A panic attack is probably one of the worst feelings we can experience in the human body. I won’t go into the specifics of what a panic attack feels like, because if you’ve had a panic attack, you definitely know it.
But what exactly is a panic attack? It can be defined as a sudden rush of intense fear, in response to thoughts that were thinking. We might be consciously aware of these thoughts, but often these thoughts are happening on a very subconscious level, which is why panic attacks can appear to come out of nowhere. We aren’t even aware that we’re thinking these thoughts.
These thoughts trigger the fight or flight response within our bodies, which then causes numerous chemicals to be released by the nervous system, such as adrenaline, cortisol, as well as epinephrine and norepinephrine.The release of these chemicals might be useful if we were running from a wild animal, competing in an athletic match, or fighting for our lives—but in situations that we would otherwise judge as normal, they’re being released out of context, which can make us feel completely crazy.
It’s important to note that the brain can’t distinguish our thoughts from reality. In some situations this feature of the brain can be very useful, but in the context of a panic attack, it’s a major disadvantage. Even though we might not be in a life or death situation, the brain perceives it that way, thus our body literally responds in the way it would if we actually were in a life or death situation.
If you’re having a panic attack, it can be very tempting to run and grab an anti-anxiety medication. Short term, these medications can be extremely effective because they provide almost instant relief, but in the long run they really don’t help. These medications only treat the symptoms of panic attacks, not the underlying root.
Our emotions are direct reflection of the thoughts that we are thinking. In order to get to the root of a panic attack, we must be willing to acknowledge and feel the sensations in our bodies, so we can get clear about the thoughts that we are thinking.
Ironically, the best way to get out of a panic attack is to go right through it, and tapping is one of the best techniques to reducing the power a panic attack has over you, or eliminating them completely. Here are some steps you can follow that will get you through a panic attack:
Start by closing your eyes and take five very deep breaths. Completely fill your lungs with air, and hold each breath for about eight seconds.
Remind yourself what’s happening. Literally tell yourself, “I am having a panic attack”. We take some of the power away from the panic attack if we can actually acknowledge that we’re having one.
Now completely turn all of your focus towards the panic attack. Don’t run from the sensations you’re experiencing, run towards them. These sensations are happening for a reason. Acknowledge these sensations, and even give names to them (for example: hot, tight, heavy, lighting, etc.)
Go ahead and ask the panic attack what it’s trying to tell you. Pay attention to any thoughts or feelings that you receive. Somewhere within the panic attack, your mind is desperately trying to communicate something to you.
Next, invite the feelings to become worse. Literally ask your body to feel more. Now begin the tapping process and repeat “Let It Go”, and repeat a this a process a few times until you no longer feel as much fear. Notice how your feelings start to change. This removes resistance to the panic attack, which will then immediately cause your confidence to kick in. This step will give you a sense of control over your panic attack. Panic attacks can be so terrifying because they can trick us into believing that we aren’t in control.
At this point, notice how much better, lighter, and more at peace you feel.
There are many things we can do to reduce our likelihood of having future panic attacks, such as:
Reducing the amount of stimulants and alcohol you consume. People who experience chronic panic attacks frequently have very sensitive nervous systems, and stimulants and alcohol, by definition, stimulate the nervous system. Try to include things in your diet that calm the nervous system.
Getting at least eight hours of sleep. This is a very easy way to help reduce the likelihood of panic attacks. Getting enough sleep has countless benefits, one of the most important being that it reduces our overall levels of stress.
Reducing Stress. Stress is the root of most disorders within the body, and plays a major role in panic attacks. if were constantly stressed, the likelihood of us having a panic attack increases exponentially. When we’re chronically stressed, we reinforce certain neural networks within our brain, which then primes our brains to crave stress.
As mentioned earlier, the root of panic attacks are the thoughts that we are holding. It’s impossible to have a panic attack while thinking positive thoughts. This means that we need to get clear about the subconscious thoughts that we think, and examine whether or not they actually serve us.
Reprogramming these subconscious thoughts is actually a lot easier than you’d think. Processes that I use in my practice such as F-EFT, guided imagery, and hypnosis are all tools that can help us consciously change the way we think.
Remember, the brain cannot distinguish thought from reality. By changing the way we think, we change the way we live.
