It doesn’t matter how many panic attacks you have, you never get used to them. How could you possibly ever get used to that crushing pain in your chest, the overwhelming sense of fear that sends your conscious into overdrive and that horrendous shortness of breath that leaves you feeling completely out of control.
Panic attacks affect more people than you probably realise, so the first thing you need to do if you suffer with them is to know that you are most definitely not the only one. According to Mind Charity, around 1 in 3 people are expected to get one at some point in their life, and they can hit without warning. The NHS website reports that at least 1 in 10 people experience occasional attacks, and panic disorders (where someone has recurring attacks) affect about 2 in 100. Considering there are currently over 63 million people in the UK right now, that’s a lot of bloody panic attacks.
For me, my first attack was at a freshers gig (FYI, N-Dubz); I got swamped by the crowd on the dance floor and ended up hyperventilating. I thought I was having a heart attack. For Caitlyn Jenner, the woman who’s just stormed the internet with that Vanity Cover cover; it apparently came whilst she was lying in bed recovering from an operation on her first day as a woman.
Sometimes we’re lucky. Sometimes there’s a friend near who can hold our hand or drag us from the middle of the dance floor, but sometimes we have to be prepared to face this on our own. While you’ll never find the magic formula for dealing with it (it doesn’t exist), you can find ways to manage them when you’re alone, and at least make them a little bit less traumatic. So, here’s a helping hand:
**Breathing techniques **
When you have a panic attack when you’re on your own, it can be hard to focus on your breathing. A good technique to remember is belly breathing, where you put your hand on your diaphragm and use your deep breathing to push it away. By focusing on pushing your hand away, you’re bringing the awareness back to your body, which helps calm you down.
Stimulate your mind
Stephen Buckley, Head of Information at Mind Charity, says: 'Try to focus on the positive aspects of your life or distract yourself with a pleasurable task.' Apps like Panic Attack Aid (free on iTunes) are a simple way to offer that distraction when you’re home alone. They help you refocus your attention from your attack by asking you to take part in tasks like reciting the alphabet backwards or thinking of 5 song titles by your favourite singer.
Refocus your thinking
Whether you’ve lost your friends at a gig or you suddenly find yourself alone at a festival, track down somewhere peaceful to sit (or lay) and just focus on relaxing your muscles. Stephen explains, 'first close your eyes and breathe slowly and deeply. Locate any areas of tension and imagine the tension disappearing. Then, relax each part of the body, bit by bit, from the feet upwards.'
Divert your attention
If you’re at home, grab some ice from the freezer and rub it on your wrists, or if you’re out shopping, head to the nearest toilets and run cold water over them for a few seconds. This technique helps shock your body out of the panic and forces you to focus on the sensation, instead of your fear. It can be a little discomforting, but that’s the beauty of it, you end up thinking about how cold it is instead of your panic attack.
**Accept your feelings **
Stephen explains that by accepting your feelings of fear, you allow yourself to minimise the attack. He says, 'accept and face your feelings during an attack and they will become less intense.' Identify what it is you’re feeling and validate it. So if you’re alone in the house and you’re having an attack because you’re scared, accept that it’s fine to feel that and many people in your situation would, too! It’s just your body’s natural reaction to fear and it’s perfectly normal.
Get help
If you have attacks regularly, it’s handy to have a group of people around who know so you can raise the alarm if you need support. It’s a lot quicker to send one word rather than a full-blown text, so agree with your friends and family on an alert word and then when you’re having an attack, you can let easily let them know.
And remember, you’re not alone. There are loads of us out there and if you think your reasons for having an attack are stupid (they’re not and never will be), just remember I once had one because I couldn’t choose what coat to wear to work one day. Like I said, they hit without warning.
When you feel like you can’t do it anymore, speak to Mind, they’ve got your back. Call their info-line to chat about panic attacks (0300 123 3393) or visit their site and click 'I need help now' for their action plan. Also, if your attacks are persistent little buggers, speak to your GP to get help and find potential treatments.
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Illustration: Beth Walrond
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.