Tips for Dealing with Panic Disorder in the Workplace

Woman suffering a panic attack

Experiencing panic attacks can be challenging. There is hardly a convenient time to experience panic attacks, but going through one among co-workers is especially embarrassing. As a matter of fact, the stress and anxiety resulting from hiding your panic attack can actually make it worse.

What Causes Panic Attacks?

Identifying your triggers is the best way to face your problem. There might be specific fears or phobias that trigger anxiety episodes. Knowing and understanding them will help you come up with a proper plan to deal with them. For example, if you tend to experience your episodes in social gatherings, you can always ask a friend to accompany you to social events that might involve some of your co-workers.

You should also understand your symptoms. Some of the anxiety symptoms can resemble ones of a heart attack and can make the patient feel as if they are unable to breathe which can further increase the severity of the condition. You should understand what is going on and come up with a management technique that will help you relax.

What is the Best Panic Disorder Treatment?

The best way to manage your panic attacks at work is to come up with a successful coping technique. You should start to practice this technique when you are not stressed as this will help you become better at it.

• Breathing exercises help you manage your stress. Take a deep breath and breathe out as you get rid of all your negative thoughts.

• Practice to stop your thoughts. Whenever a negative thought takes over, try to shift your focus to something else. Go to a safe place in your head by recreating a happy memory that made you feel comfortable and confident. Make sure that your mind is focusing on that memory or happy thought instead of the negative one.

• Be ready for your panic attack. Instead of dealing with your anxiety attack, you can try to avoid it by practicing relaxing techniques at work. Listen to some relaxing music or take a nice walk during your break to clear your head. You can also practice meditation during your lunch break.

• Set realistic goals. A lot of people feel stressed when they are unable to realize the goals they set for the day. Remember that you will not be able to work all the time, things change and some factors can force you to deviate from the plan. There is always another chance to finish what you started so you need to take it easy.

• Don’t focus on the negativity. Instead of thinking about the things that went wrong or the tasks that you couldn’t finish, try to focus on the things you did perfectly. Think about your achievements and celebrate your success. This will help you look at everything positively.

• Take a break when you can. If your lunch break is not enough, you should find another chance to get out from workplace and clear your head. Deep breathing while sitting at your desk for a few minutes might be enough to help you disconnect and recharge. You will always feel more relaxed and refreshed after such a short break.

• The best way to deal with panic disorder is to find more efficient ways to finish difficult tasks. If you are stressing over finishing a business research or paper, you can opt for having yours written by the Australian writings so you can focus on other important tasks.

• Panic control is difficult especially if you have no support group. Even if you are keeping your panic in secret from your co-workers and colleagues at work, you can still trust your friends and family. You can also trust a close colleague or two to help you manage your problem at work.

• Maintaining a healthy lifestyle will make you feel better. You should try to get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep per day. Lack of sleep makes you feel anxious which leads to the development of a panic attack. You should also try to follow a healthy diet to make sure that your body is getting all the essential nutrients. Limit your intake of caffeine and alcohol to reduce your irritability.

The best cure for your panic disorder comes from within. You should always try to focus on your emotional and mental well-being to manage workplace stress. If you tend to experience panic attacks regularly, you should talk to your doctor to discuss all the treatment options available.