Lucy Atkins suggests five ways to ... avoid a panic attack
A panic attack is the body's exaggerated response to a perceived "danger" - be it the queue in Primark or the thought of that six-page Christmas "to do" list. The body goes into "fight or flight" mode, releasing a massive shot of adrenaline, which speeds up the heart rate and breathing, making you clammy, tingly and dry-mouthed. If this happens, try to:
1 Slow your breathing.
Neil Shah, director of the Stress Management Society, says: "Breathe in for a count of five, expanding your belly. Hold the breath for 15 seconds then breathe out for 10, pulling your belly button towards your spine. Repeat five or six times until your breathing is normal." If you are hyperventilating - breathing so fast you feel you cannot breathe at all - put your hand over your mouth, says chartered psychologist and panic-attack specialist Felix Economakis. "When you hyperventilate, your blood fills with oxygen, and becomes acidic, causing the tingly, panicky feeling. Putting your hand over your mouth brings carbon dioxide back into your blood again and slows your breathing."
2 Rationalise.
"Remind yourself that these sensations are just a physical response to adrenaline," says Economakis. "Say: 'This may feel bad, but it is not a heart attack, it will not kill me. It will finish soon.'"
3 Physically refocus.
"Look down at your left shoe," says Economakis. "Describe it in detail, as if you are giving police evidence." This takes your mind off the panic attack. "Sometimes the fear of the panic attack itself is worse than the thing you were panicking about in the first place."
4 Cut stimulants.
"Cutting down on caffeine really can help," says GP Dr Louise Hoult. "Caffeine raises your heart rate, and makes you even more jittery and anxious."
5 Divert and burn.
"If possible, remove yourself from the situation and take a brisk walk," says Dr Hoult. "Even if it's just 10 minutes round the block, exercise will physically relax you, as well as burn off some of the excess adrenaline."