Counter Escalating Symptoms of Anxiety to Eliminate Attacks

Everyone has experienced the symptoms of anxiety at some point. Extreme or constant stress, a perceived threat, or fears and phobias result in physical sensations ranging from slight discomfort to unbearable pain, depending on the situation. You might get butterflies in your stomach when preparing to give a speech, while others feel nauseous or even faint. Some individuals work through these reactions in a matter of fact way. For them, such symptoms are barely noticeable, or consist of nothing more than a temporary inconvenience. For others, physical reactions to anxiety seem impossible to control.

Are You Panicking?

Identifying and addressing the escalating symptoms of anxiety can reduce and even eliminate the physical discomfort they cause. The first indications of anxiety are often mild and may creep up slowly. With practice, it becomes easier to identify them:

• Difficulty swallowing (“there’s a lump in my throat” feeling)


• Chills or Sweats (“clammy hands,” for instance)


• Blushing


• Light-headedness / feeling faint


• Shakiness or trembling

What causes these initial physical reactions? Symptoms of anxiety or panic are often a reflection of the brain’s reaction to information relayed by the senses. Although giving a speech poses no physical threat of harm to anyone, the sight of the podium and the sound of the crowd’s applause cause a distinct reaction in the brain once they are considered “fearful.” In the interest of self-preservation, the body responds physiologically for “fight or flight.” Following the onset of initial symptoms, more uncomfortable physical reactions to stress occur:

• Rapid heart beat or palpitations


• Shortness of breath


• Chest pain or discomfort


• Nausea


• Numbness or tingling sensations in the palms, hands or facial areas


• Feeling of losing touch with reality or a sense of separation from self

Interrupting or preventing attacks is most likely to be successful if escalating symptoms of anxiety are approached calmly. Calming your physical reactions to stress takes practice, and it simply cannot be accomplished in a half-hazard or hurried way.

Calm Yourself

Breathing exercises are an excellent relaxation technique to use as an intervention tool during the onset of anxiety symptoms. Breathing slowly and deeply regulates the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the bloodstream and alleviates many of the discomforting symptoms of anxiety. At the first sign of an anxiety or panic attack:

• Close your eyes and concentrate on breathing more slowly


• Consciously slow breathing down to between 10 to 12 breaths per minute


• Breathe through the nose instead of the mouth


• Count to ten during inhaling and afterwards, during exhaling


• Continue breathing deeply and take a minimum of 15 times slow, deep breaths

The more often this exercise is practiced outside of stressful situations, the more effective it is likely to be in controlling the escalating symptoms of anxiety. In addition to a healthy lifestyle and adequate exercise, breathing exercises and relaxation techniques can go a long way towards reducing general anxiety and eliminating the onset of full-blown panic or anxiety attacks.