If you’ve ever had an anxiety attack, you know that it feels like it will NEVER END. You feel like the walls are caving in and you have absolutely no way to escape. At least that’s what it feels like to me.
The first time I had one was during college. I was in a chartered bus on my way to the airport for winter break and it started off, actually, as just feeling nauseous. I’m very prone to motion sickness—I can’t even look at my phone in a car without feeling sick—so that part was normal but when it was compounded on top of the anxiety I was feeling about my school work and life in general…it wasn’t good.
I felt panicked. I felt like I was losing my mind and I genuinely feared that it would never end.
But let me tell you: it will stop. Here are a few facts about the length of anxiety attacks and 3 steps that you can take now to calm your nervous system and get back to your life.
Most anxiety attacks do not last more than 30 minutes.
I repeat: most anxiety attacks do not last more than 30 minutes. I know that’s little comfort when you’re in the middle of one because minutes can literally feel like hours, but it’s true.
So if you’re having one now or find yourself having one in the future, try to remember these three steps.
- Do not resist/fight the sensation
This is extremely hard to do because most people, as soon as they recognize and start to feel the panic rise, feel the desperate need to make it stop. Some people refer to it as fearing the fear and I definitely do this as well: freak out in anticipation of the oncoming fear and panic.
So try your very best to surrender to it (I know it’s counterintuitive!). Tell yourself that it’s okay, that it’s your body’s normal response to fear.
This leads me to my next tip.
- Breathe through it
Everyone says this and sometimes it’s annoying to hear when you’re incredibly stressed or anxious because you feel like “obviously I am breathing. How is that supposed to help?” So maybe I’ll phrase it like this: close your eyes, breathe, and feel your breath. Listen to your breath. Focus your attention on it and nothing else, if you can. Feel the air enter through your nose and exit through your mouth. If you can really meditate on your own breathing, you’re able to ground yourself and stop your spiraling thoughts.
- Get outside and take a light walk, if possible
This one comes with a couple conditions but I wanted to include it because nothing in the world helps me to feel more calm than walking outside. If you are hyperventilating, be careful with exercise as it can quicken your heart rate and induce faster breathing but if you are not hyperventilating, GET OUTSIDE. Moving your body will help release those amazing hormones (i.e. endorphins) and allow your nervous system to reset.
Someone once told me to hold my anxiety with kindness and love and that really reframed my relationship with my anxiety. It’s not about ridding myself of fear but recognizing that it is there to protect me. We all have an innate desire to feel safe and anxiety is our body’s natural response to feeling unsafe. Treat yourself with love and patience and know that this too shall pass.
dahee
