Going into rehab is scary – especially when doing it the first time around. It doesn’t matter whether you are entering a luxury rehab Palm Beach facility with a seaside location or a regular clinical facility – the process that’s in front of you can be terrifying. If you are someone who already suffers from panic attacks, then your condition may be exacerbated by an unknown environment. Luckily, there are ways to prevent a panic attack during rehab and save yourself from going through a plethora of uncomfortable symptoms. Here are some techniques you can use before you feel a panic attack coming on – or during.
The symptoms of a panic attack
Before we begin with some techniques that help prevent a panic attack while in rehab, it’s important to first disclose the symptoms of this condition. After all, we don’t just provide answers to the questions such as ‘does Aflac cover alcohol rehab.’ Our job is a bit more extensive than that.
Since they are defined as a ‘sudden surge of intense fear or discomfort,’ panic attacks can come with all sorts of symptoms. What’s important to know is that all of the symptoms tend to start without warning. They can also reach their peak within minutes, which is why panic attacks are so intense. The following are only some of the symptoms you can experience:
- Shaking
- Sweating
- Heart palpitations
- Chills or hot flashes
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Chest pain
Recognizing these symptoms is important, as it allows you to understand what’s going on. Just like you’ll understand how much you have to pay for treatment after learning does Blue Cross Blue Shield cover drug rehab, you’ll also be able to deal with an incoming panic attack after learning about the symptoms.
1. Counseling is one of the best ways to prevent a panic attack during rehab
Counseling is important for every person, and it’s highly likely that we will all need it sooner or later. However, there are some situations when counseling is not only important but essential. Rehab is one of them. Recovering addicts that are in singles and couples rehab in Florida need to prioritize counseling, especially if they are prone to having panic attacks.
Different forms of therapy, such as Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), can help you learn how to deal with stressful situations and prevent panic attacks. Moreover, they can help you recognize what triggers these attacks, and provide you with some advice on how to behave once you feel an incoming panic attack. Bear in mind that this isn’t a short-term solution, as therapy and counseling require time and patience.
2. Include medications
We have to begin by saying that this is rarely the best solution, as medications cannot treat the underlying condition. Likewise, they can cause addiction, which is less than ideal for a person in an Adderall addiction rehab Boynton Beach center. Of course, it goes without saying that any use of these medications should be done after consulting a professional.
That being said, benzodiazepines, such as Xanax, can treat the symptoms of an ongoing panic attack. If your healthcare provider concludes that using this group of medications is the only way to stop a panic attack, they will have to resort to it. Of course, they will also first focus on some of the other methods of prevention before resorting to this one.
3. Use exercising as a form of preventing panic attacks while in rehab
If you don’t like to work out, you are probably bored of hearing how useful exercising is for us. But don’t worry – to prevent panic attacks during rehab, you don’t have to engage in grueling gym sessions. You simply need to choose a light activity for every day that you spend in an Oxycodone rehab center and stick to it. This can be anything from yoga and pilates to a brisk walk in the great outdoors.
While exercising is a great way to prevent a panic attack, you want to start small. There are some studies that suggest that starting an aerobic exercise regimen can trigger even more anxiety in people prone to it. So if you feel like you are hyperventilating while exercising, we urge you to take a break and focus on something that will be less strenuous for your body.
4. Take a deep breath
This is a widely known calming technique, and there’s a good reason for it. It works. If you have chosen a partial hospitalization program Florida facilities have to offer, then you are probably already learning how to best use this technique. It’s simple really – you have to breathe in through your nose on the count of four, and then exhale through your nose for four more seconds.
Deep breaths are supposed to help you calm yourself and relax. Moreover, they help you calm your breathing, which can prevent hyperventilation, and the panic attack itself. Most importantly, the best reason why you should use this technique to prevent a panic attack during rehab is that it won’t have any adverse effects. It’s easy to learn, simple to implement, and entirely effective.
5. Focus on an object in your sight
Panic attacks are pretty hard to neglect, as they come with some uncomfortable and scary symptoms. However, you can do what is in your power to try and divert the attention. Professionals in our meth rehab Palm Beach facility suggest that you focus all of your attention on an object of your choice. It can be a clock, a book, a plant – anything that you can see clearly.
Once you have your eyes set on the object, try to describe it in great detail. Focus on the shapes, colors, textures, and anything that can occupy your attention. The logic behind this is simple – by focusing all of your attention on something other than your panic attack, it’s very likely that the symptoms will subside.
6. Create an image of your happy place
Have you ever been in pain and been told to think of something pretty for your pain to pass? Well, it turns out that there is some truth behind it after all. Guided imagery techniques are something you might not have heard of. However, after contacting Bright Futures, inquiring about our programs and payment options, and finding out is rehab covered under FMLA, you will get a chance to learn all about guided imagery techniques. Most importantly, you’ll be able to implement them.
What is your happy place? Is it digging your toes into warm sand on a hot summer’s day? Or do you prefer to drink hot cocoa in a cabin in the woods with snow all around you? Well, to possibly prevent a panic attack in the making, all you have to do is imagine yourself in your ideal setting. Focus on the details and the feelings of peace and tranquility might wash over you.
7. Meditate to prevent a panic attack in a rehab facility
We know that you might be bored of hearing about meditation and all the effects this technique can have on you. But there’s a good reason why meditation is such a popular technique – it brings proven results. Not only can it reduce stress, but it can also help you feel less anxiety. Now, there are some things you won’t be anxious about, like contacting us and finding out does Tricare cover alcohol rehab. However, there are also many other things that could provoke anxiety – such as an incoming panic attack.
By meditating and practicing mindfulness, you will be able to manage your anxiety symptoms. In fact, there are even studies that show that mindfulness and meditation can help lessen the side effects of anxiety in those individuals that haven’t found drug treatment helpful. You have nothing to lose, even if this technique fails. Meditation doesn’t have any side effects, and you can only experience more peace and tranquility.
8. Shut yourself off from the environment
For some people, panic attacks come from certain triggers. Many individuals will feel panic when being surrounded by unknown people or in a hectic environment. The truth is that we all have different triggers, but it’s all about learning how to shut out the negative stimuli. As it turns out, that’s as easy as closing your eyes and focusing on your breathing.
In general, panic attacks come from situations that overwhelm you. For some people, this can mean contacting a rehab facility and inquiring does Aetna cover rehab. For others, that’s attending the first therapy session and going through the first day without any drugs. While closing your eyes isn’t a magical solution, it’s a simple action that you can take to prevent a panic attack during rehab. Simple things oftentimes produce the best and most effective results. Of course, it would be best to use this technique in combination with something else. That always seems to yield the best results.
9. Use lavender oils
Lavender is widely known for its calming and relaxing properties. That’s why using lavender oil if you are prone to anxiety and panic attacks is a great way to calm yourself in a natural way. However, lavender is not a Food and Drug Administration-regulated product. Lavender oil can differ in strength and intensity. That is why you should always get your oil from a reputable source, such as a pharmacy.
If you plan to use lavender oil to prevent a panic attack from happening, you should still take some measures of precaution. Even though this is a natural product, it still can’t be mixed with benzodiazepines, as the combination of the two can cause drowsiness. Likewise, you shouldn’t apply the oil directly to your skin, as the high concentration of the oil can cause problems. If you have any questions about lavender oil while in one of our programs, you can always feel free to pose them. We don’t just provide answers to questions such as does Cigna cover alcohol rehab – we can also help with different topics.
10. Understand that you are having a panic attack
Once you are triggered and the panic attack is on its way, it’s important not to confuse it with other conditions. Many people who are going through a panic attack believe that they are dying due to a heart attack. Whether in a treatment facility or at home, it’s important to remember what’s actually happening. By recognizing that you are having a panic attack and not a heart attack, you can manage to calm yourself and focus on one of the aforementioned calming techniques. The feelings of doom are a common symptom of a panic attack. You just have to enable that rational part of your mind to be stronger.
Panic attacks aren’t unusual during rehab
Many of our clients need to learn how to prevent a panic attack during rehab. Thus, you are not alone, and you shouldn’t feel bad about frequent panic attacks. What you should do, however, is learn how to prevent them. With our help, you’ll get as much help as necessary with every rehab-related question and inquiry. From learning does Humana cover drug rehab to finding out how to prevent a panic attack, Bright Futures Treatment Center and our entire staff are at your full disposal.