How To Stop Panic Attacks & Reduce Anxiety — 10 Proven Strategies

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What is the science behind what is actually happening in the brain and body during a panic attack or anxiety attack? 

Basically the body is being flooded with adrenaline and cortisol. It goes into fight or flight ready to protect you. Your pupils dilate, heart rate increases, your body pumps all the glycogen sugar into your blood stream, giving you everything you need to fight off the attack. 

Not to get too deep, but basically a part of your brain called the amygdala a pair of which is responsible for helping process emotions… sends a red alert to your hypothalamus saying there’s trouble… that hypothalamus then tells your nervous system to signal the adrenal glands to pump out hormones of adrenaline and cortisol for survival. 

Sometimes it’s a psychological/brain thing that starts this process such as fear, worrying, stress that sends chemical responses into the body… and sometimes it’s a physical thing that triggers the brain such as if you are in danger, but also even things like nutrient deficiencies such as B vitamins and iron, Unstable blood sugar, and even histamines can be a physiological factor that signals to the brain to fight. Hormonal imbalances can also cause anxiety attacks.

Just knowing this can help ease or calm an anxiety attack that you’re not dying, something is not seriously wrong, and one of the things you can do when you have an anxiety attack coming on or in the middle is self talk. You can literally start an inner dialogue of “Ok, I know that right now the reason I feel like I can’t breathe, and I am experiencing all these feelings is because my body is trying to protect me, and it’s doing its job to send adrenaline and cortisol through the body, so it's ok it’ll pass my body is just trying to help me. You can then try to slow down your breathing with long deep breaths. By doing this you start to signal the Vagus Nerve to relax, everything is ok, there’s no threat. Your vagus nerve is your calming nerve. You can even tell yourself this “It’s ok. All is well. My brain is just trying to help me, but we are safe.”

Some psychological factors that cause panic attacks are:

— Unmanaged Stress. Over production of cortisol.

— PTSD or just unresolved trauma.

— Fear and worry.

— Low self-esteem and low confidence.

— Too much stimulation and not enough downtime for the central nervous system (work, screens, stress, etc.)

Physical factors that can cause anxiety and panic attacks:

— Allergies (too many histamines) They actually used to treat anxiety attacks with anti-histamines. 

— Nutrient Deficiencies such as Iron, B Vitamins (especially B6), and Magnesium which ironically are also what cause a lot of hormonal imbalances too.

— Unstable Blood Sugar or under eating which puts the body in a state of stress. 

— Alcohol & Caffeine. Causes a stress response in the adrenals and also throws off your blood sugar. 

— Hormonal Imbalances. High Estrogen which causes too much of the exciter neurotransmitters can cause anxiety and panic attacks

Natural Remedies:

1-Mindfulness and meditation. Resetting the central nervous system with breath work and awareness. 

2. Self talk and stress management. Positive self talk, logical self talk, reprogramming your stress response. Journaling. 
3. Exercise. 
4. Get plenty of sleep.
5. Stabilizing blood sugar making sure you’re getting plenty of protein, carbs, and fat.
6. Using adaptogenic herbs to help regulate cortisol and manage Stress like rhodiola, ashwaganda, and valerian root. 
7. Making sure you are getting plenty of your vitamins and nutrients. Supplements: B-complex, iron, magnesium, L-theanine (Amino Acid), GABA, vitamin D, Omega 3s. 
8. Hydration.
9. Talk therapy. 
10. Make sure hormones are in balance.

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