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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffWhile panic attacks and panic disorder benefit from professional treatment, you can also help manage symptoms on your own. Some of the lifestyle and self-care steps you can take include:
- Stick to your treatment plan. Facing your fears can be difficult, but treatment can help you feel like you're not a hostage in your own home.
- Join a support group. Joining a group for people with panic attacks or anxiety disorders can connect you with others facing the same problems.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol and illegal drugs. All of these can trigger or worsen panic attacks.
- Practice stress management and relaxation techniques. For example, yoga, deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation — tensing one muscle at a time, and then completely releasing the tension until every muscle in the body is relaxed — also may be helpful.
- Get physically active. Aerobic activity may have a calming effect on your mood.
- Get sufficient sleep. Get enough sleep so that you don't feel drowsy during the day.
References
- Panic attack. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed March 6, 2012.
- Hales RE, et al. The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychiatry. 5th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association; 2008. Accessed March 7, 2012.
- Panic disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/anxiety-disorders/panic-disorder.shtml. Accessed March 6, 2012.
- Answers to your questions about panic disorder. American Psychological Association. http://www.apa.org/topics/anxiety/panic-disorder.aspx. Accessed March 6, 2012.
- Practice guideline for the treatment of panic disorder, Second edition. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association. http://psychiatryonline.org/content.aspx?bookid=28§ionid=1680635. Accessed March 6, 2012.
- Inositol. National Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Feb. 20, 2012.
- Smits JA, et al. The interplay between physical activity and anxiety sensitivity in fearful responding to carbon dioxide challenge. Psychosomatic Medicine. 2011;6:498.
- Saeed SA, et al. Exercise, yoga and meditation for depressive and anxiety disorders. American Family Physician. 2010;8:981.
- Panic disorders. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed March 6, 2012.
- Katon W, et al. Panic disorder: Epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed March 7, 2012.
- Roy-Byrne PP. Pharmacotherapy for panic disorder. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed March 7, 2012.
- Whiteside SP (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 24, 2012.
- Moore KM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 17, 2012.
- Fluoxetine (Prozac, Prozac Weekly), paroxetine (Paxil, Paxil CR, Pexeva) and sertraline (Zoloft), alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin) and lorazepam (Ativan). Micromedex Healthcare Series. http://www.micromedex.com. Accessed March 8, 2012 and May 23, 2012.
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