Panic Attacks Are Not Fun; What to Do When You Have Them Constantly

(For frequent panic attacks, always consult a doctor. The text below is meant to promote thought and discourse and does not treat or diagnose panic attacks or disorders. Hope this helps!)

Your heart feels like it’s going a million miles a minute. You feel like you’re going to die right where you’re standing. My panic attacks really do feel like that, and they are the worst!

It might be unbelievable to you, but some people experience panic attacks several times daily. Such recurring attacks often lead to a panic disorder, severely affecting mental health and daily life.

Since they’re no fun, what will we do about it?

Find the Root Cause

When panic attacks happen every day, you need to act fast. Two panic attacks every day may make you begin to fear the attacks themselves. When the fear of panic attacks persists for over a month, it can become a panic disorder.

A panic attack suddenly comes on, and before you know it, you’ve completely lost control. However unreasonable those sudden, intense feelings of fear and anxiety are, something in your environment triggers them. When you can identify the triggers of your attack, you’ll quickly figure out the root cause.

Ten common triggers of panic attacks are:

1. Stress
2. An existing health condition or a new health condition diagnosis
3. Substance abuse
4. Excess caffeine intake and/or caffeine withdrawal
5. Social settings, e.g., during hangouts
6. Reminders of old trauma
7. Sudden change in personal finances
8. Arguments or fights in your close or intimate relationships
9. Lack of sleep
10. Inadequate diet

Seek Help

Unfortunately, people often do not take complaints of panic attacks seriously. Parents sometimes overlook their children’s complaints about panic episodes. Panic attacks are pointing you to something that bothers you. It makes sense to find out why you’re bothered and possibly find a way to handle your feelings without losing control.

Speaking up about your symptoms to your teacher, guidance counselor, or in-school psychologist can help if you're in elementary school, high school, or even college. However, in the end, it is a medical episode, and a doctor is, in my opinion, your best bet.

You don’t want your symptoms to get out of hand and interfere with your day. Most of the time, people think they can handle the symptoms independently; sometimes, they’re successful, but not always.

When your parents aren’t taking your symptoms seriously enough, speak to your school therapist or teacher because they’ll know what to do.

In some cases, when the triggers are from your family, your teachers or guidance counselor may ask you to try to take your mind off things at home by focusing on school work. That’s only a quick fix because you still get to go home, right? You might not find the perfect person to speak to who can help you out. In that case, you can try some of these temporary fixes in the next section.

Warning: These suggestions are not permanent fixes. You should keep trying to consult a professional as soon as possible.

Tips for Handling Panic Attacks by Yourself

There are two categories for dealing with panic attacks on your own. The first category involves steps you can take before an episode to reduce the frequency of panic attacks. The second category involves steps you can take during a panic attack episode.

During a Panic Attack…

Breathe!

When you feel like your heart is about to jump out of your chest and you can’t get enough air through your nose, just breathe. Close your eyes and take slow, long breaths while counting slowly to four, hold your breath while counting to four again, and then slowly exhale while counting to four again.

Deep breathing provides relief within a few minutes, and you will begin to feel the panic passing. If you have someone near you at the time of your panic attack, signal for some support, even if it’s just for them to hold your hand. The assurance of another human being holding your hand can work wonders along with deep breathing.

Before/After a Panic Attack

When there’s no sign of another episode, you either fear that they’ll come again or continue facing the same stressors and triggers. The first thing to do is de-stress. Distance yourself from any of those triggers for your attacks and throw in any of the following steps:

• Practice deep breathing techniques every day to build a breathing habit.
• Eat well (this rules out low blood sugar as the cause of your panic).
• Practice aerobic exercises to improve your mood and reduce your stress levels.
• Avoid addictive substances and bad lifestyle habits such as smoking and excessive alcohol intake.

If Your Panic Is Happening Constantly…

You should speak to a mental health professional about your symptoms. Panic attacks can become panic disorders when not managed. There is a trigger for every panic attack. Identifying triggers for every panic episode makes it easier to manage.

I hope this helps!