6 Techniques for Calming an Anxiety Attack
Anxiety attacks feel scary. Your heart races, your mind spirals with worry, and it feels like you’ve lost control. While anxiety attacks are by nature difficult to control, there are effective techniques you can use to ground yourself and regain calm in the moment. When your mind is racing and your body is flooded with anxious energy, having a toolkit of proven strategies can make all the difference. Here are six practical tips to help you navigate an anxiety attack.
1. Practice Deep Breathing Exercises
Deep breathing is one of the most effective ways to calm your nervous system during an anxiety attack. When you’re anxious, your breathing becomes shallow and rapid, which can make symptoms worse. Try this simple technique:
Breathe in slowly through your nose for 4 counts
Hold your breath for 7 counts
Exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 counts
You can also try “box breathing:” breathe in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4. These techniques activate your body’s relaxation response and bring you back to the present moment.
2. Ground Yourself Through Your Senses
Sensory grounding techniques help pull your attention away from anxious thoughts and into your immediate environment. One popular method is the “5-4-3-2-1” technique:
5 things you can see
4 things you can feel
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste
You can also try finding objects in rainbow order (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple) or eat something with a strong taste like a sour candy to redirect your focus.
3. Move Your Body
Physical movement helps burn off the excess adrenaline that builds up during an anxiety attack. Even a short walk around the block can make a difference in your mood. If possible, go into nature. Research shows that natural environments have a particularly calming effect on both mind and body.
The combination of fresh air, natural light, and gentle movement can significantly reduce anxiety symptoms. If you can’t go outside, try some gentle stretching, pacing, or simple exercises indoors.
4. Use Positive Affirmations
Having a go-to phrase ready can provide comfort during anxious moments. Choose something meaningful that you can repeat when anxiety strikes. Helpful mantras might include:
“This too shall pass”
“I will get through this”
“I am safe and capable”
“These feelings are temporary”
Remember, anxiety attacks do end fairly quickly. Reminding yourself that you’re strong can keep up your self-esteem.
5. Take a Warm Bath
Warm water naturally relaxes tense muscles and can help slow your heart rate. Adding Epsom salts can soothe your body even more, and essential oils like lavender can provide a calming effect through aromatherapy. This all helps ground you in physical sensations while the ritual of drawing a bath gives your mind something concrete to focus on instead of anxious thoughts.
6. Write Down Your Worries
Anxiety attacks often involve negative thought loops that can spiral out of control. Writing down what you’re worried about helps externalize these thoughts and creates some distance between you and your anxiety. Once you’ve written your worries down, you can:
Examine whether they’re based in reality
Consider more balanced perspectives
Think through practical solutions
Challenge catastrophic thinking patterns
This practice helps break the cycle of repetitive anxious thoughts and gives you back some control.
Moving Forward
Remember that everyone’s experience with anxiety is different, and what works best may vary from person to person. Try these techniques during calmer moments so they’ll be more accessible during an anxiety attack. If you’re experiencing frequent anxiety attacks, reach out to us today. Our approaches to anxiety therapy can help you develop personalized coping strategies and address the underlying causes of your anxiety attacks.
