Experts have revealed that eating sour candy is a great way to immediately “snap out” of a panic attack – and it works faster than proven treatment methods.
Taylorfrom the United States, frequently experiences panic-related symptoms and has asked his therapist for methods to manage his anxiety disorder.
“My therapist told me to eat a Warhead (a hard, bittersweet American candy) every time I feel a panic attack, and when I say I’ve never seen anything that snaps me out of it faster. throes of a panic attack, I honestly mean it. ,’ she says.
The intense taste acts as a distraction and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, a part of the brain that curbs an anxiety attack.
Katie Pankonin, a licensed mental health therapist, also shared that eating something very spicy like sriracha or tangy like salt and vinegar chips will have the same effect.
Taylor, from the US, frequently experiences anxiety-related symptoms and asked her therapist for methods to deal with them – who recommended sour candies like Warheads.
“The harsher the taste – sour, spicy, everything in between – the more likely your brain is to snap out of that anxious thinking and focus more on what you’re tasting,” Ms Pankonin told DailyMail. com.
Eating something sour increases saliva production in the mouth, which is the first step in re-engaging the digestive system.
“When we have high levels of anxiety or when we are in panic attack mode, our body is in fight or flight. Your mind thinks there is a perceived or real threat,” Micheline Maalouf, a licensed mental health counselor, told FEMAIL.
Such anxiety manifests itself as shallow breathing, increased heart rate and slowed digestion.
Mental health experts Michele Maalouf (left) and Katie Pankonin (right) both recommend eating a sour candy, a salty chip, or a spoonful of sriracha to quell an impending panic attack.
However, the intense taste of a tart candy or a dollop of hot sauce activates the parasympathetic nervous system and helps the body relax.
“I think more than anything, if it’s not a taste you’re used to having on a daily basis, this will do the trick,” Ms. Pankonin said.
Ms Maalouf warned that sour candy is not a long-term solution: “It’s more of a band-aid to a problem, it’s not something you just want to rely on.” This doesn’t get to the root of the problem.
Many admitted the hack worked for them – and shared other distractions that also did the trick.
“During my first panic attack, I thought I was having a heart attack and went to call 911, but my desire not to talk on the phone got me out of there,” one woman said. .
“If warheads don’t work, try eating raw lemons, wasabi, chili peppers, chili pepper candies,” shared another.
“The cold water on the back of my neck changed my life,” one man said.
