Ways of Coping with Anxiety: From Breathing Exercises to Muscle Relaxation

I was only 19 years old when I had my first panic attack, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I was in the car on the way home from a concert. Suddenly I felt like the car was closing in on me, I couldn't breathe. In a frantic attempt to roll down the window, I broke it. This was just the first of many attacks that I would come to have. It was no surprise to me when, just a few months later, I was diagnosed with full-blown general anxiety disorder.

Anxiety doesn't only exhibit the symptoms I described above. It can have a wide range of things as well. I have listed some of the most common ones below:

Intense feeling of fear

Hyperventilation (feeling as if you can't take a breath)

Chest pain or racing pulse

Thoughts of impending doom

Fear of death

Tightness in neck and shoulders

Sweating

Feeling disoriented

Any of these can be associated with a panic attack. Also other symptoms not listed can occur as well. You must keep in mind that most of these symptoms are created in your mind, and though they are very real, they usually pose no threat or physical harm. I can't tell you the countless times I ended up in the emergency room just to be sent home with another anxiety diagnosis. In my mind I was having a heart attack, but physically I was just fine.

Over the years I have taken many medications. Anti-depressants and SSRI's are very useful in helping control anxiety, benzodiazaphines are also very helpful in helping you relax. Along with medication, therapy is an excellent tool in helping you not only cope but be able to confront some of the reasons you may be anxious. Many times though a chemical imbalance in the brain is responsible for these attacks. It tends to come out more when you are already stressed and pushed to your limits.

While learning to cope with your anxiety, whether you decide to use medications or other methods, I have found the following to be very useful in helping to ward off or at the least lessen the effects of an attack. They are:

Deep breathing exercises: Breathe deeply in through your nose and out through your mouth. This should be done several times while focusing all your attention on the breathing.

Anxiety exhibits symptoms such as an intense feeling of fear and hyperventilation.

Credit: Christine Glade | iStockPhoto

Copyright: Christine Glade