From experience, I know that anxiety and panic attacks can feel overwhelming, unpredictable, and sometimes frightening. Many clients come to see me feeling anxious and not knowing what to do with it, as many of us don’t – we’re not taught what anxiety is and what it means.
The good news is that with understanding and the right tools, you can learn to navigate them more efficiently and with self-compassion. I still experience anxiety and panic attacks, but I’ve found ways to be with them.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is your body’s natural response to perceived danger. It triggers the fight-flight-freeze response, preparing you to deal with threats. While this can be helpful in short bursts or when a real threat happens. But when this response is misfiring (when there is no real threat), chronic anxiety can become exhausting and intrusive, affecting your daily life.
What are panic attacks?
A panic attack is a sudden surge of intense fear or discomfort that peaks within minutes. It can include symptoms like:
- Fast heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness or feeling lightheaded
- Sweating or feeling cold
- A sense of detachment from reality
- Fear of losing control
Panic attacks can caused by overwhelm, stress or trauma. Sometimes, they can feel as though they come out of nowhere. But while they feel overwhelming, they are not dangerous, and they do pass.
Why do they happen?
Panic attacks and anxiety are often intensified and get reinforced when you ‘react’ fearfully through a fight/flight reaction to stress-related body sensations and overwhelming feelings or symptoms of anxiety. The more attention we give to anxiety and these sensations, the longer they take to go away. If we can learn not to pay attention and to say to ourselves, this will pass; and I will be ok -this is half of the battle.
Often, the symptoms of panic and anxiety will become less intense once your fight/flight reaction to these stress-related symptoms has stopped and you are no longer fighting the sensations that arise.
What can I do?
Notice and become mindful
Ask yourself, how do I know anxiety is here? What are the body sensations, feelings, body posture, thoughts, and images in my mind that go with my anxiety?
What is my relationship to anxiety?
Notice what meaning and judgments you make about your anxiety and emotional distress in the first place.
What kind of relationship do you have with your anxiety sensations and feelings of distress? Do you automatically fight the feelings, trying to push them down, have catastrophic fantasies about the future, or have excessive worry thinking through the ‘what ifs’? Do you shame yourself and judge yourself for feeling anxiety or distress?
Notice the effect of your reaction to your original distress and anxiety symptoms. Does it intensify or lessen it? Remind yourself that your anxiety is here for a reason, and if you listen to it, you will find out what it’s here to tell you.
What helps in the moment?
Try to reframe it
Call it out for what it is – “this is an adrenalin rush I don’t want or need right now. I don’t need to do anything right now. I need to sit with it, and it’s uncomfortable, but it will pass.” The more we fear and react to anxiety and panic attacks, the more we keep the loop going.
Notice your thoughts
Anxiety often brings thoughts like, “Something bad is about to happen,” or “I can’t handle this.”
When these thoughts arise, try asking:
- Is this thought based on fact or fear?
- What would I say to a friend feeling this way?
- What is the worst that could happen, and could I cope with it?
Ground yourself in the present
During an anxiety or panic attack, grounding techniques help bring you back to the present:
- The 5-4-3-2-1 method: Name five things you see, four things you touch, three things you hear, two things you smell, and one thing you taste.
- Deep breathing: Inhale for four counts, hold for four, and exhale for four. Repeat until your body begins to settle. Or do 10 slow, deep belly breaths.
- Hold something cold: Ice packs, a cold drink, or running your hands under cool water can help interrupt the panic cycle.
Regulate your nervous system
- Engage in movement: gentle exercise, stretching, or walking can release built-up tension.
- Use self-soothing techniques: a warm bath, your favourite TV, or comforting music can calm the body. Anything that works for you.
- Try somatic practices: progressive muscle relaxation, stretching, swaying side to side, singing or humming can help regulate your nervous system.
Know that you will cope – you have the resilience to do this.
Want to work with me?
I’m a fully qualified therapist specialising in trauma and neurodiversity. I work with depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. I offer practical, evidence-based tools that have worked for me.
If you’re interested in working with me to start to work with your anxiey, and feel more confident please contact me.