How To Calm Panic And Anxiety
Anxiety and panic are reality disorienting mental disorders. When we experience an onset of anxiety and panic, we are losing touch with reality as we know it personally. Our minds our suddenly convinced of the worst case scenario, death, humiliation, shame, and more. The problem with anxiety and panic is that we have a difficult time separating ourselves from the experience of panic anxiety. If you read that sentence and felt shocked that you even could separate yourself from panic and anxiety, this article is for you.
Panic and anxiety are emotional experiences. Any emotional experience can be observed with a healthy mindfulness and nonjudgment. However, it takes therapeutic work to get there. The key to creating a sense of calm during panic and anxiety is recognizing that calm is possible. Anxiety and panic are fleeting, transitory emotions, even though they don’t feel that way.
Problematically, when we aren’t actively aware of that our panicked and anxious reactions turn into habits. Habits are hard to break. It takes awareness and practice to change a habit. How you react to stressors in your life is completely in your power, should you seek to use it.
First, Understand The Difference Between Panic And Anxiety
Panic and anxiety are not the same thing. Having an anxiety attack and having a panic attack are two different kinds of episodes. Most contrastingly, panic is when the brain becomes convinced it is about to die. Panic is not set in various fears or insecurities- panic is narrow mindedly focused on imminent death. Anxiety, on the other hand, is paranoia run wild. Anxiety attacks are the feeling that everything is getting out of control and the worst case scenario is about to occur.
Second, Use That Knowledge To Create Some Distance
Now that you have differentiated between having a panic attack and having an anxiety attack, or experiencing one of the two emotions, you can create some distance between them. By labeling what is going on, you can start to detach yourself from it. Naming the problem is a way of making it separate from you. Instead of being panicked or being anxious, you are experiencing panic and experiencing anxiety.
Third, Take A Moment To Breath
Utilizing mindfulness meditation during the onset of panic or anxiety can curb the experience and reduce the intensity of symptoms. Focusing on the breath, you can help yourself feel more grounded in the moment, concentrating on the fact that this too shall pass.
Enlightened Solutions is an integrative care treatment center providing holistic healing and 12 step inspired care to clients. Our dual diagnosis problems welcomes mental health disorders as well as substance use disorders for treatment. For more information, call 833-801-5483.
