Numerous parts of a job may be stressful, including needing to meet deadlines, balancing work and personal obligations, dealing with office politics and gossip, and fulfilling your boss’s expectations. Because of all of this, the majority of individuals who work will eventually feel anxious.
Employees may go to considerable efforts to conceal their anxiousness and panic attacks from co-workers and bosses, which can make the indications of attacks worsen when they happen. It may be very difficult to control panic attacks at work, and they are frequently highly upsetting for the person having them. In addition to having to cope with incredibly upsetting sensations during a panic attack, the person may also have to do it in front of the individuals they spend a number of hours a week with. They can find this to be not only upsetting but also humiliating.
Nature of Panic Attacks:
It comes as a swift, unanticipated surge of crippling anxiety. It frequently hits without warning and occasionally without a discernible reason. You may experience sudden panic attacks when you feel as though you are about to die, your heart is stopped, and you are suffocating. However, they are often unharmful, and there are coping mechanisms and treatment options for these panic attack indicators. Panic disorder sufferers frequently have panic episodes. Similar problems include anxiety attacks, which are typically experienced by people with generalized anxiety disorder.
Numerous severe physical symptoms, including shortness of breath, a tight chest, dizziness, and nausea, can be brought on by panic attacks. In addition to this, the individual could also experience a sudden sense that something terrible is about to happen. Although a panic attack’s symptoms are innocuous and typically subside rather quickly, they can nonetheless have a long-lasting impact on the person experiencing them. For instance, it may increase people’s anxiety about returning to the same environment in case it sparks another attack, making them decide to stay away from it entirely. While this may temporarily reduce anxiety, it simply serves to exacerbate fear in the long run, trapping the individual in a vicious cycle.
Tips to Manage your Panic Attack:
Just as panic attacks may be highly frightening for individuals who are experiencing them, trying to aid someone who is experiencing one may also seem frightening. It might be challenging to know what to do if you suspect a team member is having trouble or learn that a colleague is having panic attacks. Here are five practical actions you can do to help coworkers and employees who suffer from panic attacks.
Express Your Emotions:
Speaking with a dependable colleague who understands and empathizes with your worry could be beneficial. You can speak to a friend, a member of your family, a mental health professional, or an Online Counsellor if you don’t have one you trust at work. When you discuss your anxiety with a caring and understanding individual, you can process these strong feelings and feel validated. They might also provide you with advice or ideas to help you cope.
Allow Yourself Some Time for Rest:
Even while panic episodes are frequently brief, their consequences might sometimes take some time to subside. They can leave someone feeling frightened, worn out, and even rather weak. Tell your co-workers or employer that you don’t have to start working again right away; you may take as much time as you need. Inform your employer that having these benefits accessible might help the victim feel less unsettled and under pressure following an incident.
Recognize the Triggers that Happen While you are at Work:
If your panic attacks begin at work, certain situations, people, or things could set them off. Consider identifying them. It will support your ongoing preparation. However, you shouldn’t ignore these triggers to the extent that it compromises your productivity at work. It could be challenging to avoid presentations while still keeping your work if they are a trigger. Your chances of participating in particular tasks at work may reduce if you anticipate having a panic attack.
Remember to Breathe Deeply:
When people start to feel anxious, their breathing frequently becomes shallow, quick, and unpredictable. Given that the brain has the highest metabolic activity of any organ in the body, any condition that reduces oxygen will increase anxiety and terror. You may increase the amount of oxygen reaching your brain and begin to recover control over your emotions by taking steady, deep breaths. When a panic episode begins, using deep breathing methods might help you restore your composure. Learning to breathe through your diaphragm is one technique for deep breathing. Inhale for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, and then let it out for eight. Your body will relax as a result, lowering your heart rate.
Make Appropriate Modifications:
Panic attacks should not be an exception to the need for reasonable modifications for mental health conditions. Take the time to talk with a team member who frequently suffers from panic attacks about how you may modify the workplace for them. You can lessen some of the tension that surrounds their panic episodes by doing this. Make a list of the best locations you can visit. Being in a comfortable environment will lessen panic episodes. You can utilize the following environments, for instance: Your car’s passenger seat, which has greater space than the driver’s seat. If you have a private office, use it. If you have blinds or curtains, draw them. A restroom for one person would also be a better place to calm yourself down.
Also Read: Promote Psychological Well-Being and Healthy Relationship
According to research, specific brain regions and biological functions may be linked to fear and anxiety. It is unknown why certain family members of a given family get panic disorder while others do not. The best strategy to deal with panic or anxiety episodes at work is prevention and therapy. Instead of trying to stop the panic attack, ask your employer to create an employee support system. That can assist reduce stress and anxiety. You may also seek professional help or Online Counselling using an employee assistance program (EAP).
Finding treatment for anxiety, stress, and associated problems is crucial. Locate a therapist or an Online Counsellor in your area. Most patients see considerable improvement with therapy. Numerous conventional methods have proven successful. The Talk psychotherapies targets unfavorable thoughts, your beliefs, and your attitudes toward life, will be employed by your healthcare provider to help you develop coping mechanisms which can aid you with stress management techniques.
