| To someone suffering from panic attacks, the cause | | | | Secondly, you have to adjust your core beliefs about |
| of these panic episodes seem mysterious and beyond | | | | yourself. All anxiety sufferers lack control because |
| their control. But it is this belief in their utter helplessness | | | | their self-confidence is so low. They sincerely believe |
| that allows the panic attacks to occur. The solution is | | | | that they are hysterical, cowardly and pathetic. |
| actually simple: take control of your thoughts and | | | | Actually, the truth is that anxiety sufferers are the |
| feelings when the panic begins and the panic attack | | | | bravest people in the world. Let's look at this rationally |
| cannot happen. | | | | instead of emotionally. You have abnormally high levels |
| I know what you're thinking. It's easier said than done. | | | | of adrenalin in your bloodstream all the time. You've |
| But essentially that is what cognitive behavioral | | | | coped with this severe condition day after day for |
| therapy, the anxiety treatment programs from the | | | | months or years while holding down a job and raising a |
| internet and workbooks on overcoming anxiety have in | | | | family perhaps. Normal people have a hard enough |
| common. They prepare you to mentally take control to | | | | time dealing with life's difficulties but each challenge for |
| stop panic attacks BEFORE they happen. | | | | the common man is 10 times more difficult for an |
| People who suffer from severe panic attacks try their | | | | anxiety sufferer to bear. |
| best to cope by exercise, breathing techniques, | | | | No one will give you a medal for anxiety disorder but |
| medication and whatnot. They work to some extent | | | | you need to mentally give yourself one because you |
| but coping is just going on the defense. In sports, you | | | | deserve it for bravery way beyond the call of duty. It |
| cannot win by playing defensively all the time. To win, | | | | is this bravery already inside you that you need to |
| you have to know strategically when to go on the | | | | bring out to face your fears. All you have to do is |
| offensive. Same thing with panic attacks. You have to | | | | acknowledge that it is there. |
| take charge before it happens. | | | | The last step will probably require the help of a |
| How do you take charge of your thoughts and your | | | | therapist or a structured program to prepare you take |
| feelings? | | | | charge of your thoughts and feelings when the panic |
| First you have to do some research and find out how | | | | attack begins. Taking control means going on the |
| panic attacks occur. The subject of your phobia or | | | | offensive. Going on the offensive means not just |
| OCD is only the trigger. The trigger is not what fuels | | | | meekly exposing yourself to the things or situations |
| the panic. It is your thoughts and feelings that steadily | | | | that trigger your anxiety but inviting the panic to come. |
| snowball a bit of worry into an avalanche of terror. | | | | It means that if you are afraid of social situations, you |
| Whether you are afraid of parties or spiders or plane | | | | have to throw your own party. Your fear is false and |
| flights, the underlying thought is the same: that you | | | | deep down you already know this. The way to call its |
| might die from your next panic attack. That thought | | | | bluff is to let the fear and panic go through you without |
| naturally generates feelings of fear, which generates | | | | any resistance. |
| more panicky thoughts, which generates more fear, | | | | What happens to anxiety sufferers when they do |
| and so forth and so forth until you have a full-blown | | | | this? You will find that boldly inviting the fear to come |
| panic attack. Once you start looking at your panic | | | | causes it to fizzle out. Why? Because you have just |
| attacks from a scientific rather emotional perspective, | | | | performed a fearless act. |
| you've already gained some control. | | | | |