Many of my counselling clients and some of my readers have told me from time to time, that one of the most upsetting aspects of their anxiety is that they can't seem to turn off the negative thoughts.
The anxiety and panic attack cycle
I've written about that in my article 'The Truth about Panic Attacks' which you can find on this website. In that article, you can read a longer explanation of how people can, and do, become part of their own panic cycle. That involvement is totally inadvertent. It happens automatically without any conscious effort.
Those of you who experience high levels of anxiety and particularly those of you who have episodes of panic, terror, disabling fear in a variety of situations will know exactly what I mean. There you are in the queue at the supermarket checkout, or you're happily driving along on the freeway to get home from work and WHAM! out of the blue, your pulse races, your tummy churns, you feel so terrified you may as well be facing a firing squad. It's particularly upsetting for clients of mine who have managed their anxiety and panic for years when suddenly all the old terrifying symptoms return.
As they sometimes do.
If I've been working with someone to overcome their anxiety problems I always focus with them on ways to manage any symtoms when and if they dare to stick their ugly little head into their lives. I never, ever, talk about a cure. Anxiety although very upsetting and even disabling is an emotional response that's inappropriate to a situation or situations. It's not a disease that can or needs to be cured as in eliminated. Just as I help people to respond to situations which make them angry, I think it's much more helpful to focus on ways to help people respond to any circumstance in which they feel anxious. For instance, many of my coaching clients are cooler than cucumbers - except when they have to speak in public. That includes a number of politicians. They don't see themselves as having anxiety issues and nor do they - except with public speaking. However, they still need strategies to get them through the situations in which they feel afraid, nervous, terrified and panic stricken.
My most successful strategy to manage panic
OK. In this e-zine, I can't go into all the details I explore in my counselling sessions and in my self-help kit Calming Words. Basically, my clients have found it useful to well, the best way to describe it is 'to talk to their fear' .
Weird? Maybe. Let's explain. You're driving along and feel a fluttering of mild anxiety. What do you do? Relax. Pass if off? No. If you're attuned and in the habit of feeling anxious, you immediately increase that fear. You don't mean to do that, but that's what you do. You immediately and automatically start thinking:
" Oh no. I'm going to have another panic attack, another attack of anxiety !"
And guess what? That's exactly what you do. The first little flutter of anxiety grows until you're again in familiar territory. You're in the middle of another panic attack.
Here's a better way to greet the first flutter.
Speak to it. Along the lines suggested decades ago by the great and compassionate Australian GP, Claire Weekes. Say any combination of the following:
" Oh it's you again. I know you. You're my overactive panic button. My mind has switched you on when there's no good reason. Now you're trying to pump adrenaline into my system to get me out of a dangerous situation. But look. I've been to see Dr Kavanagh and I now know that you're just an inappropriate feeling. And guess what, you silly feeling. You don't scare me. I welcome you into my life, because each time you visit me, I'm just going to look at you, and watch you disappear.
You're used to me getting upset because you've started a little adrenaline rush. But I'm not playing your game anymore. Feelings can't hurt me. The only way you'll grow into total panic, is if I let you. And I'm not doing that. Watch me now. I'm feeling you in my tummy, but I'm breathing in deeply, and breathing out deeply. Each time you visit, I'm going to time how long you want to stay. Soon you'll get tired of your silly game. In the meantime, Jeannette is out there holding my hand and I can feel you zooming off ."
You get the message. Let me know if that has been of use. Write to me at jeannette@calmingwords.com to ask any other questions about your anxiety or that of a friend or family member. And remember. Only wonderfully creative, imaginative and intelligent people are visited in this way.
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information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
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