Grounding Techniques for Panic Attacks: Calming Support for Seniors in Allen, TX

According to the Better Health Channel, around one-third of the population will experience a panic attack at some point in their lives. Panic attacks are always distressing, but they're particularly scary for seniors who've never had one before.

Retirement should be a time to relax, but for some seniors here in Allen, TX, fundamental changes in their lives are causing them to feel more anxious than ever. Thankfully, there are workable coping strategies available.

Through grounding techniques for panic attacks, seniors can effectively manage their anxiety. Interested in learning more about useful relaxation exercises for panic attack relief? Read on to learn more about this essential senior wellness topic.

What are Grounding Techniques for Panic Attacks?

Grounding techniques are an effective anxiety management method. Stress is the body's way of giving us the energy and focus we need to deal with a crisis, but sadly, millions of years of evolution have given us a threat assessment system poorly adapted to the challenges of modern living.

Sometimes, our fight-or-flight response misfires, causing stress during inappropriate moments. For instance, it's possible to start flooding the body with stress hormones like cortisol with thoughts alone. Once the tension starts building, it's easy to fall into a spiral of negative thoughts, which eventually cause a panic attack.

During a panic attack, you may feel the following symptoms:

• Chest pain or the feeling like your heart is racing
• Chills
• Shaking and trembling
• Shallow breath and difficulty breathing
• Excessive sweating
• Stomach pain and nausea

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, it's possible to avert this downward trajectory by sending the right signals to the brain. Learning to send these signals is the basis of grounding techniques for panic attacks.

Essentially, the grounding process involves shifting your attention from your negative thoughts. The aim is to send enough "safe" signals to the brain that you bypass the red alert warning in your body's alarm system.

When the brain receives such signals consistently, it'll stop the production of stress hormones like cortisol and avert the panic attack. Let's look at some useful grounding methods in more detail.

Five Simple Grounding Steps

According to the URMC, the following grounding process can be highly effective in reducing anxiety and preventing panic attacks. The process consists of five simple steps:

• Sight: Name five things you can see, like a charging cable sitting on the table.
• Touch: Name four things you can touch; for example, a cool glass of water.
• Sound: Name three things you can hear, like the soft whir of a laptop fan.
• Scent: Name two things you can smell; for example, pencil shavings from a newly shaved pencil.
• Taste: Name one thing you can taste, such as the mint flavor from your toothpaste.

These simple mindfulness for seniors techniques can help seniors avert panic attacks and change their outlook without resorting to medication or unproven supplements.

Why These Steps Work

These grounding techniques are an effective way to reorient yourself and avert panic. But why is something so basic so effective at transforming your emotional state?

• Diverts attention: By taking in specific sensory data from your immediate environment, you can cast out your negative thoughts and images.
• Breaks the loop: These methods use your working memory, overriding the anxiety-inducing information.
• Calm your nerves: These techniques calm and reorient your nervous system, reducing hypervigilance.
• Break dissociation: Panic attacks can make you feel detached from yourself, but grounding techniques let you reorient yourself.
• Regain control: Successfully completing a grounding routine cancels out the danger signals and lets you regain control.

Unfortunately, if you try out this system for the first time when you're on the edge of a panic attack, it probably won't work. The only way these methods work reliably is through consistent practice. Thankfully, it doesn't take much to become quite proficient.

Try implementing the above steps for just 5 minutes in both the morning and evening. After a few weeks, you'll notice you're able to reliably shift your mood with ease. 

Specific Challenges and Considerations for Seniors

Grounding techniques can work for anyone, but seniors might face some difficulties. For example, the system relies on the five senses, but what if one or more of those senses are impaired? A senior with hearing loss might struggle to identify nearby sounds over the ringing of their tinnitus, or someone with poor vision might struggle to see nearby objects. 

Thankfully, grounding techniques for panic attacks are highly adaptable. There's no need to follow the process exactly; you're free to switch things up to create a calming routine that works for you. Someone with hearing loss may be able to skip that step entirely, or you could replace it with an alternative, such as movement.

Seniors with serious health or mobility problems might find themselves in an environment without much sensory stimulation. If you keep using the same perceptions over and over, the grounding methods won't work as well. In this case, consider putting together a small grounding kit box full of mixed textures and safe aromas.

When to Call 911

While grounding techniques are an effective way to reduce panic, they're not always appropriate. If you have any of the following symptoms, you should call 911 immediately:

• You feel chest pain
• You're having trouble breathing
• You suddenly feel confused or disoriented
• You've fainted

If you're ever in doubt, you should call and let the operator help you decide if it's an emergency.

Beat Anxiety Through a Supportive Community

Anxiety thrives on the "what-ifs," but grounding techniques for panic attacks focus on the present moment. Build the habit during comfortable moments so it's immediately available when needed. Always seek medical help for dangerous symptoms. 

Here at Parkview in Allen, we help all our residents master these simple yet effective anti-anxiety methods. It's part of our independent living with a supportive services package.

With our Special Veterans Program discount, veterans and their spouses can also access thousands of dollars in annual savings. By facilitating worry-free senior living, we are paying tribute to their service.

Interested in seeing our supportive community for yourself? Contact us today to set up a tour.