Cope With Panic Attacks

How to Cope With Panic Attacks

Understanding Panic Attacks

Panic attacks are sudden episodes of intense fear or discomfort, often accompanied by physical symptoms such as a racing heart, chest pain, dizziness, and sometimes difficulty breathing. These episodes can feel overwhelming and frightening, but they are treatable.

As a Cork-based psychotherapist, I, Caroline Crotty, have worked with many people who experience panic attacks. The good news is that panic attacks can become manageable with the right tools and understanding.

Why Do Panic Attacks Happen?

Panic attacks occur when the body’s fight-or-flight system is triggered, sometimes without any apparent threat. The autonomic nervous system governs this automatic response.

Panic attacks can feel overwhelming, but they are treatable. In this guide, Cork-based psychotherapist Caroline Crotty offers practical tools and techniques to help you cope and feel more in control.

And can be influenced by factors such as:

Stress
Trauma
Lack of sleep
Caffeine
Certain thought patterns

Understanding this physiological basis can help reduce fear and give context to what may otherwise feel very frightening.

How to Know It’s a Panic Attack

It’s important to distinguish between a panic attack and other medical issues. If symptoms are new or unusual, you should consult your GP to determine any underlying health concerns.

Common signs of a panic attack include:

A racing or pounding heart
Feeling dizzy or faint
Sweating or chills
Chest pain or tightness
Feeling detached or unreal
A fear of losing control or dying

What To Do During a Panic Attack

These techniques may not stop the panic immediately, but they can reduce the intensity and help you move through the experience safely.

1. Acknowledge the Panic

Remind yourself:

“This is a panic attack. It will pass. I am safe.”

2. Focus on Your Breathing

Try the 4-7-8 breathing technique:

Inhale for 4 seconds
Hold your breath for 7 seconds
Exhale slowly for 8 seconds
Repeat 4 times

This helps calm your nervous system and re-centre your body.

3. Ground Yourself: 5-4-3-2-1 Technique

Use your senses to bring yourself back to the present.
Name:

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

4. Challenge the Thought

Ask yourself:

“Is there real danger here?”
“Have I felt this way before and come through it?”
“Is this worried thought a fact — or just a feeling?”

5. Move Your Body

Gentle movement — even standing, walking, or stretching — can help regulate your nervous system. If possible, change your environment or step away from the trigger. Doing something else, however small, can help shift your focus.

When to Seek Support

If you regularly experience panic attacks, counselling or psychotherapy can be helpful. A trained professional can work with you to explore the triggers, thoughts and experiences that may underlie your anxiety and to develop tools that support you in feeling more in control.

Need Support?

I’m Caroline Crotty, a qualified counsellor and psychotherapist in Cork. If panic attacks or anxiety are affecting your life, don’t hesitate to reach out. You’re not alone, and support is available.

Email me: hello@carolinecrotty.ie
Text or call me: 0877107032
Website: www.carolinecrotty.ie

Divorce – Helping Your Teen

Tips to help your teenager cope with your separation

When parents are separating, the ideal situation is for them both to sit down, together with their child, and explain the plan for the separation, giving your child as much information as is appropriate based on the maturity of the child. At that time, parents can reassure their child that they, the parents, will always be available and will answer any questions the child might have.

Parents can explain the intended outcome of the separation and affirm that it is a positive change. Parents can chat about and also demonstrate to the child that they are loved, safe and secure and that regardless of what is going on between the parents, the child’s wellbeing always comes first. Reassurance can be given that although the family is changing, it is not ending.

HOWEVER, life doesn’t always allow for the “ideal situation” and thus, each separation is different. Some separations occur following the slow deterioration of a relationship however, for others, something may happen to result in one parent suddenly leaving the family home with the children and without a definitive plan.

Change following separation can be difficult and frought. There may be several questions following separation including “who will live where”, “who’s going to drive/drop/collect”; “how will we manage holidays” and “why?” Be as honest as you can without sounding aggressive and always try to sound grounded and impartial.

It is important that your child has time to process what is happening and to adjust to the new and perhaps unexpected changes. Ensure your teen receives adequate reassurances from you both, as parents, so your child feels in control and as relaxed as possible despite the change in circumstances.

Remind yourself that two happy homes are more beneficial to your child than one unhappy/stress-filled home.

Support your child’s relationship with the other parent during and following separation. Reassure your child that the separation is not your child’s fault. Don’t discuss your former partner’s wrong-doings or complain about them to your child or in your child’s presence.

It may be a good idea for your child to have someone outside of you, with whom they can chat about how they’re feeling and discuss thoughts, worries or feelings such as a counsellor or psychotherapist.

Talk to your child about his/her needs and listen to all opinions. Teenagers are quite reliant on their peers and although you may want your child to see your perspective, they may see life through their lens and focus on their own particular needs and issues. Be patient, talk and listen attentively when your teen speaks and comes to you to chat.

Whenever you have a family occasion, put your child first and make plans well in advance. Try to be as inclusive as possible with all family members. Do not ban your child from forming relationships with your ex’s new partner for example. Always stick to arranged plans and be there when you say you will. It is tempting to buy nice things to cheer up your child but providing love and care is better than providing more stuff – presence rather than presents!

Your child is not there to support you – you’re there to support your child. If you find you are struggling emotionally, please ask for help.

www.carolinecrotty.ie

20 Tips for Anxiety

Top 20 Tips to Relieve Stress and Anxiety

Anxiety is as natural as breathing! Although we often view it as negative, anxiety is not all bad – it helps keep us motivated and focused, it changes our behaviour in a productive way i.e. look how anxiety gets us going when we are nearing an assignment or work deadline!

However, if you are wasting time thinking about worst case scenarios or catastrophising – here are 20 top-tips to help alleviate those anxious feelings:

Reduce caffeine. It’s found in energy drinks, chocolate, tea, and coffee. High caffeine intake is linked with raised anxiety levels.
Exercise that gets your blood pumping and increases your heart rate is perfect for alleviating anxiety.
Spending time with people who know and love you (just as you are) is comforting.
Avoid alcohol as it’s directly linked with feelings of anxiety and low mood and only provides a temporary distraction from anxious thoughts and feelings.
Learn how to slow down your breath. Breathing slowly into your tummy a few times every day when calm is a new skill you can develop for use when anxious.
Spend more time outdoors. Nature is therapeutic. Get sufficient sunlight every day.
Improve sleep. Numbers 1-6 will improve sleep. Don’t worry in bed, instead write down your difficulties and decide to tackle them during daylight hours. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day and avoid screens late at night.
Speak nicely to you. Anxiety is not to be feared. Remind yourself that you are okay. Think of the encouraging things someone else might say and say them to yourself.
Eat well and regularly i.e. fresh, brightly coloured, unprocessed foods. Reduce refined sugars.
Listen to a mindfulness meditation or calming music which have a direct impact on our brain. Take timeout every day just to be with you. Developing patience to sit still (and no 5) is beneficial for our bodies and our minds.
Do what makes you feel good and lifts your spirits e.g. gardening, baking, knitting, tinkering with the car etc. A practical distraction is calming.
Write down your worries. If they are inside your control, then act by setting mini-goals to tackle the issues.
Smell something wonderful like fresh flowers or coffee beans. Light an aromatherapy candle that was created with relaxation in mind (lavender). Smells and aromas help relax us.
Focus on what’s going right or things you’ve done well in the past. You’ve made it this far. Try to focus on the little things you get right during the day as they help to feed your self-esteem and perk-up your mood.
When you were young, did you “take a line for a walk”? It involves drawing circles or shapes on a page without lifting the pen from the paper. Then colour-in your work of art! Colouring can improve focus and reduce stress levels.
Write a ‘note of reassurance’ to yourself when you feel positive. Put it in your wallet. Read it when feeling panicky or afraid to remind you that you can get through difficult times.
Limit time on social media.
Develop gratitude (linked to no. 14). Be thankful for what you have, your family, friends, home, health, body, limbs, liberty etc. Write down three things every day that you appreciate or for which you are grateful.
Consider a talking therapy such as counselling. Chatting with someone who understands what you’re going through, in confidence, can improve your mood and help you regain control over worries. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can also help you challenge negative or unhelpful thoughts.
Smile – a big eye-wrinkling smile! It is contagious and can perk-up your mood.