Anxiety is a normal reaction and can protect you from danger, keep you alert to what’s happening around you and help you be prepared. It is an integral part of the human makeup. However, when anxiety is not controlled, it can interfere with your daily life, and treatment for anxiety attacks is on the rise in our ever-changing and chaotic world.
What Does an Anxiety Attack Look Like?
An anxiety attack comes when there is an event or situation that is perceived to be stressful. It is accompanied by a racing heart or the feeling of a pit or knot in your stomach. Other symptoms could include shortness of breath, sweats, trembling, nausea, or tightness in your throat. Symptoms range from mild to severe and can last for a few minutes or even many hours.
What to do When an Attack Occurs
Once you experience an anxiety attack, you likely don’t want to have another. Learning how to work through the stress and your body’s reaction is key. Here are some tips on how to manage in the middle of an episode:
- Focus on breathing. Slowly inhale and exhale.
- Counting. Whether you count to 10 or 20, count slowly. Try counting forward or backward and see if one helps more than the other or a combination of both works best for you.
- Take a break. Stop whatever you’re doing and meditate, listen to soothing music, or get outside and go for a walk.
- Speak up. Talk to someone about how you’re feeling. Sometimes just verbalizing the circumstances of your event can help calm your mind.
In addition to immediate actions, preventative methods could help limit the number of anxiety attacks you experience. First, consider working with a therapist who can help you identify your triggers. During this natural treatment for anxiety, you and your therapist can also identify your triggers. They can then help you with setting realistic expectations about your anxiety attacks, their duration and frequency. Next, they may teach you how to exchange negative thoughts with positive thoughts. It’s also common for a doctor to suggest eating a well-balanced diet and limiting caffeine and alcohol intake. With anxiety, these are indeed considered all-natural treatments for anxiety that can help keep your anxiety at bay.
Personalized Anxiety Disorder Treatment at Taconic Psychiatry
At Taconic Psychiatry, we focus on whole-body treatment for optimum wellness. We provide natural treatment for anxiety through a combination of approaches personalized for you. Call or click today to begin your journey to peace and wellness. Call (802) 768-9136 or click here to request an appointment through our online portal.
