| Symptoms of panic and anxiety can be confused | | | | fear of these occurrences of panic then the |
| with life threatening physical disorders! | | | | following behavioral program, with practice, |
| Please consult your physician to determine | | | | will greatly aid you in preventing or at |
| the source of your symptoms. This is an | | | | least minimizing the episodes of panic. Also, |
| update of specific things you can do to | | | | remember that exciting/positive actions or |
| control the symptoms of panic and anxiety | | | | events can raise your heartrate. This |
| attacks. These devastating occurrences can | | | | excitement is not bad or life threatening, |
| negatively affect your day to day quality of | | | | but you fear of the physical symptoms of |
| life. But this is not news for anyone | | | | excitement can really hamper your enjoyment |
| suffering from this terrible disorder. | | | | of life!The keys to controlling panic and |
| Millions of people live in fear of these | | | | anxiety are: |
| "attacks." Major transitions, trauma, and | | | | |
| stress can lead to feelings of little or no | | | | 1. Breathe slowly/diaphragmatically |
| control over one's life! This can affect | | | | |
| people in major ways.A scary symptom which | | | | 2. Remain in the present... in your body, in |
| can develop is called Panic (or Panic | | | | a positive way |
| Attack.) A panic episode can come on suddenly | | | | |
| or can awaken you from your sleep with a | | | | 3. Positive self-talk... not negative |
| nasty feeling of apprehension. Some people | | | | ruminations |
| believe that they are having a heart attack | | | | |
| because often there is chest pain, a | | | | 4. Avoid caffeine and stimulants |
| shortness of breath, neck or arm pain, major | | | | |
| stomach upset, an adrenaline rush, | | | | 5. Regular aerobic exercise |
| lightheadedness, dizziness, and other | | | | |
| unpleasant feelings of fear and apprehension. | | | | 6. Regular deep relaxation with Biofeedback |
| These feelings can be triggered by specific | | | | Temperature monitoring... Learn to warm your |
| events such as: driving (getting stuck in | | | | hands and feet |
| traffic), shopping, waiting in lines at | | | | |
| stores, banks, post offices, etc, feeling | | | | 7. Use relaxation tapes/CD's regularly! |
| trapped in church/movies/classes, traveling | | | | |
| distances from home (especially flying, | | | | 8. Get support in confronting and then |
| etc.), making a presentation in front of a | | | | desensitizing yourself to fears/phobias |
| group of people (drawing attention toward | | | | |
| yourself), doing new or unfamiliar | | | | 9. Taper your anti-anxiety medication after |
| activities, meeting new people, basically, | | | | you have mastered the |
| doing anything new or seemingly stressful | | | | relaxation-biofeedback1. Learn to breathe |
| where you may fear "LOSING CONTROL."Loss of | | | | diaphragmaticallyA) Place a hand over your |
| control is the main feature that makes this | | | | upper abdomen |
| so frightening for the people who suffer from | | | | |
| panic and anxiety. We may not know a panic | | | | 1. Push it OUT as you inhale |
| sufferer by looking at him or her because | | | | |
| they can maintain such good control that | | | | 2. Let in move IN as you exhaleB) Let your |
| unless we were to look very carefully we | | | | chest, shoulder, neck, and back relax as you |
| might not notice the nervousness below the | | | | breathe |
| surface.Heart problems, chest pain, and | | | | |
| respiratory difficulties(hyperventilation and | | | | Only on a very deep breath should these |
| dizziness are common symptoms of panic | | | | parts move in the breath. |
| anxiety attacks) should be carefully examined | | | | |
| by your physician! If no heart related | | | | This may be the most important Panic Control |
| problem exists, but you are still in great | | | | Technique you can learn!2. |