How to master the panic attacks in just a few seconds: the surprising trick that can save you

Anxiety is a mental health disorder that is often manifested by symptoms that may seem ordinary. Essentially, it is a natural response of the body to dangers, threats or real or imaginary challenges. However, it becomes problematic when the reaction is exaggerated and persists more than it would be natural in relation to the triggering factor.

A simple trick can quickly calm a photo attacker st Patrick s mental health services

In such cases, many people experience what we call panic attacks – sudden waves of fear or intense discomfort, which reach a maximum point in just a few minutes. These episodes may include physical and mental symptoms, such as palpitations, difficulty breathing, choking, chest pain, sensation of unreality or fear of loss of control.

Beyond the management and implicitly reduce anxiety in general, the control of panic attacks remains one of the biggest challenges for those living with this condition. The Spanish psychiatrist Alejandro Martínez mentions a simple trick that, in just a few seconds, can calm your mind when you feel like you crash.

It is about the banal ice, which can become an effective ally at such times, due to its ability to activate the so-called “Diving reflex”. The specialist explains: “It is enough to apply ice on the neck for a few minutes and combine this gesture with deep breaths.”

Ice and anxiety: “immersion reflex” – body restart button

The ice strategy is one of the techniques that the psychiatrist Alejandro Martínez recommends to his patients to alleviate anxiety attacks in just a few minutes: “It is a quick way to trigger the” diving reflex “: this is a mechanism of the autonomous nervous system that activates when the face comes in contact with cold water or ice”.

The expert actually considers it a “Restart button” To calm the body, due to its interaction with the body at the physiological level, especially on the autonomous nervous system.

Ice is a natural remedy has the ability to activate what is known under the name of “Reflex of immersion” – a mechanism present in many aquatic mammals, which trigger when the face comes into contact with extremely cold water. The immersion reflex is related to the stimulation of specific receptors located around the eyes, nose and forehead. Once activated, this reflex generates a series of automatic reactions in the body: the heart rate decreases, the blood vessels contract, and the blood flow is directed to the vital organs.

Beyond these physical effects, what really matters during a panic attack is the stimulation of the vague nerve – an essential component of the parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for inducing the state of calm, rest and recovery.

The science behind the calming instrument: How the vagus nerve activates and interrupts the cycle of anxiety

When the vague nerve is activated, signals are transmitted to the brain that induce a state of calm, counteracting the specific hyperactivation of anxiety attacks. Thus, by applying ice on certain areas of the body, such as the neck, we can trigger this mechanism in a natural way.

In addition to mental agitation, during an anxiety attack there are physical reactions such as tachycardia, sweating or tremor – reactions that ice can reduce. The application of the ice introduces a strong physical stimulus that redirects attention from the mental chaos to a concrete sensory sensation. In other words, the mind ceases to feed anxiety.

This distraction can interrupt the vicious circle between anxious thinking and physiological reactions, offering a small «Reset» which allows to regain control and facilitate breathing. Similar effect can have other techniques, such as conscious breathing, which can be effectively combined with ice use, explains the expert: “It slows down the heart rate quickly, which is essential during an anxiety attack, when the heart beats at maximum speed. It also redirects your attention from anxious thoughts to a real physical sensation, helping to interrupt the panic cycle.”

When we need to use ice

According to Martínez, we can use this technique during an anxiety attack, when we feel over-stimulated or as a supplement to other more complex emotional adjustment strategies: “You use it when you feel an anxiety attack and you need a physiological” reset “, when you feel over-stimulated and you want to activate the relaxation response, or as a complement to more comprehensive emotional adjustment strategies.”

Despite the efficiency of the ice, the expert emphasizes that this is not the solution for anxiety. It is a useful method only for punctual moments and does not offer a long -term remedy. Panic attacks often occur in contexts of intense stress, fear or fear – sometimes caused by serious illnesses – and can be overwhelming, but tricks like it can provide temporary support – not a recipe for happiness.

The effect can vary from one person to another: “Some will not notice a significant effect, but for others it can be an effective trick to interrupt the panic cycle. It does not replace the appropriate therapy or treatments, but rather it is an instrument for specific moments, of quick intervention in crisis situations.”