Panic Attact or Anxiety Tips : Breathing

Anxiety Tips - Breathing

With correct breathing you can minimize the affect of high anxiety.

Like all 'well-oiled machines' the human body requires fuel to function and this be supplied to us in two forms, food and air.

I will discuss the role of foods in anxiety disorders later. As we all know, air quality is vital to the health of the human body, polluted, smoky or stale air can lead to a variety of health problems.

The lungs and respiratory passageways are efficient at filtering much of the larger impurities out of the air we breathe but cannot assist us with breathing technique.

What must be remembered is that the respiratory system has two functions, not only to inhale fresh air but also to exhale the by-product of respiration, carbon dioxide.

It is very easy during times of stress to neglect correct breathing. Subconsciously, our autonomic nervous system - the part of the nervous system responsible for carrying out the automatic bodily responses like breathing, digestion and brain activity - becomes affected by muscular tension and other stress reactions, altering the breathing patterns we take for granted.

These changes are not dangerous, but are enough to upset the normal body chemistry associated with good health. As blood oxygen and blood carbon dioxide levels fluctuate under stress, certain systems become affected causing sometimes quite severe and disturbing symptoms; these are visible as panic, anxiety and stress.

Correct breathing can:

• Decrease heart rate
• Decrease blood pressure
• Decrease metabolism
• Decrease muscle pain
• Increase circulation

The symptoms associated with bad breathing are numerous and include, dizziness, shortness of breath, pins and needles, pains in hands, feet and muscles, pain over the heart and shaking to name but a few.

I cannot put enough emphasis on the importance of re-balancing correct breathing. The autonomic nervous system works because it is a totally involuntary set of nerve impulses, which regulates a multitude of bodily functions without having to involve your conscious thought.

Whether you are awake or asleep, your body continues carrying out these functions. Now add stress and your body mechanism is disrupted, its daily blu22eprint is altered like a clock that's running too fast. The breath becomes shallower; this is recognizable as shorter breaths, which expand the chest above the diaphragm, (the sheath of muscular tissue which lies at the base of the rib cage across the chest cavity), but leaves the stomach still, this is called hyperventilation.

The breathing also becomes quicker combining this with shallow breathing results in imbalances of oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood. What we have to do now is re-set the clock, retrain our bodies and slowly move the correct breathing technique back into place. This is not as difficult as it sounds and as it happens through correcting breathing, the subconscious mind is learning new behavior and rebuilding new habits.

 

Hyperventilation

During hyperventilation, you might find you are experiencing some pretty scary symptoms and could be heading towards a full-blown panic attack. Through regular, light exercise, relaxation and breathing exercises you can take control of your body, redressing the imbalance, becoming free from your anxiety. Many hospitals run classes in the Alexander Technique and similar breathing techniques and exercises. Tai Chi, Yoga and meditation all implement correct breathing as part of their practice and provide muscular stretching and muscle toning exercises too.

Too much sitting

If you spend a lot of time sitting, remember to walk around as much and as often as possible. Sitting at a desk very often produces bad posture, which compresses the organs in the chest cavity and belly area, the heart and lungs become compressed and the digestive system slows. Move as much as you possibly can without straining.

 

WARNING

Some people say that you should take deep breaths to calm yourself whilst panicking or experiencing high anxiety... this is incorrect advice!

Lots of prolonged in-breaths will make your more anxious and tense.

 

The rules are simple:

• Lengthen exhalation to relax
• Lengthen inhalation to stimulate yourself

So when you wish to relax, inhale fully (but stay relaxed) and then, without pausing, exhale slowly. Then repeat this as many times, as required.

Prepare for stressful events in advance if possible. Do this by practicing this simple breathing exercise as long as possible before the event.

Panic Attack Treatment or Cures

Panic Attack Medication / Drugs

There is no medication which can address the root cause of a panic disorder in order to eliminate it successfully. Some medication can alleviate some of the symptoms, however, this affect is superficial and temporary, not a curative panic attack treatment.

All drugs can do is sedate the mind in order to temporarily suppress some anxiety symptoms, they do not ever represent a curative solution.

Drug therapy can help to 'knock the edge off' the acute anxiety or panic attacks experienced but if you rely solely on these drugs to cure your panic disorder or to remove the underlying anxiety, you are making a big mistake.

As a panic attack treatment, drug therapy can not now, or ever reach the area of the brain responsible for the formation of panic attacks and successfully identify which neural pathways to 'prune' in order to prevent panic attacks... it's just not possible.

How are panic attack symptoms caused ?

Panic attack symptoms are caused by a number of biological changes that occur during times of stress and anxiety.

The human body is very resilient, even in times of anxiety we are strong, although we may not feel it. Some people might be scared that their heart will stop, or give up, through the constant racing, thumping or chest pain, this is simply not true; again these are very common symptoms of panic attacks.

No one has ever come to any harm as a result of anxiety or panic attacks!

Consider how hard athletes have to work in order to give their hearts the kind of workout your heart receives through anxiety; athletes hearts do not give up, do they?

The heart is a muscle, raising the heart rate exercises it, making it fitter. You wouldn't worry if your heart raced after running for the bus, so why worry about it when it happens during anxiety. Panic attacks symptoms are harmless.

Physical tiredness

The downside of these panic attack symptoms is that your body will feel tired and shaky after they subside. You may feel as if you have run a marathon. Feeling tired or achy is a necessary side effect, if you are aware that it may happen, when it does, you will know what it is and it won't scare you as much!

Most anxious people complain of aching muscles and general fatigue, these are very common symptoms of panic attacks and anxiety. Muscle tension can cause pain or sensations of tightness anywhere in the body; most common in anxiety are pains in the chest, neck and shoulders. Tension in these places can be distressing; the tension in your chest may cause shortness of breath or rib pain, and it may make your chest or breasts tender or numb.

What are the most common panic attack symptoms?

Panic Attack Symptoms Explained - Please read and understand fully 

First of all, the word 'symptom' is used by doctors to describe the effects of illness... ANXIETY IS NOT AN ILLNESS... it's a behavioral condition. However, anxiety does 

produce some pretty scary SENSATIONS.

Yes, I said SENSATIONS because all of the feelings and thoughts you experience 

are just that! They are the physical manifestations of high anxiety

and NOTHING MORE!

STOP - THIS IS IMPORTANT

True FEAR can only be present when there is something PRESENT to be scared of.

If you have panic attack symptoms when there is nothing present to be scared of... you are experiencing INAPPROPRIATE ANXIETY... the sensations of FEAR, BUT, NOT true fear!

Even any weird or anxious thoughts you experience are ALL the product of the anxiety response which creates 'what if' thoughts... thoughts designed to make you make sensible decisions quickly when REAL fear is present.

But when no REAL fear is present, the thoughts work on presenting you with 'worst case scenarios' and some can be pretty weird and disturbing; these might include aggressive thoughts or sexual thoughts... thoughts about things you KNOW you'd never actually carry out. Disturbing but harmless thoughts and a recognized and common panic attacks symptom.