Need a quick remedy for anxiety/panic attacks

[earthyfamily]

I'm needing a remedy for anxiety and panic attacks and preventing them as well. I've always had a problem with them but it's gotten much worse over the past year or so. I have tried valerian root before, but I can't remember if it helped much because it knocked me out, just one tablet (directions say 1-3 tabs). It doesn't take much in the way of drugs/herbs to affect me. I was reading on another thread that Bach's Rescue Remedy is helpful....might try that. Any suggestions? I have two doctors appointments that I'm already stressing about, and they're two weeks away. (Dislike doctors...) Thanks!

[Trilliums]

:grouphug:

 

Have you looked for online calming techniques such as controlled breathing?

 

Something along the lines of this:

http://www.positivelypositive.com/2012/06/15/5-easy-fixes-to-ease-anxiety/

 

No experience with the remedies you mentioned. We sometimes use sleep aids like Hyland's insomnia.

[Dory]

Controlled breathing, grounding (what can I see, what can I hear, what can I smell), and some rose hip tea when I feel myself tensing are all things I've found help. I also keep a river rock that is fairly smooth but has some interesting edges in my pocket to give me something to focus on. Another thing that can help is to put your ankle on the thigh of your other leg when you are sitting, and then put the hand from the same side as the lifted leg over onto the ankle and the other hand crosses over the first and lays on the leg just below the knee. It looks like a natural position, but it stimulates both sides of the brain and can help a person calm down. This one sounds strange, but you can cross you arms over your chest and pat rhythmically on your forearms, that also stimulates the brain and the rhythm can help a person calm down. If those don't work for you, there are a few others.

[*Michelle*]

Calms Forte, maybe. I don't know if you're religious, but I start saying Hail Marys when I feel like I'm going to lose it. I got trapped on the darn Harry Potter ride at Universal for a good 7 minutes and I came this close to a full-blown screaming fit because of feeling trapped. Praying was the only thing that allowed me to focus enough to stay calm and regulate my breathing.

[Dory]

Calms Forte, maybe. I don't know if you're religious, but I start saying Hail Marys when I feel like I'm going to lose it. I got trapped on the darn Harry Potter ride at Universal for a good 7 minutes and I came this close to a full-blown screaming fit because of feeling trapped. Praying was the only thing that allowed me to focus enough to stay calm and regulate my breathing.

 

Yes! Praying was something I forgot to say. I find praying helpful as well. Especially for middle of the night episodes.

[Quad Shot Academy]

It is a long shot, but I have found that calcium causes panic attacks in me! I eat no dairy and have to watch the amount of foods that have calcium in them. :grouphug:

[2boysmom]

I wrote down thoughts like:

This is just a panic attack

You are not dying

It will pass

Hang in there

You're going to be okay

You are not going to die

Just breathe, it will be over very soon.

 

And kept that "note" with me at all times i.e. in my pocket, beside my bed, in the car. Because you never know when an attack will happen.

 

I would read my "pocket note" during an attack and it would naturally calm my mind and the physical symptoms were easier to get through.

It helped me. You might give it a try.

 

Best wishes to you.

It's been a few years since I've had an attack. But when I had them it was very, very, difficult time in my life. Praying for you.

[HappyLady]

Cut out caffeine and sugar. I used to suffer from this many years ago and once I cut those 2 things out (for the most part) out of my diet they went away almost immediately.

[Lisa in Jax]

I'm needing a remedy for anxiety and panic attacks and preventing them as well. I've always had a problem with them but it's gotten much worse over the past year or so. I have tried valerian root before, but I can't remember if it helped much because it knocked me out, just one tablet (directions say 1-3 tabs). It doesn't take much in the way of drugs/herbs to affect me. I was reading on another thread that Bach's Rescue Remedy is helpful....might try that. Any suggestions? I have two doctors appointments that I'm already stressing about, and they're two weeks away. (Dislike doctors...) Thanks!

 

Rescue Remedy is wonderful. We've used it for years, and I'd recommend it 100%. Try either the drops or the pastilles (little candy-like things). Another option would be "GABA Calm."

[Melissa in NC]

B-8 inositol

 

http://www.amazon.com/Twinlab-Inositol-Caps-500mg-Capsules/dp/B001G7R5GI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347753391&sr=8-1&keywords=inositol

 

 

There are some studies that show that B-8 is as effective as prozac. I know that if I notice anxiety and I check my pill box, I had forgotten to take my does. It is not a strong reaction but it helps me find my center.

[Happy]

During recent stressful medical tests and procedures, I practice yoga breathing and or singing praise songs silently to myself. Giving my mind something to focus on seems to keep it from veering off into the ditch of panic.

 

:grouphug:

[Parrothead]

Look into tai chi in your area. Also practice sitting meditation. You can also try walking meditation for those times you are out and about.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Meditation for prevention. Tapping for the moment. I also have binaural beats on my phone with some other sounds of choice (music, crickets, river, whatever).

[Rockhopper]

I seemed to notice a very fast improvement when I added magnesium and 5-HTP.

[happi duck]

Rescue Remedy is wonderful. We've used it for years, and I'd recommend it 100%. Try either the drops or the pastilles (little candy-like things). Another option would be "GABA Calm."

 

:iagree:

 

I use the spray.

[Mergath]

Ativan. ;)

[plath]

Rescue remedy. They even have gum. I really like the spray and the pastilles (like chewier gummies) .

[Rosie_0801]

Rescue Remedy works well for my mum. I only have trouble with anxiety when my serotonin levels are shot. So perhaps look up serotonin deficiency and see if any of those tricks can help you.

 

Rosie

[Greta Lea]

Highly recommend it for panic attacks and sleep issues related to stress.

[dancer67]

I hate to say it, but I have anxiety(bad, especially anything medical related), and I suggest Ativan as well. Only take it when you are going to have a procedure done, or go to the Dr's etc.

 

In between, journal. This helps me look back and see that I am still here, alive and breathing. And I never had anything to worry about to begin with.

 

:grouphug: Anxiety is a terrible thing to live with. Even more horrific, is when people make fun of you for it.

[JadeOrchidSong]

Controlled breathing, grounding (what can I see, what can I hear, what can I smell), and some rose hip tea when I feel myself tensing are all things I've found help. I also keep a river rock that is fairly smooth but has some interesting edges in my pocket to give me something to focus on. Another thing that can help is to put your ankle on the thigh of your other leg when you are sitting, and then put the hand from the same side as the lifted leg over onto the ankle and the other hand crosses over the first and lays on the leg just below the knee. It looks like a natural position, but it stimulates both sides of the brain and can help a person calm down. This one sounds strange, but you can cross you arms over your chest and pat rhythmically on your forearms, that also stimulates the brain and the rhythm can help a person calm down. If those don't work for you, there are a few others.

 

I will give this a try. Thanks!

To OP:

Read Hope and Help for Your Nerves by Claire Weeks. See the reviews on Amazon. It really helps me to deal with anxiety calmly and lower it's intensity.

Edited September 16, 2012 by aomom

[rutamattatt]

In the moment, run warm water over the insides of your wrists.

 

Also recommend Tai Chi. Great for movement and breathing.

 

It isn't fun. Hang in there! :grouphug:

[lil' maids in a row]

I had terrible anxiety for 3+ years. By cutting out caffeine and taking 600 mg of magnesium (just the otc from the grocery store)... it has been eliminated. I feel like myself for the first time since becoming a mom.

 

Check out the article/book The Magnesium Miracle. HTH anxiety is absolutely miserable to live with.

[Cricket]

Cutting out caffeine made a big difference with me. When I find myself getting stressed (which can lead to a full blown panic attack in me), dh rubs my neck and back--firm and deep. Physical contact like that relieves stress as well as allows me to control my breathing better.

[Lisa in Jax]

:iagree:

 

I use the spray.

 

Forgot about the spray. Oops. ;-)

[Diane]

This has helped me tremendously. Has also helped me to sleep without waking up 5+ times a night.

 

http://goo.gl/LMEVJ

[Negin]

Everyone has given great suggestions and tips. Here's the info I have. Much of it has already been said.

 

SYMPTOMS OF PANIC ATTACK:

• Rapid heart rate

• Shortness of breath

• Sweating

• Trembling

• Tightness in throat

• Dizziness

• Nausea

 

Panic attacks can feel scary – like you’re having a heart attack – but they won’t kill you.

In fact, most panic attacks pass within 5-10 minutes and rarely last longer than 20-30 minutes.

If you experience them frequently – several times a month or regularly over longer periods – then you have what’s called a “panic disorderâ€.

 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) teaches you to switch to healthier thought patterns.

 

One of the best ways to control a panic attack: Control your breathing. When you feel yourself beginning to panic, focus on making each breath slow and deep.

Put your hand on your belly, and as you inhale, focus on your belly rising; as you exhale, feel it relax and fall.

 

Regular exercise can decrease the frequency and intensity of panic attacks.

30 minutes a day of aerobic exercise – running, speed walking – have shown great success.

40 to 60 minutes a day of yoga, martial arts or tai chi can really help.

 

Certain foods tend to provoke panic, while others can palliate or prevent it.

Avoid or at least limit:

Caffeine

MSG

Aspartame

Diets high in sugars and simple carbs – white bread, pasta

Eat More Of:

Complex carbs – brown rice, lentils, fresh vegetables

Protein

GABA

Green Tea

B Vitamins

Valerian

 

Anchor your mind – by counting each breath slowly from one to 10, and then back down from 10 to one. Do this until the attack passes.

 

Remember that the attack probably won’t last more than 10 minutes, and even though it feels terrible, you will be OK.

 

Say to yourself: “I can make it through this†and try not to let yourself get caught up in negative thought patterns.

 

The Bach Flower Remedies represent a form of psychotherapy in a bottle, a noninvasive modality to address negative emotional states like:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Impatience

Bach Rescue Remedy is, in fact, used in many emergency rooms to help alleviate trauma.

A Welsh homeopath, Dr. Edward Bach recognized in the 1920s that, if herbs have healing powers, so must flowers. Over many years, he experimented with numerous flowers and trees to create a total of 38 plant-based Bach Flower Remedies.

 

Read this:

Another essential part of detoxifying your emotions is learning how to remain calm and let a greater force take over. By breathing slowly and deeply, you are able to let go, release tension throughout your body, and even lower your heart rate.

While deep breathing, meditation, and yoga can all help you let go of whatever negative feelings and stress you hold within you, I find the following words so helpful that I read them every day:

• To let go doesn’t mean to stop caring; it means I can’t do it for someone else.

• To let go is not to cut myself off; it’s realization that I can’t control another.

• To let go is not to judge, but to allow another to be a human being.

• To let go is not to deny but to accept.

• To let go is to fear less and love more.

 

Cream of Tartar is a source of natural potassium and highly alkalizing. 1/2 teaspoon can be used in emergencies to neutralize any acid reactions such as allergic responses, panting, shortness of breath, and anxiety attacks.

[Susan in KY]

I don't have panic attacks, but after Sept 11, 2001 I used to deal with other anxiety-driven symptoms (gastro-related, which were really PAINFUL!).

 

What began to immediately solve it for me was to take the first twinges as a warning sign. I would pray about what was bothering me. Usually the trigger for the event and the underlying cause were two different things. An attack may have been triggered by someone's nasty attitude toward me, for example, but there was always an underlying issue that I was upset about, and that is what needed to be dealt with. I was amazed to find that the triggers and the underlying issues were often not even related to each other!

 

Once I started dealing with the underlying issues head on, determining what I could do about them and letting go of what I had no control over, I stopped having attacks. Now I am actually grateful that I ever had them, because I keep a short record of wrongs and I attend to that which I can do something about (my reaction to stuff) rather than what I can't control (everything else).

 

Hope that helps!

[SailorMom]

I have OCD - and the "O" part caused debilitating anxiety. It peaked a few years ago/ I went to therapy, and after about 5 months she convinced me to try Wellbutrin. I really wish I had tried it sooner.

Completely changed my life for the better.

[angela in ohio]

Rescue Remedy didn't do anything for me. I tried it several times. I think I was in a bad spot before I tried it, though, and convinced myself it wouldn't work, so it didn't.

 

I frequently have heart palpitations that are harmless, but always used to send me into a panic. I did some behavior modification on myself. I have somehow convinced myself that drinking a few glasses of water cures a panic attack. So it does. :001_smile: By the time I am done with the water, I am fine.

 

Also making sure I am eating well and taking my supplements helps, whether medically or just mentally, I don't know. :001_smile:

 

Faith has been the biggest help, of course. Knowing that it's okay even if I do die during the panic attack (like it feels like) calms me down.

[Joanne]

There are some great suggestions in this thread.

 

I did want to say that if panic attacks or anxiety are not acute and setting driven, but are present chronically, please seek medical and mental health professionals.

 

Anxiety is a mental *illness*: a brain misfunction. It can be treated, in most cases, and not simply the symptoms muted through treating symptoms.

[JadeOrchidSong]

This has helped me tremendously. Has also helped me to sleep without waking up 5+ times a night.

 

http://goo.gl/LMEVJ

Looks like a good supplement to calm one's nerves. Thanks for sharing.