How to control panic attacks with aromatherapy

How to control panic attacks with aromatherapy

There are many theories for controlling panic attacks. A common problem when developing a simple solution is not knowing the root cause of an episode. The triggers that send someone into such an intense state of anxiety and stress sometimes go far beyond the person experiencing the situation to figure it out. It may be necessary for a person to work with a mental health professional to find the cause of their anxiety.

However, some people are reluctant to talk to a professional counselor about their problem. You may be afraid of the unknown. That is, they may fear finding out something about themselves that could lead to a big change in their life. The stress of thoughts of such uncertainty can itself leave someone feeling helpless, which can bring intense anxiety.

Each individual must take their own baby steps to get to this place of growth for their own healing. Sometimes a person is just looking for a band-aid and not surgery for their problem. Why bleed when they can effectively cover and relieve the pain and let it take its own time to form new skin, you may ask.

Aromatherapy can be one such way to relieve anxiety. This form of self-help is very viable and can continue to develop a person until they are ready for stronger solutions. It has been shown anecdotally and clinically that the sense of smell can be a trigger of memory.

The nose is the channel for the strongest of the five senses. The sense of smell can be stimulated in the present moment by smells, which can take a person's mind back to a time in their past. Smell alone can evoke detailed images and specific words of events long forgotten by the conscious mind.

The memories can be pleasant or harsh. In both cases, the important connecting factor is that it is an aroma that produces the sensations. The situation the person is experiencing is based only on present thoughts of a past event. Nevertheless, the spiritual will can react mentally as if it were in the now. The body has the same ability. These reactions are similar to how one would react in the midst of a stressful episode.

However, as previously mentioned, the feelings evoked can be good or bad. When using scents, you don't just have to be a passive recipient of memories. Through the conscious use of aromatherapy, an individual can train their body and mind to respond positively to a chosen olfactory stimulus.

To learn how to control panic attacks, a sufferer would inhale a calming smell such as lavender. The slightly floral scent would be absorbed nasally when the person is in a phase of self-control. The lavender would then be intentionally smelled during a panic attack to bring a person back to a more comfortable and positive state of mind. This is a solution that a person could incorporate into their healing model.

Inspired by Lindsey Jenkins