Disclaimer: The information focuses on informal tools listed by people who have faced anxiety issues. Please approach a professional for advise.
In not talking about mental health or addressing issues that totally exist, we also take away accessibility of help that people might need. Not knowing how to deal with anxiety in the moment when you’re facing it, is one example. The fact that we hardly talk about or know of temporary tools that can help overcome an anxiety attack is proof that we know very little.
Redditors listed some tools that assist, and you should know of these:
1. “Overloading your senses can help. Hold onto an ice cube. Have some scented oils you smell – eucalyptus and peppermint are really good for this. Put some hot sauce on your tongue.“
2. “Personally I found shutting down your senses as well. I bury my face in a towel after a shower it’s warm and calm but also just me alone with the thought, helps me to face it and try and overcome it.”
3. “Weighted blanket, and spending time with my dogs.”
4. “The only thing that works for me is focusing on my breathing and forcing my heart rate to slow down at the same time. I have to breathe in and hold it as long as I can before breathing out to make my heart slow down.“
5. “I play a word game on my phone. Like a word search basically, it helps me focus on something concrete and also gives my fingers something to do, which helps.”
6. “Mindfulness meditation is a life saver for dealing with anxiety and panic attacks. Once you get good enough at it, you can honestly kill your anxiety almost instantly. I suggest that everybody tries it at least once.”
7. “Something I learned on my own: Put an ice cube in your mouth. Distracts your brain to “ew cold”
Something I learned in therapy: Tense every muscle in your body, starting at your toes and working up, releasing when you start a new muscle group. It resets your fight/flight and gets the energy out.”
8. “I scroll through my camera roll. Seeing familiar pictures with no surprises or new things helps me calm down for some reason.”
9. “Not the best for the environment but the sound of running water calms me down. So I’ll go into the bathroom and turn on the shower for 10-15 minutes if I’m panicking.”
– arcant12
10. “When I’m feeling anxious or overwhelmed, I do the “brain soup” exercise. I visualize all my thoughts, feelings, anxieties spiraling in a big, big bowl as if it was a cauldron being stirred by an invisible vortex.”
Some tools may work for you, others may not. These are also just temporary ways to deal with the situation in the moment. So, it’s important to get professional help, always.