Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of the podcast.
Today, also sorry about the microphone again.
Having to use my AirPods at the moment because I'm driving and I figured I'd just record something off the top of the head.
Sort of wanted to focus on panic attacks today because like, you know, anyone else listening, I'm sure you've had plenty of them.
I've had a lot of them.
And I wanted to share some of the coping strategies I had for those.
I don't want to share anything negative. So if I do share something you do think is sort of not a great coping skill that I should be sharing with, you know, people, feel free to let me know.
You can hit me up on my socials or you can leave a comment and let me know your thoughts on it.
You know, I'm completely fine with being corrected.
I just don't want to give anyone wrong information, but I'm going to focus on things that have helped me.
So first thing that helps me is if I'm at home, which I'm going to be talking generally at home because that's where I've had most of my panic attacks.
The fan. I don't know if you have a fan in your room or in your house anywhere, but if you have a fan, try and sit in front of that.
For me, it definitely feels really good. It sort of helps me get air into me because I know it's really hard for a lot of people, including myself, to breathe when we're having this sort of anxiety, this sort of major panic, whatever.
And the fan sort of makes me feel like I can get a lot more air in with a lot less effort because I'm like struggling to get a breath, even though I can breathe fine.
Like we can always seem to be breathing fine, but it doesn't feel like it.
Like it definitely doesn't feel like it. So sitting in front of the fan for me is something that's really helped.
It cools me off too because I get really hot when I have panic attacks. I like to be cold.
I'm sort of just a warm person, I guess. I always like to be cold.
I even keep the fan on in my room even if it's winter, like my partner hates it. But it is what it is, you know.
The fan is definitely something that helps me a lot. And going alongside with that is some ice water.
So if you have like a drink bottle you use regularly, it's definitely a good idea, while you can, to fill it up and put some ice blocks in it.
If you know you're about to have a panic attack or you're just about on the verge of one and you don't think you can bring it down, or even if you do think you can bring it down,
it's a good idea to get some ice, some ice water, and just sip on that.
Because you're probably dehydrated anyways. I know I get dehydrated a lot, especially in the middle of a panic attack.
I would definitely feel it the most and I'll just want a drink, I'll get a really dry mouth.
So the ice water definitely helps. Something about the feeling of the coldness going down, like it just feels really relieving, at least for me.
So I would suggest maybe that, if you like ice water, I guess, helps me a lot.
Number three. So if you like scents, like incense, candles, something like that, definitely try and light one of those,
or try and get something that smells good that you like and have it near you if you are having a panic attack, especially if you're home.
As I know you can't really do that while you're driving or if you're at work or something, but if you're at home, like a candle, incense,
definitely light one of those and have that sort of just like aroma in the room.
It feels, especially if you use them regularly, because I do, and when I light them, especially if I'm having a panic attack,
they sort of bring me back down a little bit, they calm me down, they sort of, they're very familiar, and they make me feel a lot more comfortable,
a lot more warm, like that warm feeling inside, you know, that you get when you're at your safe place.
Just makes you feel a little more wholesome, a little more calm, I guess.
So incense or any scent of any kind is definitely something I would recommend.
Yeah.
Alright, number four is sort of taking your attention off what you're panicking about as hard as that can be,
and I can't stress enough how hard it can be to take your attention off it, and I know that.
So going forward, like, whatever I have to say about this afterwards, I do understand it is very hard to take your attention off it.
But the attempt to do so would be good. For me, it's hard, especially when I'm having like a full-blown panic attack to take my attention away.
But I have a lot of lights in my room, or if I'm not at home, I'll try and count things.
Like, if I can see some trees off in the distance, or if I can see some clouds, I like to count them.
I like to focus on them, make shapes with them, whatever, you know, use my imagination if I can try.
And I manage to usually do it for only about 10 seconds. I can take my brain off the panic attack I'm having and focus it on something else.
And I can do that a few times, or as many times as I like.
And it generally will help me bring myself back down to Earth a lot faster and calm down quicker than it would if I just sat there, stared at a wall, and freaked out,
which I know is something that is hard to not do, but it's definitely something I would recommend people try.
For example, if you're having a panic attack, to just sort of try your best to avert your gaze from the wall or whatever,
and try and focus on stuff and really go in depth about what you're looking at. Really think about it.
Think about the color, the way it looks, if it's moving, you know, why it's there, whatever it is, I don't know.
It's definitely helpful to sort of bring your attention to other things if you can.
Whatever, I don't remember. Calling a friend, loved one, partner, anyone.
So I know it's not always possible to do so. You could be in public, you could, I don't know, not have a phone, I don't know.
You could be 3 in the morning and you have no one to call, I don't know.
But if you're in a position where you can call somebody, I would highly recommend doing it.
A trusted person, someone that you feel safe with, someone that knows about all your anxiety, your phobia, whatever.
Definitely try to call them. Even if you can't talk properly, I know when I have a panic attack I shake a lot and I stutter.
So I make a hell of...so I make like no sense.
But it doesn't matter because the person I'm calling will generally know about it and like they will understand.
It feels a lot less lonely if you're comfortable of course calling somebody.
Because like, you know, if you really need to hang up, like you can just hang up and they're not there, like you're not, you know, you can be alone.
I know a lot of us like to be alone when we have panic attacks too, myself included.
So it's like a really easy option.
Again, if you feel comfortable with it, but it can make you just feel a lot less alone.
Especially if this person has had panic attacks themselves or has an anxiety disorder or just understands the sort of mental health, you know, stuff.
It's definitely something I would recommend, something I've done a lot of times.
And I found it really does help me bring myself back down and I really do appreciate those who help me through those moments.
Alright, now if you're out and about and you're having a panic attack, say you're at work or you're with friends or whatever you're doing, you're just not home.
And you can't get home in like a timeframe that's like going to work with what you're feeling.
So first of all, what I do if I'm in a situation like that, I will break whatever I'm doing down into smaller steps.
Like, provided you can, I know like if you're having a really bad panic attack, it's hard to do that.
But if you're not having a super bad panic attack and you can still sort of walk around, do shit, this is sort of more beneficial for that.
Like this advice is sort of more catered towards that sort of panic rather than like a full blown panic attack in public.
But generally, I'll break things down to smaller steps. So if I'm driving, I will try and make it to a landmark of my choice that isn't too far away.
So it can be a tree or it could be a mailbox or a house, wherever it is, whatever it is, doesn't matter.
Try and break down your trip into smaller steps. So it could be signs, anything.
And break down the time frame of what you're doing into smaller steps.
If you can't do the locations or like landmarks, you know, for me, there's not much from where I live to where the city is, where I work.
So I sort of break down the trip into time. So I'll do every five or every 10 minutes and I will tell myself I will decide what I do next when that five minute timer is up or that 10 minute timer is up.
So if I want to pull over, if I want to get out and have some air, if I want to have a panic attack or freak out, if I want to scream, it doesn't, whatever I want to do.
That if I decide I want to do that. But generally, by the time I get to that 10 minute mark and I'm like, all right, what do I do?
I will pretty much nine times out of 10 just keep going and you can do it again.
You know, another 10 minutes, another five minutes, whatever. But breaking it down can sort of take a lot of the edge off it.
It's sort of make whatever you're doing not such a ginormous, like massive task.
It sort of takes a lot of the scariness out of it.
At least with the size of it, you know, it could be something that takes a while to do. So breaking it down to smaller steps or smaller time frames.
Definitely something I'd recommend for anyone that's having a really hard time at work or driving or whatever you're doing that isn't being at home.
I hope you found some value in this. I know these tips are probably well known by everybody or whatever, but this is just my own advice.
Some things that have helped me. I can definitely share a lot more. I sort of want to keep this one a bit shorter.
I don't want to bore anyone with things I've heard before. If you have any suggestions for episodes or you'd like to come on and talk about it,
or you want to share a story and be anonymous and have me share it, feel free to hit me up on any socials I've linked below.
Remember to leave a rating if you like it or whatever. Leave a review if you feel like it. I don't know. I don't care. It's whatever.
Until then, keep safe. I will see you in the next episode.