Inhale to a count of 4. Hold your breath to a count of 4. Exhale to a count of 4. Repeat this cycle at least 10 times. Closing your eyes may help you focus on your breathing. If this makes you more anxious, focus your gaze on something neutral.
This can be a place you have been or sometime completely imagined. What does this place look like? Sound like? Smell like? Try practicing this meditation regularly so that is it easy to access when you need it.
Sit down somewhere comfortable, preferably in a quiet place. Select a part of your body to begin with (such as your left hand). Tense this location for 5 seconds. Make sure to keep breathing evenly. Take a deep breath, and release all the tension from that location. Repeat with various parts of your body (such as the other hand, each bicep, each leg, your buttocks, or your face). The order does not matter. Do this for around 15 minutes, or until you feel you have tensed and released your entire body. Repeat this exercise once daily, and whenever you feel anxious.
Rationally, you probably understand that being in an elevator or crowded room is not actually dangerous. Remind yourself of this fact! Develop a mantra that you can use. You might say, “This is not dangerous. I am not dying. My mind is playing tricks on me. ”
Is this (what you fear) likely to occur? Is this a realistic worry? Is this really true or does it just seem that way? If you have specific fears (such as a parking garage collapsing or an airplane running out of oxygen), it may help to research some statistics. What you fear is most likely extremely rare.
Perform an internet search to locate a psychologist or psychiatrist in your area. Many will work for a sliding scale, or even offer a free consultation. Contact your insurance company to find options that will be covered for you.
CBT is a gradual therapeutic process that would entail meeting with a professional on a regular basis (usually once a week) for an extended period of time (often six months to one year). During each session, you may be exposed to one or more of your triggers. Sometimes this will mean simply focusing on that fear. Other times, it may mean an active physical encounter (such as entering an elevator). You will talk through your feelings, and your therapist can offer anxiety-reduction methods (similar to those discussed above) to help you cope. Often you’ll be given homework assignments (such as focusing on your fear and journaling your thoughts and experiences) between sessions.
Flooding involves being intensely exposed to a trigger, potentially for a long period of time, until the anxiety attack passes. Flooding therapy contends that when an individual experiences exposure and works through the anxiety, the fear becomes less powerful. This method may be repeated a number of times until the individual no longer experiences panic in the triggering situation.
As a general rule, phobias that occur frequently should be addressed with behavioral treatments, although medication may supplement this. If you only experience claustrophobia in rare situations, such as when you get on a plane, medication can be an easier way to minimize the effects.
