I’ve been an extremely anxious person for as long as I can remember. When I was younger, I used to get panic attacks at least once a week, so my mom sent me to a counselor to work on some tactics to deal with it. With the start of the new semester, I figured I’d share some of the tactics I’ve learned on dealing with anxiety and panic attacks.
1. If you have trouble sleeping, put a notebook and pen next to your bed.
This is one of my favorite things that my counselor told me to do. I often felt restless at night, like I should be using my time more productively than sleeping. This made me lose sleep, which made me more anxious the next day since I didn’t have the energy to fight it and would usually result in panic attacks and disassociation all day. Not fun, to say the least. So, if I ever cannot fall asleep or stay asleep due to nightmares or just the thoughts running in my mind, I use the pen and paper to write down every thought that’s in my head. Usually, when they’re out of my head and on the paper, they either seem ridiculous or they seem smaller and easier to deal with. Either way, this almost always works for me and helps me get in a couple hours of sleep at the least.
2. Try 4-7-8 breathing.
This one is especially helpful for people that get anxiety attacks. When I have attacks, I usually feel like I can’t catch my breath, so my mom taught me this trick. Breathe in through your nose for the count of four, hold for the count of seven, and breathe out through your mouth for the count of eight. I don’t know if it’s the repetition or the actual act of holding my breath for this one, but it always helps me calm down and helps me to feel my breath.
3. Peppermint Gum
Once again, this is very helpful for actual attacks where you feel like you can’t catch your breath. Keep either a mint or a stick of mint gum with you just in case you have an attack. When you start to panic or feel like you can’t breathe, put the mint in your mouth and breathe through your mouth. This helps you to feel the breath hitting the back of your throat. Anxiety lies to you and tells you things that aren’t always true, so the best way to battle this is with logical reasoning. This technique gives solid evidence that you can breathe and that you aren’t dying, which, for me, is usually exactly what I need.
4. Stretch
When I feel really anxious, my entire body tenses up and tightens to the point where I feel afraid to even move. Releasing the tension is key to overcoming the anxiety you feel at that moment. I usually stretch my arms over my head, roll my wrists and ankles, and, if I’m able to at the moment, touch my toes. This at least releases the tension in my shoulders, legs, and hips, the places that get the tightest when I’m stressed.
5. Give yourself a massage.
Similar to the last tip, when I panic, my muscles get tight. I always try to take deep breaths and sort of rub my neck and jaw to calm myself down. The repetitive motion is nice, plus, I feel way less tense afterwards.
6. Get away from the situation.
I used to get panic attacks in class. When that happened, I would usually try to excuse myself to the bathroom so that I could have a minute to collect myself, breathe, and take a break from the crowds. I would go back to class after, usually feeling at least a little bit better. So, if you can, get away from other people for a bit.
7. Be kind to yourself.
Most importantly, remember to be kind to yourself. You’re just a person, and fighting a battle in your own head is very exhausting stuff. You can’t always win. On days that you don’t, don’t beat yourself up too much! All that any of us can do is our best, and sometimes, the best you can do is waking up in the morning. That’s okay! Realize that your best is good enough.
Anxiety is tough, but you’re tougher. You can get through this semester! Just remember to take care of yourself, be kind to yourself, and make sure you are your priority, not your grades.
