Anxiety/Panic Attack Kit

This is a tutorial on how to make a home made kit to help people suffering from anxiety/panic attacks. I created this as part of my 20time project for my science class. I hope it helps. :)

Step 1: Materials:

You will need:

- some sort of container (I sewed a drawstring bag, but really anything will work)

- various pieces of cloth

- cotton balls

- lavender oil

- rubber balloons

- flour

- breathing tips sheet (I will include a copy of it)

- a small paper bag

Step 2: Bag

If you are going to be making a kit, you will need a bag or container to hold it in. For my project, I made a drawstring bag out of cloth and yarn. To do this, you will need to cut a longish piece of fabric, flip about 2 cm - 1 inch of each of the end edges of the fabric, sew those shut, sew up the sides of the bag, turn it inside out, thread the yarn through the space you created, etc. The video can explain it better than I can. :)

Step 3: Lavender Pouch

This step can be done in a number of ways. You could sew dried or fresh lavender into a pouch, or you could do what I did. I placed a few drops of lavender essential oil onto a cotton ball and sewed it into a small fabric pouch.

1) Cut a fabric rectangle

2) Fold it in half

3) Sew two of the three sides that need sewing

4) Place the cotton ball with the lavender oil inside

5) Sew the last edge

6) You're done!

I don't know how long the fragrance will last, so you may have to refresh it every once in a while, but it is very easy to do.

Step 4: Step 4: Stress Ball

This one has been a big hit with all of the people I have shown my project to. They keep asking me what is in it, and I keep telling them: flour. The whole thing is just some plain flour and a ballon (two if you want to double layer it), so obviously, that it what you will need.

1) Blow up your balloon to stretch it out, then deflate it.

2) Stick some flour into a small funnel, then place the balloon around the tip of the funnel.

3) Shake or push the flour into the balloon until it is visibly mostly full.

4) Carefully pull the balloon off of the funnel and tie it.

5) (optional) Cut off the end of a second balloon and stretch it around the tied balloon for extra protection.

6) You're done!

Step 5: Step 5: Breathing Tips

Like I said, I researched and typed up a sheet with professional tips on how to do deep breathing and "grounding" to help calm yourself down. I will include a screen shot of the sheet and a copy + paste copy of it below:

Having trouble breathing? Try this:

- exhale completely

- close your mouth and inhale softly, counting to four hold

- your breath for seven counts

- exhale for eight counts

If that doesn’t work, try this:

- exhale and count to one

- repeat step one, counting up to two this time

- continue this cycle up to five counts, never going higher than that

- repeat, focusing on counting five steady breaths each cycle

Look for:

- five things you can see

- four things you can touch

- three things you can hear

- two things you can smell

- one thing you can taste

This trick is called grounding. It can help you refocus on your surroundings when you are panicking.

And just remember: You'll be okay. Even if you aren't right now, this isn't this end of the world, and pretty soon, you will be fine.

Step 6: You're Finished!

Enjoy your anti-anxiety kit. I hope this helped in some way. Leave me some feedback if you want, I would really appreciate it. :D