Understanding Panic Attacks & What to do About Them
Image by Stephen Harlan
Panic attacks are the bodily manifestations of anxiety magnified. When anxiety levels get too high, when the mental and emotional stress become unbearable, and it literally feels like you will die, you are experiencing a panic attack.
Severe anxiety can make routine things feel terrifying, and panic attacks can be understood as the body’s response to this terror. Panic is the signal that tells the body to shut down and try to save itself.
Because panic attacks play out in the body, the best way to stop them is to work with the body. Three ways to engage the body and help it to calm down are:
Deep breathing exercises
Finding a peaceful spot to rest in where you feel grounded
Holding yourself while repeating calming mantras