THE PANIC STATION

This may appear at first glance to be a stupid and irresponsible thing to say to yourself.
This has the effect of taking away some of the force of the panic. It will not reach that terrifying peak.

If you have had an attack you will know what I mean.
Practice utter acceptance.

To the person in the midst of an attack this might seem impossible. But don't lose heart, it will take several attempts before you can start to look panic straight in the eye and go through the other side, without turning away for safety.

Don't fight it, let go.
It might be the hardest thing you ever do. But the paradox is, if you practice utter acceptance the intensity and duration of panic attacks decrease.

Dr. Claire Weekes M.B.E. has written several books on the subject, HOPE AND HELP FOR YOUR NERVES being recommended by many sufferers, also tape and video recordings.� Another good book is by LUCINDA BASSETT -- FROM PANIC TO POWER, There is also taped progrmmes by this author.

Dr.Weekes books are the ones that have given me most hope. They are easy to read and you know straight away that this person understands you own personal hell. Practical,no medical jargon and most of all they offer hope.
I hope she is still with us, she will be in her 90's now. Stay fit and well wherever you are.

2. Wait for time to pass. DON'T HURRY IT, walk away slowly from the situation if you need to.

3. Imagine you are floating instead of walking.

4. Breath lower down, using your tummy muscles. Make the out breath a bit longer than the intake of breath. Slow your breathing down if you catch yourself breathing a little fast.

5. Recall a happy event or a humourous one. Your favourite comedian in concert, an enjoyable vacation, perhaps.

6. SIT DOWN - COOL DOWN
If possible sit down somewhere and close your eyes.
Start slow abdominal breathing.
In your minds eye, on the in breath , spell, say and picture the word P E A C E.
On the out breath, spell, say and see the word C A L M.
Use that vivid imagination of yours to create a pleasant backdrop for this exercise.

7. WOBBLY AND WEAK LEGS.
A supply of glucose tablets or honey can be used to overcome brief spells of weakness due to panic. This is a temporary measure and no substittute for proper nutrtion.

8. HELP! I'AM PANIKING , GONE BLANK AND CAN'T THINK HOW TO COPE
In the white heat of panic its easy to forget the things you know you should do to cope.
Write down your coping strategies on a card that will easily fit into your pocket, wallet,purse.

Alternatively record your strategies onto a cassette in a calm and precise manner. Take a personal stereo with you.
Some printing shops will put your text onto a credit card type of card, which will be laminated and will last.
Pull the card out when you need it. Stick the stereo on.
Go thrugh a rehearsal of this when not in a panic

YOU ARE NOT ALONE !

ANTICIPATORY ANXIETY:

Begins with the thought of doing something that you feel is beyond your limitations.
The "What if" thoughts start to appear in the mind. "What if I panic like the last time I did this"
The anxeity can build to a tremendous level before coming into contact with the feared situation.

Anticipatory Anxiety is nearly always well in excess of anything the actual situation will present.
So instead of saying "What if " say "So what" .Allowing body sensations to pass over and paying them "NO RESPECT" however rational or irrational they may be is the best policy to adopt.

Saying to yourself "Its no big deal","I don't care about these feelings" and "I'am definitely NOT going to die" helps unmask the anxiety allow you to face it and not fear it so much. This allows the distrubing body sensations to calm.

I would� like to add one thing to that. When you first experience panic you may be confused and bewildered, convinced there is something physically wrong with you. This can be a hard attitude to shake off.
My advice is get along to your doctor and ask him or her to give you a full check over. Be honest with him or her and tell them how upset this has made you feel. If they any good at all, they will check you over and most likely confirm its stress related.
For your own piece of mind this is important. Much time can be wasted convincing yourself you have every know illness in the text book.
If they are unsympathetic then go to another doctor. I believe from my own experience and from others I have talked to that lots of reassurance is vital. Ask the doctor what to expect. get them to explain in lots of detail until you fully understand. The more you know about panic the less power it has over you. A wise doctor will spend an extra 15 minutes to put a sufferers' mind at ease and saves lots of torment to the sufferer, while they may be waiting to see more specailist help.
Then you can get on with the task of dealing with it.

MEDIUM TO LONG TERM SOLUTIONS TO PANIC
Practice the following exercise for at least 20 minutes every day

1a. Focus all your attention on one sound (Traffic noise, The wind, Bird song etc.) No other sound matters. Absorb only that sound. If your attention strays, re-focus on that sound. Do not allow yourself to be distracted. Focus only on that sound.

1b. Now switch your attention from the sound you are focusing on to another as quickly as you can. Focus only on that sound. No other sound matters. Repeat this twice. Each time you focus on a sound try to do it for about 2 minutes.

1c. Now try to focus on as many sounds as you can at the same time. Expand your attention and absorb all the sounds. Focus on all of the sounds. Name the sounds that you are hearing simultaneously.


2. When out walking or travelling around look at your surroundings, name the things you see as you walk along. (Makes of car, The colour of a House, Name of a Tree.) Make this a habit.


WHY WILL THIS MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE TO MY PANIC ATTACKS
The first exercise is very important to practice everyday. There is a good chance you will find this very difficult to do. Keep at it. After about 5 weeks you will get much better at this and you will find your attention is now more directed at external stumuli rather than you thinking about body sensations caused by stress. A person will take 2 months to de-sensitise properley, by accepting all bodily sensations as just part of the normal stress reaction of a sensitised individual

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