NAVIGATE MID RUN PANIC ATTACKS
A mid run panic attack can be a terrifying experience. But you don’t have to give up on running completely. Read below to learn how to respond to a panic attack in the moment and how to reduce the chance that they happen in the first place.
SAFETY IN THE MOMENT
When a panic attack happens, your priority becomes creating safety in your body. Tuning into your body or shifting your focus externally can help you get “out of your head” and focus on feeling safe.
Breathe (but don’t force a breathing pattern)
Tighten and release your fists
Grounding techniques: 333 (Name 3 things you can hear, 3 things you can see and move three parts of your body) or 5/4/3/2/1 (Name 5 blue things, 4 green things, 3 red things 2 yellow things and one black thing)
Count something in your environment
Describe something your environment
Focus on pattern of your footsteps
Turn on music (ideally calming to start)
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
Panic attacks have a big impact on the body. Expect to feel drained of energy and have soreness in your body. In fact, generally expect to feel the same physical and emotional impacts you would feel after a big race. Because the stress hormones released during intense runs and panic attacks are the same.
So just like you would during a run recovery- sleep well, eat well, feel whatever you need to feel and limit your stressors.
UNDERSTAND THE PHYSIOLOGY
The stories we tell ourselves matter. If you are running and your rapid heartrate and difficulty breathing remind you of previous panic attacks and you tell yourself “I am having a panic attack”, there’s a good chance that’s exactly what will happen.
If, instead, when you notice your rapid heartrate and difficulty breathing you say “running increases my heart rate, it makes sense that it would be high and it would be hard to breath. This is just what happens when I run,” you may be able to avoid the anxiety attack altogether. Running activates the stress response. So does fear. You have to tell your brain/body which one is happening.
PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE
The techniques mentioned above for regulating during a panic attack will be more effective the more frequently you practice them. Using times of calm to practice those skills will make it easier for you to think of them and utilize them when a panic attack strikes. Mantras, affirmations and breathing exercises are things you can practice at any time.
Prioritizing mental health and addressing stress may help reduce the overall stress hormones in your body and make you more tolerant to stress.
KEEP RUNNING, BUT REDUCE INTENSITY
If you find that fear of another panic attack is keeping you from running, the best thing you can do is get back out there and let your brain/body learn to trust it again. The longer you go before running, the harder it will be to get that first run done.
Start slow and short. Allow yourself to be challenged to feel at least a little fear. Then next time go a little bit longer. When you are ready, add intensity. This process might not always be linear and some parts might take longer than others. But lean into discomfort.
You don’t have to fear a panic attack because you can handle one if it comes!
DIG DEEPER
A one off panic attack is one thing. But panic attacks can be a sign of unresolved anxiety. If panic attacks are interfering with your ability to do what you want, it is time to do some deeper work to address the core issues.
You don’t have to navigate these things alone. A mental health professional can help guide you and support you through this process.
