In our regular mental health spot, a few words on trying to ground yourself in the midst of a panic attack.
Have you ever found yourself having a panic attack and needed to take time to calm down and essentially return to yourself? This is known as Grounding, and can take many forms, but not everyone is aware of any techniques.
Let me offer a few ideas. I’m not a medical professional, to be clear, it’s just these can be useful tips.
The first few times panic attacks happen it is incredibly scary as they manifest suddenly and often by affecting your physical self. My panic attacks often mimic classic heart attack signs, as depicted on screen, and can often cause ‘hot flushes’ and sudden nausea. I have witnessed people struggle with their balance, with breathlessness, confusion, and nervousness.
Those initial panic attacks often result in emergency trips to a hospital or doctor’s surgery, which is entirely understandable, and the symptoms dissipate almost as soon as it is confirmed that you are not dying. The words ‘panic attack’ from a medical professional almost instantly cure the issue. But not always, especially for people who suffer in the long term.
Anybody who ever experiences a panic attack will be given the same advice; meditation, breathing exercises, or ‘just relax’.
As helpful and well intentioned as these may be, you are often too tense in the throes of the attack to consider meditation, and if relaxing were that easy you wouldn’t be in this situation. It took me a few years to find a few tricks that help calm me down, while in the midst of things.
GROUNDING (5 Senses)
Also known as the 5-4-3-2-1 Technique, this involves engaging all five senses. Take a seat, take a breath and then try to focus on identifying;
- 5 things you can see around you
- 4 things you can touch without moving
- 3 things that you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing that you can taste
COUNTING TO 20
Sounds easy, right? Except you’re not going to count in the standard way; 1-2-3-4-5-6ā¦ Instead, you are going to count out of order, quickly, without missing or repeating numbers; 5-7-12-20-16-1ā¦
It is significantly harder than it sounds and you become so focused on getting it right, you become distracted from your panic or anxiety attack.
And, no, Cheaty McCheaterson – you can’t use pen or paper to help. I know you thought it.
COUNTING BACK FROM 100
Again, this appears very simple, but no. At school we were taught our ‘times tables’, or multiplication if you want to be all grown up about it. In this instance you will do things backwards. You pick a random number between 1 and 10 (for example; 4) and then you start at 100 and count backwards every fourth number; 100-96-92-88ā¦
It allows you to focus on numbers and counting, but not in the standard way. Thinking in reverse again offers a distraction without over complicating things. It merely slows you down.
OTHER SUGGESTIONS
The track ‘Weightless’ by Marconi Union was actually studied in 2011, and was found to be the most relaxing track and can significantly reduce anxiety by over 60%. Plus, it sounds good.
If meditation is more your bag, but you need a little extra something, try some background noise such as white noise, waves, rain, brown noise and more. They are good for putting on repeat while you focus.
Short reading, such as short stories or whimsical articles are also a good distraction.
Try learning something like the (official) lyrics to a song you love, or the NATO phonetic alphabet.
In most instances, distraction is the key while not ignoring your body and mind. Find a scenario, or five, that can work for you.
Feel free to add more suggestions in the comments. Thanks, as always, for reading. This column will return next week.