Panic is probably the most terrifying symptom of an anxiety attack. The tightness in chest with anxiety sometimes feels like a heart attack. But fixing just the tightness won't remove the anxiety.
You could take an aspirin or painkiller. You could meditate or take deep breaths. You could exercise. These may lessen the pain. But it will probably return, if the anxiety is not eliminated.
What does an anxiety attack feel like? There are many symptoms, but the tightness in the chest and the feeling of panic and dread are two of the most prominent. Check with a medical professional for any chest pain or other symptoms that might indicate a heart attack.
Here are 5 steps to eliminate the anxiety and remove that tightness:
1. Identify the stressor causing the anxiety. Be as precise as possible. Use more nouns than adjectives. Use numbers, not generalities like “more” or “often.”
2. See if you can delegate someone else to handle it. Take the stress off you and give to someone else. If you cannot delegate the entire solution, then delegate some of the steps. The less you have to deal with the stressor, the less stress you will have. But make sure you delegate to reliable people.
3. If you must handle it, identify a concrete step by step plan to attack the stressor. One way to do this quickly is to identify the goal. Then, state concretely the step right before you reach that goal. Then, state the step leading up to that one. And so on and so on, until you have a clear path from where you are to where you want to be.
4. Make your plan your #1 priority by putting other items on the back burner. To eliminate the anxiety as quickly as possible, clear out all the time-wasting other tasks and focus on this one only.
5. Take immediate action on step 1. Delaying action will do nothing toward eliminating the anxiety. And waiting might make it worse.
By following these 5 steps, you can attack and eliminate the stressor. This should reduce your anxiety. It should also remove the tightness in chest with anxiety that caused you panic in the first place.
To make sure the anxiety and stressor are really eliminated, you need a complete system. The above 5 steps will work for some situations. In addition to these steps, deep breathing can keep you focused. Time management can keep you on track. Exercise can give you the stamina to see the project through to the end. Make sure you attack stress with a comprehensive stress management system.
RICK CARTER is the author of this article. As a trial attorney for over 15 years, he's had to do a lot of stress management: the stress of dealing with clients, stress of explaining clients' positions to opposing counsel, stress of advocating a legal issue in courtrooms and government agencies around the world. And that means handling a lot of stress effectively and quickly. And as a martial arts student for over 25 years, he's faced a different kind of stress in sparring, fighting, and perfecting. The result of this experience is STRESS JUDO: Black Belt Stress Management (http://stressjudo.blinkweb.com). For more information on this exclusive system (and how you can have a wallful of belts showing your expertise), click stress management (http://stressjudo.blinkweb.com/beltsystem.html).