Things You Can Do to Handle Anxiety Attacks

Anxiety attacks are causes by excessive worrying and irrational fear of trivial things that our minds tend to blow out of proportion. Attacks often seem like they occur out of nowhere, but the truth is if we look deeper into the problem, anxiety can be triggered by certain chains of thought or events such as giving a presentation or being stuck in an elevator if you are claustrophobic.

Take the example of giving a presentation to the class. In the grand scheme of things, this is not a big deal - what is the worst that could happen? The truth is that nothing disastrous will happen during your presentation. Maybe you will fumble a few words or forget to say something, but that's what humans do - sometimes we make mistakes. Well, anxiety is excessively worrying about the situation and creating a huge problem for yourself because of this. Sometimes this worrying can affect our life in the workplace, our relationships, or even our happiness and general overall mood.

Some symptoms of anxiety include rapid heartbeat, hot or cold flashes, difficulty breathing, intense feelings of fear and feelings of detachment, shaking, trembling, irrational fear of dying or losing control, sweating, dizziness, and chest pain. The list goes on but these are some of the most common symptoms

Most anxiety attacks have been known to last from a couple minutes to half an hour. When in the midst of an anxiety attack, it is very hard to control yourself and think rationally. The worst part of the attack is when it first sets in, it is overwhelming. No need to worry, you can learn to handle your anxiety with some simple steps.

The most important thing is to relax. The truth is that it is very difficult to relax during an anxiety attack, but in order to relax it is important to focus on breathing very deep and full breaths. This deep breathing technique will help your relax both body and mind. Deep breathing will slow down your heartbeat and gives you something to focus on, rather than worrying about something trivial. You should practice deep breathing everyday for a few minutes. You can even practice this technique while you are doing something else like sitting on the computer reading articles. The more you do it the faster you can learn to relax yourself.

Most anxiety sufferers have a tendency to think negative thoughts, especially when they are experiencing an anxiety attack. You have to realize that you are in completely control of your body, and nobody is going to laugh at you for being nervous or anxious because EVERYBODY experiences stress and anxiety to a certain degree. Learn to think positive, and refrain from using negative words like 'I can't' because you certainly can. This negative thinking pattern just leads to more anxiety.

Think of all the good things and don't anticipate that something bad is going to happen, because there are a million possibilities for every situation, and trying to analyze them all puts too much stress on you. Keep thinking positive and focus on the task at hand, there is no need to worry.

Remember that your anxiety attack will be over soon, as anxiety attacks generally don't last very long. Don't count the time second by second, try to keep yourself occupied with the deep breathing technique. Remember, this state of fear and panic is only temporary.

One thing that I have found extremely helpful in treating anxiety is a lot of exercise. Not only is exercise a great way to get in shape and promote a healthier lifestyle, but it also reduces stress and anxiety. As little as thirty minutes a day of exercising can tremendously reduce the amount of stress and anxiety you experience. Try to exercise at least every other day, if not every day, and keep it routine. You will get results if you continue exercising regularly.

Finally, make sure you talk to someone you trust. It is important not to keep all your emotions bottled up inside. You need to talk to someone about what is going on in your life. This person can be your friend, lover, family member, or even your doctor.