1. You’re not alone.
Anxiety attacks can make you feel like you’re the only person in the world who has ever felt such extreme levels of stress. Don’t tell yourself this lie. We live in a stressful and chaotic world. Approximately 19 million people in the United States alone suffer from some type of anxiety disorder. Some of the most successful people have struggled to learn how to treat anxiety effectively. Once the attack subsides, you may consider finding a support group in your community or online. Just knowing that other people have experienced what you’re going through can be a tremendous help.
2. This too shall pass.
In addition to deep breathing, perhaps the most important thing you can do during an anxiety attack is to remind yourself that the uncomfortable feeling will pass. Your stress can be so intense during an attack that you can see your way past it. Reminding yourself that there are more peaceful moments ahead will help you learn how to deal with stress resulting from anxiety attacks. Make this a mantra, and repeat it over and over again until the anxiety passes.
3. Sometimes, anxiety is just anxiety.
An anxiety attack can feel like a warning that something is very wrong. It can get your head spinning in a million directions in an attempt to figure out what the crisis is. If you don’t know what brought on the attack, accept the possibility that the anxiety is simply anxiety. No more and no less.