When Jesus woke up, He rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then He asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey Him!” – Luke 4:39-41 NLT
Anxiety can show up in a number of ways. Some anxiety grows over time—slowly building up like the frantic, buzzing static of an open radio frequency. A little bit of added stress here and there, tempting us to walk further down the path of fear—holding on to things we need to release.
But not all anxiety sprouts gradually like this. Some forms of anxiety spring up quickly, like a stubborn weed, choking out other parts of our life. These bursts of anxiety, often referred to as panic attacks, can feel crippling and debilitating.
Though they may catch us off guard, we can better prepare ourselves for when they strike. And as we work toward a healthier lifestyle—mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually—we can learn to be better at proactively keeping them at bay.
Signs of a Panic Attack
We all have times when we suddenly feel a little uncomfortable or scared. However, if you feel a sudden increase in fear or extreme discomfort, usually within a 10 minute window, it could be the onset of a panic attack.
Physically, you might feel tightness in your chest, followed by increased heart rate or difficulty breathing. Shaking, trembling, chills, nausea, stomach pain, dizziness, numbness or tingling (paresthesia), or lightheadedness can also persist.
Alongside these, you might show emotional signs such as feelings of doom or impending danger, fear of losing control, or dissociation or detachment from yourself or your surroundings.
What to Do When Having a Panic Attack
First you must regulate your body. Take slow and calm breaths, or try a breathing method such as box breathing. Next, slowly look from side to side. As you observe your surroundings, your brain signals to the rest of your body that you’re not in danger.
If you’re still feeling panicked, try the 5-4-3-2-1 method. First, look for 5 small details in the environment around you. A pattern on a wall or the texture of a piece of furniture. Next, incorporate your physical sensations by finding 4 things to touch. After that, focus on pinpointing 3 different sounds you can hear—a car driving past, the ticking of a clock, or the rustling of leaves in the wind. Then find 2 fragrances you can smell, such as a candle, hand soap, or perfume. Lastly, find 1 thing you can taste. Incorporating all of your senses helps your body ground itself and pull you out of the panic attack.
Learning to Prevent Panic Attacks
Combatting panic attacks requires a blend of physical, mental, and spiritual techniques and disciplines. Depending on what is triggering your panic attacks (more on identifying anxiety triggers in chapter 5), you may need more of a particular strategy.
Physically, find ways to improve your overall health. Drink plenty of water, get regular exercise, and cut out anything that causes your heart rate to increase (such as caffeine or nicotine). Stimulants can cause your body to mimic a fight-flight-or-freeze response. Remove anything that gives your body a false sense of danger.
Mentally, identify the early signs of panic attacks. If you know what symptoms you experience at the onset of an attack, it will empower you to implement your various grounding techniques before a full panic attack sets in.
Spiritually, make sure you’re creating margin to fill your heart and mind with the beauty and power of God’s Word, as well as leaning into regular spiritual disciplines such as worship, praying, and meditating on Scripture. Not every mental health problem is a spiritual attack. But the more spiritually resilient we are, the more we can face our mental health struggles with the confidence that God is with us.
Panic attacks can be exhausting and daunting. But with the right tools, you can fight them in the moment and prepare yourself to build up walls of protection before they strike again.
Over time, you’ll learn what works best for you. With each season may come the need to adjust. But taking the time now to learn and grow will ensure that you’re ready to face your panic attacks head on with the peace of God in your heart, soul, and mind.
