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Step-By-Step Guide to Help a Person Having a Panic Attack

Panic attacks are scary, not just for someone experiencing it but also for the people around them. It is worse if it occurs suddenly as these attacks are quite intense and overwhelms the person with fear and stress. A thumb rule - as the stress levels of the person experiencing panic attack keeps increasing, you need to keep calm and be empathetic towards them. If not, thenit can impact the severity of their panic attack symptoms and make them worse. Here's how you can help someone having a panic attack:

Learn the Warning Signs

If you're not familiar already, take time out to learn the different warning signs of a potential panic attack. They commonly involve symptoms such as:

• Intense fear

• A sense of doom

• Shaking

• Sweating or chills

• Pounding heart

• Head and chest pain

• Difficulty in breathing

Do not get overrun by the situation and keep your calm all throughout the episode. Keeping calm is one of the best ways you can help.

Throw Your Judgment Out of the Window

One of the worst things you can do is be judgmental towards the person experiencing panic attack symptoms and blame them for having a panic attack. Refrain from doing so.

Ask These Questions

You can try asking them:

1. How frequently do they experience panic attack?

2. What are their expectations with the occurrence of this attack and what happened last time?

This helps in serving as a reminder of them getting over the panic attack episodes which they experienced in past. Learning to ride out from their panic attack can result in being the next episode less traumatic.

Stay and Help

One of the most meaningful things you can do for someone experiencing panic attack symptoms is to stay and help them. Stick with them and help them ride it out. Commonly, panic attacks will last around 20 to 30 minutes, so you can literally help someone greatly in such a short amount of time.

Help Them Get Help

You can encourage the person experiencing panic attack symptoms to get helpfrom a licensed professional. Similarly, you can give them information about some reputable online websites that provide support.

Learn about Panic Attacks and Techniques to Control

Knowledge about panic attack is not common, but it should be and getting familiar with it is very important. This will allow you to be more supportive and understanding towards the person who experiences a panic attack episode. Learning about grounding techniques can benefit in controlling of panic attacks.

Here are some quick grounding tips, to help someone ground themselves:

1. Physical touch, like holding their hand (if they’re ok with it)

2. Give them a textured object to feel

3. Encourage them to stretch or move

4. Encourage them to repeat a soothing or helpful phrase

5. Talk slowly and calmly about familiar places or activities

Never Undermine It

The most common mistake people make is undermining the experience of the person having a panic attack. You should never do that as it can worsen things.

Be Understanding

Always try your best to understand the person experiencing panic attack symptoms. Stay positive and be encouraging as that will help them to think in a more rational manner.

Don't Let Them Avoid Things

Do not try to help them in avoiding the situation, as if the person tries to escape the attack, it can harm them later by worsening the symptoms and increasing the chances of the attack recurring.

Conclusion

To sum it up, you can greatly help someone experiencing panic attack symptoms if you follow the tips above. You can prevent the situation from worsening and reduce the stress that usually arises in such a situation. Similarly, your quick thinking and prompt action can help gain control in an otherwise confusing state of affairs. Thus, make sure you remember them to help someone in need.

Disclaimer: This blog provides general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this blog, website or in any linked materials are not intended and should not be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Kindly contact your Doctor before starting a new medicine or health regime.

Source: Healthline

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Published on July 27, 2022