[SwayintheBreeze]

Anyone have breathing techniques or resources that will calm a panic attack from the start? when I get reallllyyyyy upset I start to hyperventilate and the thoughts just spiral like mini-explosions

[Miswimmy1]

Ok I have a few breathing/anxiety relieving techniques.

1. Regular breathing. Breathe in through your nose. Count to 4. Breath out through you mouth.

2. The foot drill. Sit with both feet on the floor. Legs not crossed. Lift up one foot, just the balls of your feet. Count to 5. Set it down. Then do the other leg. This stimulates the different sides of your brain and relieves anxiety. Make sure your breathing the whole time.

3. Muscle tension/relaxation. Start by clenching you forehead (try its difficult). The goal is to isolate that one area and continue to relax every other part. Count to 5, then slowly relax that body part and feel the tension run out of u. Then do your face (pucker your lip like your sucking on a lemon. Then your chest, shoulder blades (pinch them together like a chicken), your belly (pretend a balloon is pulling your belly button on a string out your back), your arms (be a weight lifter and show your muscles), thighs, calves, and ankles (toe to your nose). Make sure you are isolating just that one part. And breathe while u are doing it. It is really nice and relaxing. I do it before I go to bed.

4. Plug one nostril. Breath in your nose. Plug the other nostril. Breathe out the 1st one. Continue. Its circular breathing.

Hope I was of any assistance!

I usually do counting breathing, I sit in a quiet place, or lay in bed before before sleep. Make sure they are deep breaths and you are extending your belly as you breath:

I will start at 1 (inhale), 2 (exhale), 3 (inhale), 4 (exhale) up until 10. Then I go back down from 10 to 1. It is incredibly relaxing. I will do it for 15 minutes sometimes, it usually puts me to sleep.

[polar_bear1]

Take a deep breath (best lying down or sitting) hold it in, then "pump" out your stomach hold for 1-2 seconds then let it down again, pump it again.. do this 4-5 times and then exhale... This really takes the tension out of your belly area and relaxes you.

When panic sets in: focus on breathing slowly- not too slow, just nomal phase... count in-1-4, out 1-4.. it helps.
Hope this will help