6 Ways to Prevent an Anxiety Attack?

My best advice in order to prevent an anxiety attack

1) Know your triggers:

Some triggers may include poor sleep, being hangover, large crowds, bright lights, grocery stores, small spaces, being too busy, working too much, being alone for too long. The list is endless because we all have different triggers. Just be aware of what yours are. The first step is awareness.

2) Don’t avoid your triggers:

Notice how I did not say to avoid your triggers entirely. One of the best ways we can help our anxiety is actually through exposure of the feared thing. This is seen in people who are able to overcome their phobias by gradually exposing themself to it (often with the. help of a therapist). Overtime, our bodies realize that the feared thing is actually nothing to fear. Just don’t do too much exposing at once, take time to debrief.

3) Imagine an anxiety attack like a balloon:

The more you fill yourself with things that stress you out, the closer the balloon gets to popping. Make sure to let your air out frequently by doing things that relax you like taking a hot bath, yoga, reading, hanging out with friends, and so on. Don’t let your stress level build up for too long without giving yourself a break to defuse.

4) Don’t let yourself obsess:

Allow yourself time to reflect, analyze, dig deep into your feelings. Don’t overdo it though. Spiraling and seeing in tunnel vision is the worst thing you can put yourself into as it is unproductive. If you need to, give yourself a set time frame everyday to journal and “deal” with your mental health. You can use this time to cry, feel bad for yourself, whatever you need to do. Just make sure to make the rest of the day about the present moment.

5) Prepare:

Obviously we can’t prepare for every time we feel anxious and sometimes anxiety attacks come out of the blue or for “no reason at all”(this goes back to balloon analogy). However, if you have a fear of flying, make sure to prepare in advance and bring the things you may need on the flight with you. Mentally prepare yourself to feel a bit uncomfortable and consider practicing a breathing exercise or downloading a podcast ahead of time.

6) Talk to people who understand:

Talking to people can be incredibly eye opening. Sometimes it helps to. hear that others have felt the same way you do and remind yourself that you are not alone. You are human. The human experience can be uncomfortable at times, but that’s apart of life. Remember that your feelings won’t last forever and you are strong enough to get through this.

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