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How To Help Your Loved One Who Has a Panic Attack
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by: zbang920
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Word Count: 381
A panic attack is always very startling, especially the first episode. From that moment on, the life of the person having the attack, and his loved ones, takes a dramatic shift. Knowing how to help, what to do and say, and what not to do and say, is crucial.
A panic attack can occur suddenly, any time and at any place. Most attacks reach their height within the first 10 minutes and fade away within 20 minutes.
What You Can Do
Reassuring the person having the attack that you are there to support her or him is essential. Applying a wet, cold, towel on the forehead and the neck helps. Remain calm and do not dramatize the situation.
Know that a panic attack, especially the first, demoralizes the person who is having the attack. It will be wise at this juncture to make a doctor appointment and accompany your loved one to the meeting.
What You Should NOT do.
Never tell a person who has just had a panic attack that he or she is over reacting. There is no such thing as "over reacting" in such a case. The experience is always terrifying and whatever the person experiencing the attack feels is what it is. Telling her or him that their reaction is exaggerated, will only make the person feel worse.
What you also do not want to do is become a "crutch" to a person with a panic disorder. Loving and being supportive yes! Dependant on you for his or her every move, no! It is best to encourage the person to take charge, assuring him or her that there is a variety of very effective treatments for panic attacks.
What To Remember
Being there for your loved one, knowing what, and what not, to do is the most you can offer a person who had just suffered a panic attack. Then, educating yourself and helping that person understand all he or she can about their condition helps a great deal. At some point you would want to point out to that person that being afraid of the next attack is exactly what they do not want to do. Understanding this point and overcoming the fear of another attack is crucial and an integral part of the recovery process.
By: D. More
About the Author
Suffering from Panic Attacks is pure hell -- I know! Don't let fear control your destiny. Discover how a simple trick in this Natural Cure can set you free in seconds. Reclaim Your Freedom Now by visiting: http://AnxietyPanicFreeZone.com
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