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Some tips on managing physical symptoms of anxiety or panic 
A THREAD:
A THREAD:
Your physical symptoms are linked to your behaviours and your thoughts. The more you seek reassurance, avoid or worry, the more catastrophic your thoughts will be and ultimately your physical sensations will prolong or worsen.
Don’t run away! The only way to get over your anxiety is to sit through it. Avoidance is a huge maintainer of anxiety because it brings short term relief but long term it worsens the anxiety 
An immediate reaction to physical symptoms might be to get up & pace or do something different to distract you or take your mind off your worries. This is unhelpful & is a form of avoidance, the best thing to do is to practice mindfulness with breathing & grounding techniques.
The following techniques take a while to get learn and get used to, but they help you to focus on your present surrounding which could disrupt your catastrophic and future thinking
The 4-7-8 breathing technique 
Inhale for 4 counts.
Hold for 7 counts.
Exhale for 8 counts.
Repeat 3-7 times and try to notice your bodily sensations during and after.
Inhale for 4 counts.
Hold for 7 counts.
Exhale for 8 counts.
Repeat 3-7 times and try to notice your bodily sensations during and after.
The equal breathing technique 
Inhale for 4 counts.
Exhale for 4 counts.
Eventually increase from 6-8 counts as you ease into the technique.
Inhale for 4 counts.
Exhale for 4 counts.
Eventually increase from 6-8 counts as you ease into the technique.
The “Skull-Shining” breathing technique 
Sit upright.
Take a long slow inhale through your nose.
Exhale powerfully through your nose contracting your lower belly.
Focus on your exhale and increase your pace.
Repeat for 10 breaths.
Sit upright.
Take a long slow inhale through your nose.
Exhale powerfully through your nose contracting your lower belly.
Focus on your exhale and increase your pace.
Repeat for 10 breaths.
Hands in water grounding technique 
Focus on the temperature of the water.
Run your fingertips through warm water first then cold water.
Next, start with cold water first then warm water.
Does it feel different? Does it feel the same on different parts of your hands?
Focus on the temperature of the water.
Run your fingertips through warm water first then cold water.
Next, start with cold water first then warm water.
Does it feel different? Does it feel the same on different parts of your hands?
The famous 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique 
Using your senses, name & focus on:
5 things you can see.
4 things you can touch.
3 things you can hear.
2 things you can smell.
1 thing you can taste.
Become extremely aware & place your attention on these things.
Using your senses, name & focus on:
5 things you can see.
4 things you can touch.
3 things you can hear.
2 things you can smell.
1 thing you can taste.
Become extremely aware & place your attention on these things.
Categories grounding technique 
Choose a broad category.
List as many things associated to this within 1-2 minutes.
Choose a broad category.
List as many things associated to this within 1-2 minutes.
Anchoring phrase grounding technique 
This is where you describe yourself, “My full name is _____. I am __ years old and I live in _____. It is ____ outside, I feel _____.” and so on. It’s a but like narrating your life, you can add more details as you progress.
This is where you describe yourself, “My full name is _____. I am __ years old and I live in _____. It is ____ outside, I feel _____.” and so on. It’s a but like narrating your life, you can add more details as you progress.
Practice soothing grounding techniques like self-kindness 
Repeat kind & compassionate phrases to yourself such as:
“You’re having a rough time but you are doing the best you can”
“You are strong & you’ll get through this”
“You’re trying and doing your best”
Repeat kind & compassionate phrases to yourself such as:
“You’re having a rough time but you are doing the best you can”
“You are strong & you’ll get through this”
“You’re trying and doing your best”
Anxiety can become challenging to live with, these are just some ways to manage the physical symptoms out of all the techniques you can use. You’ll make it through, remember to show yourself some compassion 
