Tips on using Tai Chi to reduce anxiety and panic attacks

Do you have anxiety or suffer from panic attacks? Have you ever wondered what oriental medicine has to say about how to cure panic attacks?

Techniques found in China and India have long been known to cure panic attacks and treat anxiety. Yoga and tai chi have been found to be excellent techniques for relaxation and anxiety. Yoga and tai chi are very powerful in the way they affect the mind and that effect can really help people who are suffering from panic attacks.

Both yoga and tai chi work in a similar way to relieve anxiety.

1. Reduce heart rate

Both yoga and tai chi work on stress by lowering the heart rate and synchronizing breathing. By emphasizing the person’s focus on their breathing, these disciplines lower a person’s heart rate. The monks of China and the yogis of India can greatly reduce the heart rate. Now, you probably won’t be able to slow your heart down that much, but with a little practice you should be able to slow it down to a resting level. Slowing down your heartbeat is the fastest and best way to immediately reduce your anxiety. This is because the chemical adrenaline is one of the biggest things that triggers panic and anxiety attacks. When your heart isn’t pumping fast, it can’t pump adrenaline (the fight-or-flight hormone) through your body. Lowering the heart rate slows down the activity of adrenaline.

2. Exercise

The second way that yoga and tai chi help cure panic attacks is by being a source of cardiovascular exercise. Exercising can drastically lower stress levels. Doctors and psychologists have discovered that one of the best recipes for anxiety and depression is regular exercise. The way it works is that exercise activates endorphins, feel-good chemicals, while reducing negative ones. Also, having to focus on your body while exercising gives your mind some space to learn to be quiet. You can then replicate that calm at home to still racing thoughts.

3. The negatives

So should everyone with anxiety or panic attacks try tai chi or yoga? Well, no. These can be really great and powerful tools, but they do have a few problems. The first problem is that these classes are almost always very expensive. The most affordable yoga resource I’ve found is Yoga For the People. It is based on donations and quite affordable at $5 per suggested donation per class. However, yoga is usually around $15 per class. That adds up fast! You can do it without classes, but for beginners I really recommend them, and classes can easily add up to over $100 a month. Most simply cannot afford to spend that much money each month.

Also, this will not be a complete solution. Yoga and tai chi are not meant to cure panic attacks, they just help. To get real relief, you need a more comprehensive behavioral psychology program like the Linden Method. So in summary, I recommend you try one of these oriental techniques if you can, but don’t think it will completely cure you.