Stopping panic attacks is a matter of learning to comprehend what our thoughts are telling us—- and then logging them to learn the pattern of thinking that proceeds the panic attack. Once the pattern is recognized, it can be dealt with.
For any type of circumstance , our imaginations can churn out worst case scenarios.Afraid of heights? Go up on a ladder and you’re likely to have a panic attack— thinking that you are going to fall. If you get dizzy its because you have told yourself you are going to fall or, might fall. Before the panic subsides you’ve got to get your mind to say: Its unlikely that I will fall.
Fear is normal reaction in the presence of danger–like a fire. And with that mental reaction comes a normal physical reaction, such as an accelerated heart beat. People who have panic attacks exaggerate its significance — they distort it. This feeds the bodily reaction or sensation- intensifies it. Which in turn is grabbed onto by the mind and creates a vicious cycle.
These panic attacks are related to other conditions such as performance anxiety. And are probably rooted in our subconscious from childhood or some actual experience in the past. A valid fear, if a person is unemployed, is not being able to feed his family. This could develop into panic by becoming increasingly agitated whenever bills come due or finances are even mentioned.This fear can remain hooked into the psyche even after gainfully employed.
Panic attacks can and have ruined lives by forcing people into avoidance and other situations such as uncontrollable rages.
So what’s the alternative? The first thing is to get objective about the attack—like a good spy getting good intelligence so that they can prevent the terrorist attack from being carried out,or to at least minimize the damage.
At the first sniff of an attack or when you know in advance that you will be forced in to a situation where you’ve had panic attacks before, prepare yourself. Have pen and paper handy to write down your thoughts ,and your sensations, well before it reaches a crescendo. If you suffer from agoraphobia and you know you have to go grocery shopping or starve, make observations and notes as you compile your grocery list.
As you lead up to the event continue to make notes mentally, if you can’t do it on paper. Record what’s happening: write down what’s happening to you physically– loud heart beat/profuse sweating? Then what you are thinking at the time– your impressions. These are likely negative or distorted thoughts that at first have you convinced that you are dying or going blind.
Then brainstorm… come up with alternative reasons why your heart is beating so quickly. If you have panic attacks its likely you have a great imagination,so you shouldn’t have trouble here. The real reason for your reactions oughtto be quite clear– and is more convincing when you have down in black and white.
By recording you can see the relationship between sensation and thought.By continuing to do this, you will get good at it and will be able to come up with an alternative explanation for the unease you are feeling. By questioning the thought and coming up with an alternative you begin to dis-believe the distorted thought and you can make a choice to discard the negative thought and believe the alternative. ( always make sure physical possibilities have been checked out by a doctor first)
Sooner or later all panic attacks come to an end. By taking time to put your attacks under the microscope, you can end it before it starts.
