAT WILL YOU GET YOU ON THE RIGHT TRACK

THE TIPS

I may add more as I think of them, but these are the top 5 that have helped me throughout my life:

1. Pacing

Most people view this as a symptom of anxiety (which it is), BUT it can also help relieve anxiety as well.

When you are experience anxiety, your body is in “fight or flight” mode, but it has no reason to be. You aren’t running from a saber tooth, you’re probably just in your house or something. But you have all this energy built up like you’re in danger.

Pacing helps facilitate that excess energy and get it out or your system. It will tire your body out, eventually releasing the energy that was built up.

2. Get cold

Getting cold causes your body to work harder, using energy that is otherwise wasted. This also helps quell the adrenaline rush associated with a panic attack. If you aren’t in a cold environment, eating something cold helps as well.

I always keep popsicles in the freezer because eating something cold also produces a similar effect.

Also, the shakes you get when you are cold doubles down on the energy reduction

3. Playing A Competitive Video Game

Playing a game that forces you to focus on something else in the moment, without any lulls or time to think, can help as well

My go to is Mario Kart (bright happy colors and fast paced action), but games like COD and Overwatch have helped me in the past as well.

Basically, the goal is to not play a game that lets you move slowly or at your own pace. It needs to be a game that forces you to compete, and shift your internal anxiety to focus on what’s going on in the game. It redirects your anxiety to winning - a positive reinforcement - as opposed to feeling like you are going to die - a negative reinforcement.

4. Going for a drive

Obviously, if you are feeling too anxious to drive, don’t, but ask your significant other/friend/ or even parent if they would like to drive somewhere (or just drive around). This was especially helpful to me when I was in HS. The movement of the car is actually super relaxing, opening a window and letting the wind / cold air blow on your face can also help you “snap out of it”.

It’s also a super good distraction. Is basically a sensory overload. You’re seeing and hearing a million things, and your mind needs to stop focusing on the anxiety to take it all in.

5. Self Pleasure

I think this is self explanatory, and I feel weird going into it lol. S***can be helpful too, but if you aren’t complete comfortable with your potential partner it can just increase anxiety. Self assistance is the way to go for anxiety.

FINAL THOUGHTS

And now as I mentioned earlier, your anxiety can be used for good!

The most helpful thing a psychologist ever told me was “the most successful people in the world have anxiety. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t have the drive to succeed”

This is also why I love when Kanye said his Bipolar was his super power. I totally got and understood that.

Your anxiety isn’t always bad. In fact, it can be beneficial to you!

For example, in school, my anxiety would not let me procrastinate. I always needed to finish my work ahead of time, and made sure it was done right.

At work, I always hit and exceed my goal because if I slack off, my anxiety kicks in and makes me think of the consequences (which there may be none, but my anxiety makes me think there will be)

I wasn’t always like that though, my anxiety used to bar me from doing good in school and working. This is like the final step to conquering your anxiety. It may take some time. But if I can do it, you can too.

Thats not to say I don’t have panic attacks anymore or don’t feel general anxiety from time to time. I do. But when it comes on, I know exactly how to tackle it.

Now, I welcome my anxiety like an old friend. It sounds strange, but true. It took me years to get to this point, but I’m certain you will too (if you aren’t there yet).

Good s***, these the type of threads we need to build up one another. Something else I find helps is just being in the sun early mornings. Drink your coffee in your backyard chill with your dog or whatever pet and plan your day get that vitamin d synthesis going rather than being in your dark cold room and show the world how you gonna let your nuts hang and take on whatever life throws at you cause man was made for adversity show your species ancestors you ain’t a b****

No way to be depressed when you wake up early, take a hot shower, make a good ass breakfast, and clock in a mean exercise session
It's always the little things

lmao yep definitely. Being in the sun/increasing vitmain D intake is absolutely helpful for anxiety/mental health maintenance, that readers of my OP should definitely not discount.

The getting cold concept is for immediate relief from a panic attack, being in the sun will for sure help your overall mood and mind long term

Good post OP. Always interesting to read what helps other people. Can definitely relate to a lot of this especially channeling anxiety into productivity. A quick 5/10 minute meditation right before I start studying/working usually really boosts my productivity.

exercise after showering

Any of y’all get anxiety attacks during specific times more often than others? I find that I used to get them a lot at night and now I usually get them right after I wake up

Fapping after a no fap streak f***ing works I’ll tell you that lmao the “why did I give a f***” feeling

Morning and night for me tbh during the day I can just autopilot thru work

Absolutely. I used to wake up to an anxiety attack everyday before school.

I remember just sitting on the steps in my hallway freaking out. S*** was the worst

From what I’ve heard, morning attacks when you first wake up happen because your body went from being in a relaxed state, to an aware state. So to the anxious prone person, this can cause an attack because your senses are in overdrive from waking up

Very nice OP.

Thank you for this OP

bumping this amazing thread, thanks for opening up and sharing your experience and tips @op

this thread should be pinned tbh

I never realized video games can be used for a force of good, but what you said makes a lot of sense. I might start gaming now.

thank you for appreciating it! i’m hoping it will/has helped people

yeah it really depends on the type of game/person but i have found that doing something that forces you to focus on something as well has having rewarding stimuli really helps

mario kart is great for this, but there are tons of other ones also

listen to whole lotta red

The get cold suggestion is really nice. Iv had once bad panic attack in my life and ever since then its felt like iv been just fighting them off from having another one, so i hop in a cold bath turn on a stream or something and chill

Great job OP

Online game’s definitely don’t help me but something like BOTW and Sonic Frontiers definitely help soothe me
These are good tips as well

Question. Can I have ur kpins?

Nigga put in self pleasure & CoD before exercising ☠️

Took some KPins with my friends and mixed with crown royale. We went to six flags and I can’t even remember a single moment or ride we went on and we were there all f***ing day. It’s actually kind of sad because I’ve never been to six flags before this lol and just wish I could even recall one thing

Go again without being f***ed up