Anyone who's experienced panic attacks knows how frightening they can be. It can be difficult to breathe and often feel like you're living your last moments. Thankfully, there are many natural approaches to panic attacks that can help you during and after the attack. Here we look at a few of the most popular natural therapies for panic attacks and how they may help you.
What are Panic Attacks?
A panic attack is characterised by the feeling of intense anxiety or fear, shortness of breath and increased heart rate. It occurs rapidly and can vary from a feeling of uneasiness to heightened panic that seems as though you're having a heart attack.
Panic attacks are thought to be caused by an accumulation of stress hormones. This leads to a spike in cortisol, which can bring on unpleasant thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations that include shaking, sweaty palms, dizziness and breathing difficulty among others. This is because cortisol can make you hyper-alert and shut down parts of the brain. Others say panic attacks are caused by trauma that hasn't been properly processed. This may bring on a rush of emotions, causing a severe and sudden panic attack.
Having frequent attacks, such as twice or more in a week, may lead to a panic disorder which is worse. People with panic disorder not only experience problems at work or school and avoid social situations altogether for fear of having unexpected panic attacks, but they also run the risk of developing other mental disorders.
Prescription medications, like serotonin reuptake inhibitors, fall under the first-line treatment for panic disorder that a medical professional would usually recommend. While these help build neurotransmitters in the brain to regulate emotions, they can cause adverse effects such as joint and muscle pain, rashes, headaches, fatigue, sleep disorders and anxiety symptoms among others.
These 7 natural remedies will help you address the mental, emotional and physical symptoms of panic attacks and improve your quality of life, sans side effects.
Meditation for Panic Attacks
Meditation helps calm the nerves, still the mind and may help you unwind during a panic attack. If you're exhibiting symptoms of anxiety, don't wait for these to develop into a fully-fledged panic disorder before taking advantage of this effective treatment. It's wise to consult a meditation practitioner to ensure your practice is targeted towards your anxiety.
Homeopathy for Panic Attacks
Homeopathy is another natural treatment for panic attacks. When properly administered by a homeopath, the following medicines may be beneficial:
- Arsenicum relieves feelings of anxiety that arise from being alone, criticised or left in the dark.
- Silicea can help people who get frantic when they're in a crowd or at the thought of speaking in front of them. It can also increase energy levels in people who suffer from sleep problems.
- Aconite reduces restlessness and anxiety scores.
- Argenticum nitricum relieves flatulence due to intense fear and promotes calmness thanks to its anti-anxiety effects.
- Lycopodium helps stop constant worrying and increases self-confidence.
- Ignatia is recommended to people who suffer emotional distress due to grief or loss, mood swings or depression.
- Calcarea carbonica helps treat the physical symptoms of panic attacks, including clammy hands and feet, poor muscle coordination, dizziness and fatigue.
Nutrition for Panic Attacks
Following a healthy, well-balanced nutrition plan has also been shown to maintain blood sugar levels and decrease anxiety. Eat foods that are packed with essential amino acids, such as eggs, meat, seafood and milk, as these heal and repair cells, aid digestion and assist in the growth of body tissue. Several peer-reviewed studies have also shown that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids can help treat anxiety disorders and other mental health conditions.
Skip sugars, simple carbohydrates and caffeine, which may compel the adrenal glands to overproduce cortisol. Include avocados, bananas, yoghurt, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, legumes, raw nuts, seeds, soy, asparagus and garlic. These nutrient-rich foods may help replace nutrients that stress removes from the body.
Breathe Right to Reduce Anxiety
Many practitioners will advise their clients to practise proper breathing in a bid to reduce and cope with panic attacks and anxiety. Taking deep breaths alleviates stress and anxious feelings, increases energy levels and relieves pain. Here are some top breathing tips:
- Inhale and hold the breath for 6 seconds
- Say “relax” or “breathe” to yourself as you exhale
- Take a break for one minute
- Inhale and hold your breath for another 6 seconds
Continue this pattern until you feel the panic attack has subsided.
Herbs for Anxiety and Panic Attacks
Many types of herbal remedies can help in managing the symptoms of a panic attack as they contain calming properties. They can be used in the form of tea, tinctures, tablets or salves and creams. The application of medicinal plants in the treatment of physical, emotional and mental disorders is a time-tested formula employed by both natural healers and conventional doctors since time immemorial. In fact, the active ingredients of numerous herbs are used in the preparation of different pharmaceutical drugs.
It is best to consult a health professional before taking any herbal medicine as some may have a negative interaction with the medications you are currently taking. Here below are some of the best herbal remedies to keep panic attacks at bay:
Chamomile
Chamomile is a therapeutic herb used for hundreds of years to treat a variety of conditions. A cup of chamomile tea can help calm the nerves of a person suffering a panic attack. It can also relieve digestive issues and reduce inflammation.
Valerian
The valerian root promotes calmness and relaxation, as well as improving sleep quality and alleviating mild anxiety.
Kava Kava
This popular herbal supplement sourced from a shrub native to the South Pacific islands reduces symptoms of anxiety and elevates mood. It's also a natural sedative that helps ease muscle tension, headaches and sleep disturbance.
Lavender
Whether prepared as tea or used in aromatherapy, lavender can relieve tension, nervousness and other anxiety-related symptoms that may lead to a panic attack.
St. John's Wort
The flowers of this medicinal herb are used to treat symptoms of depression and mood disorders, making them a worthwhile addition to your treatment plan.
Physical Activity for Panic Attacks
The health benefits of regular exercise go beyond improving muscle strength, flexibility and endurance. Engaging in any form of physical workout, whether it be aerobic exercise, weight training, Pilates or yoga, is a mood booster as it increases serotonin levels and diverts your attention from thoughts and feelings that trigger fear or worry.
Relaxation Techniques to Reduce Panic Attacks
People with anxiety or panic disorder experience hyperventilation, which leads to breathing difficulties, when they lose control over their body. If you've experienced this before, you know how painful it can get. Practising relaxation techniques is a great way to avoid shallow breathing and the terrifying feeling of choking whenever an attack comes. A natural health professional who specialises in relaxation techniques and other psychotherapy techniques, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy and exposure therapy as well, can help restore normalcy, if not joy, to your daily life.
These are just some natural therapies that may help people who experience panic attacks. There are many other therapies that can also help reduce anxiety. Counselling, life coaching, yoga, kinesiology and hypnotherapy are a few more which you might like to try. To find a qualified health professional in your local area to help you out, check out the Natural Therapy Pages' complete listing of natural health practitioners in Australia.
Originally published on Oct 28, 2013
