How to calm yourself during an anxiety attack.

[XxXLostAndBrokenXxX]

I've been dealing with anxiety for a few years now and I notice it's the worst right around the time I go back to school after a break. For the past I'll say three weeks I've been having an anxiety attack nearly every night thinking about school. I've tried some things to calm me down but I can't really find anything that's effective. What are some things that either you do or you think I should try to help me calm myself down. Thanks

[Celyn]

Hi Kayla,

School anxiety sucks, doesn't it?

For me, I use breathing techniques (you can find them online) that my counsellor taught me. They help to slow my breathing down and can prevent or stop a panic attack.

I've heard that doing yoga or meditation can help, but I haven't tried them. Also, just general exercise and sleeping well is supposed to help too.

When I get anxious, I'll either try to take my mind off it and distract myself by doing something that keeps me busy or I try to find out why I feel anxious e.g is there something in particular in school that makes you feel anxious? If there is, I try to think of different things I can do tackle the problem.

Hope I helped.

[Astrophile.]

Hi there,

When I'm having anxiety attacks, I focus on my breathing. I count my breaths when they're really fast, and try to get the number lower while putting my hand on my stomach to feel the movements. This may or may not help you because it takes a lot of practice to do it. Perhaps you could try listening to gentle, relaxing music while you focus on your breaths. You could do yoga/meditation as suggested above. You could do something really simple, like write out what you're feeling and why (this helps me sometimes because I get to rationalize everything on one sheet of paper), or you could draw how you're feeling. It depends on how bad the anxiety is, really.

I hope this helped in some way. Take care.

[XxXLostAndBrokenXxX]

Thank you both. I'll try these things. I appreciate it ^_^

[Philomath]

Hi Kayla,

Anxiety is difficult to deal with but Holly and Britt have given you some great tips.
I know for me personally, breathing exercises have been helpful and so has writing down things. I do not have an anxiety disorder but everyone gets anxious about things (I'm anxious at the start of every semester as well) and the main thing is to know that this anxiety will pass and you will be fine once you are back into your school routine.
I hope this helps.
Take care.

[Palmolive]

Have you tried searching mindfulness exercises online? It might be a good idea. Mindfulness can really help us when we're anxious, especially the breathing techniques. I use one called 7/11 where you start to breath in for five and out for nine, then in for six and out for ten, then in for seven and for eleven and repeat the 7/11 a few times but you can work it around to what helps you best.

Also, grounding yourself when you begin to feel anxious can help. Take yourself somewhere quiet and feel the chair you're sat on. Feel it touching against your body and your cloths against your skin. Place you feet on the floor and hands on the chair and really ground yourself.

Maybe you could also make a self soothe box where you could keep letters, photos, little games, a teddy, body cream etc to all use when you feel like you're beginning to feel anxious. Self soothing can really help.

Just keep at it. Don't let the anxiety beat you.
Jessie