Long-Term Care

Coping during an anxiety attack

LTC Nursing Assistant Trainer, February 15, 2007

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If a resident is having an anxiety attack, encourage the resident to use the following techniques:

  • Instruct the resident to take slow, deep breaths
  • Ask him or her to remember that fear is normal, but in this situation it is exaggerated
  • Help the resident to understand that the feeling is not harmful, only unpleasant
  • Encourage the resident to stand still, wait for the fear to pass, and not to run away
  • Remind the resident not to add negative thoughts to the situation
  • Tell the resident to keep his or her thoughts in the present and not to relive mentally the situation that causes the anxiety
  • Have the resident change "what if?" thoughts to "so what?"
  • When the resident begins to feel better, start to plan what to do next



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