How Can I Stop Anxiety Attacks? Understanding What Helps
Question: I am a man who has been having anxiety attacks for 10 years. Does it have to do with depression? When does it go away? Is there help out there?
Answer: Depression and anxiety often go together like hand in glove. Of course, not all depressions have components of anxiety. But worry, lack of concentration, insomnia and restlessness are components of anxiety — and often accompany depression, too.
Anxiety disorders and depression are the most commonly under-diagnosed behavioral illnesses. Chronic anxiety saps your energy and can mimic the symptoms of serious heart or lung conditions, resulting in chest pains, shortness of breath, sweating and nausea. These extreme episodes are dubbed “panic attacks.”
Anxiety can sometimes be linked to medication side effects or medical conditions such as an under-functioning thyroid or low testosterone. When symptoms persist for years, assessment by a clinician is often part of working out what is going on.
A thorough physical examination is often part of evaluating long-standing anxiety symptoms. If no physical explanation is found, some people are referred to a psychotherapist or psychologist to explore sources of stress and coping patterns.
If you have new or severe chest pain, fainting, one-sided weakness, severe shortness of breath, or symptoms that feel like a medical emergency, seek urgent medical care rather than assuming it is “just anxiety.”
Beyond professional intervention, there is quite a bit you can do to help yourself.
Redirect Your Mental Focus
Stay “healthfully distracted”, meaning fight the urges to isolate, hibernate and ruminate. It helps to join others with similar interests in what by now may be your forgotten hobbies or avocations. If you are a religious person, stay spiritually connected.
Some people use slow breathing exercises, often called “belly breathing,” as a way to settle the body’s physical stress response. The idea is gentle, controlled breathing that encourages relaxation.
Be Active
Stay healthfully active. Garden, climb stairs instead of using elevators, and choose distant parking spots. Not only does a brisk walk release feel-good chemicals into your brain. If you share your stroll with a human or beast (my dog is named Oscar) you’ll stay connected and perhaps be able to share your thoughts and concerns with a caring individual.
Get the Right Nutrition
From a nutritional standpoint, follow a diet generally lower in sweets and starches, and don’t bite at the common urge to drink away your troubles with alcohol. Think “Mediterranean” or “Caveman” when it comes to diet.
A potent multivitamin, B-complex and Omega-3 (“fish oil” or EPA/DHA) supplement all have specific actions that help support mental health and fight negative stress reactions. Ask your doctor if she would object. Valerian root is another commonly used supplement for sleep and anxiety, but safety and interactions matter, especially if you take sedatives or other medications. NCCIH: Valerian (usefulness and safety)
Be cautious with this or any other herb if you take prescription psychoactive medications, however. There are good databases around and be mindful of drug interactions.
Yes, there is help “out there” — but a good deal of help is within you. Please see a behavioural specialist for diagnosis and treatment. Life needn’t be a series of anxiety attacks separated by worry and desperation.