Anxiety Attacks in Crowded Places

Everyone who deals with anxiety attacks know that they are a struggle all on their own. They take immense will power to overcome and seem like they never truly end. It's a struggle all on its own to have to learn how to stop an anxiety attack and it's not the easiest thing in the world. I used to have anxiety attacks constantly and over the course of the year I came up with some methods that helped me overcome them. I never looked forward to having them because, for me, it felt like suffocation and drowning. I hope these methods will give you the strength to overcome your fear, and like me, be able to understand where your fear comes from and effectively know how to overcome the fear if you have another attack.

These are some of the methods that I have come up with that helped distract my mind or ease it while I tried to learn where my fear was coming from. I would count up from 1, caress my knuckles, or continuously rub an object in my pocket. No one's anxiety attack symptoms are the same as another so it's up to you to figure out which methods work the most effectively and if they don't, change them. If you think you know what would help to control your fear then try it, I came up with close to a dozen ways and each one helped me in their own way. Start by using these methods and then create some of your own.

Method #1 - Counting Up

This method is exactly as it sounds, you simply count up from one at a slow pace. If you were to count faster your fear would increase with your anxiety, although if done slowly your mind has to focus on waiting to reach the next number. By this time you might have forgotten why you're anxious in the first place. The best way to use this method is to think about the numbers rather than saying them out loud, or you can mouth the numbers. Although the idea is not to attract the attention of those around you, which might happen if you speak the numbers out loud. You can count for as long as it takes to overcome the anxiety although from past experience I rarely got higher than 50.

Method #2 Fist Clench

This is not the best or most effective method because it inflicts pain to overcome anxiety. I used it only as a backup when I couldn't think of anything else and only used it for a short period of time. All you do is clench your fist as tightly as possible until you feel a pinching sensation in your palm. Your mind can focus on the pain rather than anxiety distracting itself. I would recommend to only use this method if you don't know a better one and be careful not to draw blood.

Method #3 - Knuckle Caress

Out of all the methods, this was one of my 'go to' ones because it was easy and fast. It was not overly effective but it was at least comforting, you simply dragged your thumb over your knuckles in a caress until the anxiety subsides. This may not work for everyone but a soothing touch can calm the heart rate and could lead to more comforting thoughts.

Method #4 - Fiddle/Fidget

This method is already very common for a lot of people with anxiety. I would refer to this method as Fiddle/Fidget where, if you had an object in your pocket, you would play with it. There are many objects created for this use like a Fidget Spinner or little cubes that have all sorts of levers and texture that can control anxiety. I never found the time to buy one of these so I instead used my phone; I would rub my hand over the back of the case or repeatedly snap off the case then snap it back on. Whatever I did, it was always repeated which helped me channel my anxiety into the object rather than thinking about it. These gadgets have become somewhat of a trend in the last while but are losing the attention of most. Although it is still one of the more effective methods if you struggle with having anxiety on a daily basis and find yourself fidgeting with just about anything you can get your hands on.

Method #5 - Self Persuasion

Unlike the previous methods, this one is more complicated and should be used when you know how to control your anxiety attacks. Which is what I did, when I understand where my fear was coming from and noticed when the attacks started and stopped, I started using this method when they were enormously affecting my breathing. I talked to myself and kept repeating the same thing: confront the fear and it won't exist. In different ways, I would tell myself to accept the fear and not be afraid of it because once I acknowledged my fear it would stop. So, pick a phrase that has meaning to you and persuade your mind to believe it, the idea is that you explain to yourself that the fear only exists as long as you're afraid of it. Once you can willingly accept the fear of an anxiety attack it will end, just like that.

Method #6 - Enduring It

I'm honestly not sure why this is even a method but it seemed to help in some way although it was one of my last resorts when my symptoms were already too far ahead for me to overcome them before they occurred. Once I felt I was choking and gagging for breath I kept trying to breathe and fight it only making me choke more. As soon as I gave up the anxiety attack was over. I'm not sure why this helped but if you find you're already at the end of your line, just go with it. All the pain is in your head so the sooner you accept your symptoms maybe they'll stop. I'm not sure though because this was not a greatly effective method it was just my very last resort when I was too late to attempt anything else.

Method #7 - Getting Help

When I first started having anxiety attacks, I was unaware of all of these methods and ways to overcome it so, in the beginning, when I was struggling and crying trying to understand what was happening, I looked up and noticed a few teachers who looked like they were there to help. Just following my instinct I walked up to them with my head down and when I looked up they noticed something was wrong and realized I was having an anxiety attack and gave me my first method which I never used get much because it was ineffective for me. Although, if you find yourself completely unaware or you don't know what to do, just look for help. In some way, there will always be some somewhere. Whether you see a friend and explain yourself or run to a bunch of teachers and start balling your eyes out. Help is there wherever you are and if you find no other method helps than look to someone else who might understand your situation or just would be glad to give you a hand.

Method #8 - Breathing

One of the more basic methods to overcome anxiety is to learn to control your breathing. I was told that when having an anxiety attack you want to breathe in through your mouth and out through your nose slowly. Or in through your nose and out through your mouth. If you're able to stop and take calming breaths, then that might help to overcome the anxiety. I can't say for sure how well it will help but I'd give it a try and see how effective it could be for you.

Method #9 - Avoid the Crowds

Another method is to just avoid crowded places; if you know most of your anxiety comes from being surrounded by people then try to avoid the crowds. You don't have to avoid walking among people but if there's an event or you know there will be a lot of people in one spot then avoid that area and go around. It may take longer than it normally would but you at least avoid having another anxiety attack.