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ENTITY shares ways to prevent an anxiety attack.

The fact that anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S. is a harrowing reality we all have to face.

Whether we have an anxiety disorder ourselves or not, we likely know someone who struggles with it on some level. And unfortunately, that level can reach extremes and ultimately lead to an anxiety attack (otherwise known as a panic attack).

A quick look at the symptoms of an anxiety attack reveals a bodily state punctuated by heart palpitations, feelings of choking and nausea. And because anxiety attacks can be absolutely terrifying—even if you’ve experienced them before—I’ve compiled a list of the ways to prevent them before they even occur.

By practicing these tips, I hope you or anyone you know can arm themselves against anxiety attacks.

1 Breathing Exercises

ENTITY shares breathing exercises can help prevent anxiety attack

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If you’re frequenting the internet a lot looking for anxiety cures, you’ve probably come across this one before. It may sound like a broken record, but it’s important to practice daily breathing exercises to prevent anxiety attacks.

There’s enough research supporting the link between breathing and anxiety control to prove it works, too. For example, Mark Krasnow, a professor of biochemistry at Stanford University, found that mice, when their arousal center is silenced, have a calmer reaction when put in a new cage. This is abnormal because typically when mice are in a new environment, they must investigate the area before feeling comfortable in it.

And as it turns out, our brains’ arousal centers are calm when we breathe slowly. Just like the mice, we too freak out when confronted by new “cages” (or situations). Breathing exercises could help calm us down beforehand. There’s even research suggesting deep breathing can be beneficial to those with PTSD, one of the most extreme stress disorders.

Even if you don’t think it will help, give breathing exercises a try and note how you feel.

2 Positive Affirmations

ENTITY shares anxiety attack can be helped with positive affirmation writing and thinking

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Positive affirmations are essentially brief moments of concentration where you identify your most important values and deduce why they are important, and research suggests that it could lead to stress reduction.

A study at Carnegie Mellon University has shown a link between positive affirmations and reduction in stress among students. Those who wrote about their values at the beginning of the year were far less likely to experience anxiety than those who didn’t. Just by thinking about your values and why they are important can prevent a full-blown anxiety attack.

3 Exercise

ENTITY shares anxiety attack can be prevented with exercise

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It’s no secret that exercise makes you feel great. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), exercise is key to preventing anxiety attacks.

The idea is that when our bodies feel good, our minds benefit as well. Plus, we feel less tired and more alert after exercising, so why wouldn’t we make it part of our daily routine?

4 Sleep

ENTITY shares how anxiety attack can be prevented with proper sleep

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We can all feel the difference between a night when we get eight hours of sleep and one where we only get six. We feel groggy, more irritable and have less patience when we don’t get a proper night’s rest. Not surprisingly, we may be more likely to feel negative emotions when we don’t get enough sleep.

Do your body and mind a favor and go to bed at a reasonable hour, and make sure to wake up at relatively the same time every day. You’ll be surprised just how much better you feel when your sleep is more routine.

5 Connection

ENTITY shares anxiety attack can be prevented by staying connected

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Whatever you do, don’t isolate yourself if you start to feel anxious. Talking to people can make a world of difference because we are able to gain a new perspective on our situation.

When we don’t talk to others, we are just stuck with our own negative thoughts. So the next time you feel down in the dumps, try talking to someone.

Whatever You Do, Don’t Give Up.

Tons of people struggle with anxiety, so you’re never alone in your struggle to fight it off. The most important piece of advice I can give anyone on their journey to recovery and prevention is to always stay positive in the face of adversity. Hopefully, by remembering that and these tips, it’ll be easier to fight off anxiety attacks before they even begin.

 

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