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Panic attacks are an extremely unpleasant and frightening thing to go through. When you're having one, you can feel like you are having a heart attack, or be convinced you're going to die.
They can be even worse when the people around you don't know how to react. If they panic, it could add to your panic. If, however, people do know what to do, it can definitely help to ease your symptoms.
In order to help her boyfriend understand what she was going through, a woman wrote a list of advice on how he can help her during a panic attack. The advice has since gone viral on Twitter, with many fellow sufferers of anxiety disorders praising her for the helpful suggestions.
And since it's great, we're sharing it with you.
Titled "15 realistic things you can do to help me through a panic attack", Kelsey Darragh's list offers practical advice about the physical side of panic attacks: "Find my meds if they're nearby and make sure I take it", as well as tips on how to offer emotional support: "EMPATHIZE WITH ME! YOU MAY NOT GET IT, BUT YOU GET ME!"
An important thing to help deal with when someone is having a panic attack is their breathing. When you panic, you tend to take short shallow breaths, which can lead to hyperventilation. This lowers your oxygen intake and can increase your heart rate. When you're already panicking, this only makes the situation worse.
People with panic and anxiety disorders are often advised to do breathing exercises to help control these symptoms. Counting while you do this can help focus your concentration.
Kelsey's tips stress the importance of these exercises too.
"Helping me breathe will be hard but so key," she wrote. "Breathing exercises are going to frustrate me but they are vital. Try and get me to sync my breathing with yours."
As well as this practical advice, she also shared some personal tips:
"Please be really nice to me. I'm not feeling like myself and I'm embarrassed and feeling guilty already for putting you through this so please don't get frustrated with me. Sometimes a really big, loose, long hug will help me feel safe."
"Remind me that this has happened before and this too shall pass!"
"If it's really bad - call my mom."
She also stressed the importance of communication.
"Once it passes (like hours later), open a dialogue with me. How'd you do? What can we do next time?"
Several other Twitter users posted their own advice they found useful.
