PRACTICEFORREDUCINGPANICPanicAttacks,PanicDisorder&Agoraphobia
Panicdisorderisananxietydisorderwhereindividualsexperiencerepeatedpanicattacks.Thenormalphysicalsensationsofanxietyareexperiencedas"dangerous"totheindividualwhothenbelievesthesymptomsmeantheyaregoingtodie(gocrazy,heartattack,suffocate,faint,etc.).Naturally,noonewantstoexperiencetheextremediscomfortofhavingpanicattacks,sowestarttoavoidsituationswheretheymightoccur,andthen"fearthefear".Ourfearbecomesfocusedonavoidingthepanicattack.AvoidancecanleadtoAgoraphobia(fromtheLatinforfearofopenspaces),whereweavoidcertainplacesbecauseofthefearofapanicattackandornotbeingabletoescape,whicheventuallymaykeepusfromgoingoutatall.TheViciousCycleofPanicWritedownyourTriggerEvents,Thoughts-Images,&Behavior:
CognitiveBehaviorTherapy(CBT)CBTfocusesonlearningtochallengetheunhelpfulthoughtsandbeliefs,andgraduallymakingchangesinourbehaviorsothatwelearnthatthefearedconsequencesdonothappen,andthatitistheanxietythatmakesusfeelthewaywedo.Inordertobreaktheviciouscycleofrepeatedpanicattacksand/oragoraphobia,weneedtochangethewaywethink,andchangewhatwedo.Firstly,wecanlearnabouthowanyanxietyaffectsourbody.Thisisthebody'snormalresponsetodanger(orbelievingwe'reindanger):
https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/panic.htm
ThePhysiologyofPanic
Themainproblemwithpanicdisorderisthatwhenthoseadrenalinefeelingskickin,theyfeellikewearereallyindanger.Itreallyfeelslikewecouldbedying,rightnow!Apanicattackisterrifying!
Butinfact,thesephysicalfeelingsofadrenalineareNORMAL–andinatrueemergencywillhelpussurvive.Itisthebody'salarmsystembeingactivatedforFLIGHTORFIGHT.Soitfeelsdangerous,evenwhenit’snot:
https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/adrenaline2.htm
1stStep:CalmingYourBody
PAUSE:Turnyourmindawayfromyourfear.FOCUSON:Changingyourbodychemistry:
T.I.P.(viaMarshaLinehan)
TEMPERATURECHANGE:Dunkyourfaceinice-coldwater.Theice-dunksimulatesthe`divereflex’.Thisiswhathappensifweareinfreezingcoldwaterandourbodiesneedtoconserveenergyinordertosurvive.Insuchasituation,thebodyslowsorshutsdownanyfunctionsthataren’tabsolutelyvitalforsurvival.Ouranxiety/emotionsarenotvital,sotheywillcalmdown.Fillyoursink,orabigmixingbowlwithcoldwater.Holdyourbreathanddunkyourfaceandhead.Staythereaslongasyoucanholdyourbreath.Comeup,takeabreath,anddunkagain.Repeatasmanytimesasyouneedtountilyoufeelcalmer.Note:Somepeoplepreferwarmth:warmblanket,hotwater,shower/bath.INTENSEEXERCISE:Dojumpingjacks,joginplace,orrunup&downstairs.Dothisuntilyouwearyourselfout.Doingso,willcauseyourbodytotakeadeepbreath.Endorphinswillbereleasedandyouwillrelax.Note:peoplewithheartconditionsmightwalkswiftly.PACEDBREATHING(orProgressiveRelaxation)Slow,deep,mindfulbreathingwithaLENGTHENEDEXHALE:Countasyouinhale:1..2..3..4..5.Then,countasyouexhale,twiceaslong:1..2..3..4..5..6..7..8..9..10Yournumberswillincreaseasyoutakemorebreaths.Breathein&outthroughyournostrils(withmouthclosed).OrBreathin&outwithyourpursedlips,likeusingastraw.Dothisfor10-20breaths.ProgressiveRelaxationinvolvestensing&lettinggoofmuscles–onebyone–startingwithourface,neck,shoulders,arms,hands,chest.Andmovingdowntobelly,hips,genitals,thighs,calves,toes.
Whydoesslowdeepbreathinghelp?
Whenwebreathein,oursympatheticnervoussystemisactivated.Makingtheheartbeatfaster.Thebodyentersastateofhyper-arousalandbecomesreadyto“fightorflee”.Thisiswhywhenrunningitisautomaticandintuitivetobreathinlong,deepbreathsandoutshort,sharpbreaths–tokeepthebodyrevvedup.Whenwebreatheout,theparasympatheticnervoussystemisactivated.Thissystemslowstheheartrateandotherbodilyfunctionsdownagain,thebodyentersastateof“restanddigest”–oneofcomparativecalm.DuringPacedBreathingexerciseswemakeourexhalationlongerthanourinhalation.Inthisway,theparasympatheticnervoussystemgetsactivated.Asaresult,arousaldecreasesandastateofrelativecalmandcontrolcanberegained.
2ndStep:ChangingHowYouThink:
UseSelf-TalkDuringapanicattack,whenadrenalineisreleasedintothebrain,ourthoughtsbecomeveryBLACK&WHITE.Ourthinkingbecomesverynegativeanddire,andwebelieveourfeelings/thoughts.This,andouractivatedbodyreactionsperpetuatethepanic.Whenweworktocalmourbody,ourfocusshiftsawayfromourfearfulthoughts.Thoughts&feelingsarejustthoughts&feelings,andtheywillpass.
Writedownthethoughtsyouhave/believewhileyouarehavingapanicattack?
Ifwecouldjustnoticethethoughtsandfeelings,andnotreacttothem,ifwecouldbreathedeeplyandfocusonourbreathing….thiswouldslow/stoptheflowofadrenalinewithinafewminutes.
Saythisout-loudtoyourselfortothepeopleyouarewith:
Ø Thisisjustanxiety,anditwillpass.
Ø Iamscared,butIcandoitanyway.
Ø Icantoleratemyanxiety.
Writedownthewordsthatwillhelpcalmyouduringapanicattack?
MoreSelf-TalkIdeas:
Ø GETANGRY!Anxietyisbullyingyou,robbingyouofyourhappiness&confidence.Tellityouwon’tletittakecontrolanymore.MakeadecisiontoTAKEITON!
Ø DOTHEOPPOSITE:Insteadoffleeing,FACEIT.
Ø USECOMPASSION:Treattheanxietylikeit’safrightenedchildorscaredanimal.Tellityouwon’tleave,
thatyou’llbetheretocareforit.Rememberthetimesyouwerestrong&competent.GOSLOW.
PutItAllTogether:YourTIP&SELF-TALKPlan
Writeyourgoalhere:Takeabreath,andimagineyourselfachievingyourgoal.Imaginehowyouwillfeelwhenyouaresuccessful.