More and more people are affected by panic attacks. Coronavirus, post-covid, unstable situation - all this does not contribute to calmness. The psychologist told how to help yourself
“It seems that my heart will jump out of my chest”, “there was a feeling that I’m going to die”, “I have never been so scared in my life” - this is how people who survived a panic attack describe their feelings. Alas, because of the coronavirus, the number of those who, like a tsunami, are covered by panic has increased. This can happen during illness, as the coronavirus hits the nerves, negatively affecting the nervous system. This can also happen after a person has recovered from the coronavirus. Panic attacks are one of the main symptoms postcoid syndrome, which, as we already wrote, even children face.
5+ Tips for What to Do During a Panic Attack
She shared with us simple but effective tips clinical psychologist Oksana Chaika.
- Drink a glass of water in small sips.
- Concentrate on a subject and try to give it 5 characteristics. For example, a window: large, rectangular, clean, white, transparent. This method allows you to "switch" from thoughts of death.
- Calm your breathing. For example, inhale for one, two, three, four, and exhale more slowly - for a count of 5-6.
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Breathe into your soul. This is the name of the method when you need to pull a collar, golf, T-shirt over your nose and breathe into the solar plexus area. As a variant of this method, you can breathe into a bag. For example, it is advised to act in this way on board an aircraft when a person has an acute attack of aerophobia.
Breathe into a bag during a panic attack - it calms / istockphoto.com
- Take a fetal position. Our body remembers that in this position it felt protected. It is important to massage your arms and legs. This way you will feel that you are in the here and now moment and that you are alive.
- Squat, jump. Wash yourself with cold water.
It is important to remember that, as a rule, a panic attack lasts from 5 to 20 minutes. When you are in a calm state, practice these simple actions from time to time so that you have them worked out to automatism. It is also important that they are known to those with whom the person who is experiencing panic attacks lives or closely communicates. So that they can help him in time.
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