Topics Include: Strategies for Overcoming Anxiety / Panic Attacks

Ask the Author: Question and Response
 

I have been suffering with debilitating panic attacks for 2 years. Crazy medication and a life running downhill. I am out of work and absolutely desperate for a higher understanding and release from this terrible affliction.

In gratitude,

- Juliet, Guildford, England

Giving Up Attack Thoughts

Every thought you have makes up a segment of the world you see. Thus, it is your thoughts that we will focus on. As your thoughts change, your perception of the world also changes. The cause of your suffering is your thoughts about the world, not the world itself. There must come a time when you realize that you do not want the thoughts that you are currently supporting. The world you see (the effect) is not going to significantly change by itself, because it’s simply a result of your thoughts (the cause). When you decide to change the cause, you will immediately change the effect. When you change your thoughts about the world, it is then that your world will change.

You see this world that you have made, but you may not see yourself as its image maker. When your external reality reflects thoughts like judgment, desperation, anxiety, stress, anger, and any other negative emotion, this is simply a picture of the attack thoughts you are allowing as real within your mind. They are not real. All fear based attack thoughts are illusions, but through free will you can give them a reality. Fear based attack thoughts have been learned. They have been programmed into you. They are a fantasy, a fairy tale taught to you long ago whose reality you have been following. My friend, rejoice, for you are not trapped in the world you see because the cause can be changed.
 
What God creates as perfect cannot be changed by your own mind, and within this truth lies your escape from the anxiety that has been challenging you. You have taught yourself to believe that you are not what you truly are. You, who God created as perfect, cannot change what He created, but you do have free will. Thus this gift can be masked by illusions you have been taught to trust as more real than truth. Peace of mind, love and joy are your inheritance, your true essence, the unchangeable in you, but you must acknowledge and accept them to make use of them and to experience their results.

When you are afraid of anything, you are giving it power to hurt you. You believe in what you value, you value what you treasure, and you have been taught to defend your treasure. Thus you will defend what you believe regardless of how little help, sense or peace it’s providing to your life. Fear is a result of treasuring your illusions over God’s truth. And because of free will, you may do this as long as you wish. Yet know this, your resistance to the pain that illusions offers may be high, but your resistance to this pain and suffering is not without limit. Eventually you will come to a point in your life when you must say to yourself: "Enough is enough. There must be a better way." This point then begins your journey from illusions into truth.

The body is a communication tool / a learning device for the mind. The body simply reacts to the mind’s instructions. If you experience fear, this results not from the body’s reaction to the external environment, but from the mind’s instruction to the body. There is nothing wrong with your body. The body’s reaction to fear is simply the result of the mind’s misperception of the external environment. Only the mind can interpret, thus correction belongs at the level of thought. Every single time you are afraid you have allowed your mind to misperceive, and have refused God to guide it. There is a very important point in the previous sentence, and it is this: you have allowed your mind to misperceive. This means that you are more than your mind, that you have overriding powers over your mind, that you can correct and retrain your mind. You are more than your mind, you are who God created as perfect, and it is this perfect part of you that you can learn to go to for advice and assistance. You can relearn to react the way you wish to react - to the way that will bring you peace of mind, love and joy.

Fear arises from a lack of love. The remedy for a lack of love is to respond to everything with love. When everything you process is love based, there is no longer a place within the mind for fear to fester. Being afraid seems to now be involuntary, beyond your control. You may now feel that you are responsible for what you do, but not for what you think. But it is only at the level of thought where you can truly exercise choice. You were not born having panic attacks. Panic attacks are a learned behavioral response. The good news is that you can unlearn what you have learned. As much as you now may experience them as a "natural" reaction, debilitating panic attacks are not your natural state! This is a behavior you have learned through time. You could try to trace a line, and start understanding that judgment of your brother and sister resulted in condemnation instead of compassion, which turned into regret, and regret became hurt, and hurt became confusion, and confusion became chaos, chaos became panic attacks, and panic attacks became debilitating panic attacks. And all this took many years, decades, possibly even many decades of reinforcement to get to this point. And even if the panic attacks began shortly after a dramatic event, the base for your reaction to that event was already in place long before such a traumatic event occurred.

The solution is a lifestyle change where little by little you begin to stop supporting unhealthy reactionary behaviors, your fear based attack thoughts and patterns. Currently, your behavior lifestyle likely consists of patterns where instead of forgiveness you choose judgment, instead of compassion you choose condemnation, instead of love you choose fear, and instead of trust you choose worry. All along creating and reinforcing negative pathways within the brain that have made what once felt unnatural, now feel natural or second nature. Now you likely barely even question these pathways and the decisions you make that end up hurting you. These pathways, your reacting with fear, hate, judgment, stress, pain, anger, panic, etc. were once untraveled rocky mountain trails that made no sense to the mind, but with more and more of this same reactionary behavior, these dirt paths became paved roadways, that have now with continuous repetition and support become fully serviced highways within the mind. But my friend, know this, not even the most advanced highway systems in the world can remain serviceable unless they are constantly maintained. Judgment, fear, anger and stress currently maintain and service your highways. Let them go, and you will start to see your highways returning to that same dust from which they were first created.

Before we get into more detailed helpful hints, I invite you to read this section from "You Have Chosen to Remember" where I discuss my own history with panic attacks, and how I overcame them: www.chosentoremember.com/book_excerpts/c3_my_mind_powerful.htm

Panic Attacks

Panic attacks are a result of fear based attack thoughts. Once you’ve had a panic attack you start worrying about them, which sensitizes you even more to them, sensitizes you to the surge of adrenaline, and you come to even fear that first trickle of adrenaline. These sensations create fear, which creates more sensations, which creates more fear, and thus your sensation of running downhill, of desperation.

1. To have peace, teach yourself peace. Peace of mind is an internal matter. It must begin within your own thoughts and extend outward into the world. It is through a peaceful mind that a peaceful perception of the world will arise in you. With every interaction you have with yourself and others - you are teaching yourself what and who you are. When chaotic thoughts are experienced, you are teaching yourself, reinforcing within yourself that this is who you are. Equally so, when peaceful thoughts are experienced, you are teaching yourself that you have every right to experience them, and the more you do this, the more natural it will feel. What you teach on a daily basis, you will strengthen in yourself. But it is your choice what you will strengthen, and gradually you will become what you strengthen. Thus teach only peace and love for that is what you truly are and desire to consciously become.
    

2. Understanding the power that exists within the moment. When you feel emotional discomfort in any way, say to yourself: “I could see peace instead of this.” Repeat this idea until a sense of relief is felt. You can retrain yourself to replace feelings of depression, anxiety and worry with peace. Any and every time the thought of fear arises, choose peace and make a declaration of independence in the name of your own freedom.
   
   In the moment, whenever a fear based attack thought enters your mind, know that you are simply believing and teaching yourself that illusions are real. Instead say to yourself: “Enough is enough. I have played this losing game far too long. God, I now choose to return the moment back to you. Please help me see this differently.”
    

3. Let go of judgment. Changing how you look at other people can significantly reduce your inner anxiety. Often when people are experiencing anxiety, they are looking at other people through the lens of their inner critic. Considering the suffering you described, you are likely using your ears, but not to truly hear. Every time the ego calls on you to judge a brother or sister, disregard it's request, for what has such an action ever brought you? Has it ever brought you true peace of mind and joy? No, instead remember this, every time the ego calls for judgment, the Godself, your true self, is asking you to offer help and healing. What you offer, you will receive.
   
   Whenever your brother behaves in any way where in the past you would have used judgment, instead now choose mercy, choose compassion instead of condemnation. These actions will bring you into closer alignment with what you have always truly desired to experience in your life: peace of mind and joy. You and your brother are one, and when you condemn a brother (like most people in our society have been trained to do), you are unconsciously judging yourself as guilty without knowing so. This produces confusion and once enough confusion is experienced, chaos results. Find someone to confide in. This will allow you to release any excess emotions in a safe environment, thus assisting you in staying balanced during your day. Imagine a day free from your judgment of others, how much lighter and relaxing would such a day be?
    

4. Seeing Christ in all of your brothers. You are using your eyes, but not to truly see. For, if you were truly seeing, you would experience God’s creations as innocent, and you would experience a perfection that comes not from what they do or say but from who they are. They are God’s perfect creations, and regardless of what they believe they need to add or subtract to His creation, their essence in none the less perfect, and this is all God asks you to look upon to experience - His, your and their perfection. Imagine a day where instead of judging what people say or do, you simply love the truth in them. How much more personally rewarding would such a day be?
    

5. Experiencing and expressing gratitude. When God created you, He made you part of Him. Currently you are using your heart, but not for love. Be what God is, and love and trust will fill those moments that are now filled with fear and worry. When you stand in front of God, He does not see your past or future, he sees only the present that you are, He only sees His perfect creation. Let go of your brothers' and sisters' past, set them free and you will experience freedom.
   
   Your brother and sister are here to remind you of your truth. When you experience stress because of having judged a brother or situation, your brother and the situation become available to you so that you may learn to experience this same type of event with less stress. Thus your brother, in every moment, is offering you the opportunity for growth, the opportunity to see where through your own thoughts and reactions you are taking yourself. Would gratitude not be the rational response to a brother or situation that is assisting you in developing into a less judgmental and more compassionate being? Little by little, you will begin to realize that gratitude is the one and only sane response to any and every interaction you have with a brother or sister. Offer gratitude for your brother’s participation in your lesson plan, and understanding and gratitude will begin to fill your days.
    

6. Trusting God’s plan instead of yours. You are using your mind, but likely not for forgiveness. Offer what you desire to experience, this is God’s simple request. If you desire forgiveness, forgive. Forgive and your mind will be set free from the weight of judgment, pain and regret. Become free from the burden of guilt, free from nights of tossing and turning because of the overbearing weight of thoughts that were never yours to keep. Forgive, and trust that His will is being done, that His plan is being carried out in the best way your brothers and sisters currently know how.
    

7. Don’t fight your panic attack. This will only increase the adrenaline. Instead accept the feelings, allow the feelings to come and go, and slowly move toward rebalancing yourself. Try focusing outside of yourself, maybe listen to some peaceful or uplifting music, or do some pleasurable task. During an attack, keep reinforcing within yourself that what you are feeling is simply an oversensitive nervous system, that it is temporary and not medically dangerous.
    

8. Medication. You take medications, a sort of diet to the mind, when one becomes ineffective you try another. And when they become ineffective you try another diet to try to lessen that mental weight you are carrying. Yet my friend, somewhere deep inside you understand that diets are not the final answer, you require a lifestyle change to truly return to a naturally balanced state. The good news is that this is possible. The good news is that, as alone as you think you may be, many have been in your shoes, many have travelled these same roads, and many have returned to balance, returning to their true selves, returning to a life filled with peace and joy.
   
   There is nothing wrong with medication, especially when an issue is described as “debilitating.” Medication can be a useful short to mid-term solution. With your doctor’s assistance, your goal should always be to strengthen your inner self enough to get to a point where medication is no longer needed. Look to slowly get off medications. Look to slowly reduce their dosage. Under your doctor's supervision, do some experimenting with different medications to see which ones work best with your internal system. Never quit your medications cold turkey.
    

9. Doctors and therapists. If your doctor is simply putting you on more and more medications and is not asking you to see a therapist about your panic attacks, then he or she is the wrong doctor for you. Equally so, if your therapist is just constantly putting you on more and more medications, then start consulting other therapists. The idea of therapy is to assist your inner self in getting stronger and less dependent on medications; if your therapist is not producing positive results then it is time to look for someone else.
   
   Your therapy may last one or two years, or maybe more. Do not hurry your growth, do not put even more pressure on yourself, but do have short, medium and long term goals. You need to feel that you’re gradually experiencing more peace of mind and joy in your daily life.
    

10. Plan ahead. Make a list of what you are afraid might happen and then below each item on the list write specific things you can say to yourself to calm yourself down during such a reaction. For example, if at the onset of a panic attack your heart races, now you are prepared to tell yourself: “I have studied breathing and meditation exercises that can help me breathe deeper and slower. I can reduce my heart rate.” Then place your focus on those exercises and execute them. A panic attack will both quicken your breath and make it shallower. Tell yourself: "I understand what is starting to happen. There is nothing to fear. I am in no danger." Then slow your heart rate and deepen your breath with the meditation exercises you have practiced.
     

11. Become aware of what the beginning of a panic attack feels like. By now you know your symptoms, the thoughts, emotions and reactions you have at the start and during a panic attack. When the individual has no clue about how to calm herself down, when an individual has no clue that she has that power within her mind, a panic attack can simply get stronger and stronger until medical attention is required. When an individual starts to learn that she does have control over the panic attack, it can be like a roller coaster ride, with the panic attack getting worse, then her calming herself down, then it starting back up again. This is actually a great step forward. For if during your panic attack there comes a time in it where you can calm yourself down, be it for a few seconds or minutes, then the possibility exists that you can fully calm down and thus eliminate the attack.
    
    The most effective way to stop a panic attack is to catch it early. Thus, it is very important to watch and understand how your panic attack starts. What are the emotions and feelings you are experiencing? How does your physical and mental state change at the beginning of an attack? Even when you experience a panic attack that you feel you have no control over, do your best to try to watch it, study it, understand it, and write your experience down and learn from it. This in and of itself can be a great gift and step forward in reclaiming your peace of mind and joy.
     

12. You will not die from a panic attack. The worst case scenario in panic attacks, which is extremely rare, is that you will pass out. And passing out is just the body's self defense mechanism to give your brain time to re-boot. If you learn and read the research that supports this, this simple step will ease your mind. Knowing that you won’t die will give you at least a little peace of mind. This becomes a big deal since most people who at first experience such attacks believe they are about to die or are having a heart attack. A panic attack will not stop your heart, nor stop your breathing, nor will it drive you crazy.
     

13. Learn your personal triggers that start your panic attacks. For example, if going to a public place where there are a lot of people can trigger such an attack and you have to go to a public place, visualize and talk yourself through what could happen. See yourself going to that place and being at peace. Mentally walk yourself through what you believe you will be experiencing. Reinforce within your mind that all is going to be okay, that you are safe and protected.
     

14. Learn breathing / meditation techniques to calm yourself down. Those who experience panic attacks understand that breath plays a key part of any attack. In an attack the breath shortens, becomes more shallow and rapid, your chest tightens, you start feeling lightheaded, blood starts flowing out of your extremities to assist the heart. The hands, arms, feet and legs begin to tingle because of this. All this has breath as a core issue. Thus practice taking full breaths. Breathe out – breathe out all the air in your lungs, this allows you to take a deeper breath in. Then when you breathe in, first fill your lower stomach, then your upper stomach, then your whole chest. This exercise will help calm you down. You may also breathe into a brown paper bag or your cupped hands, this exercise will help your oxygen levels return to normal. Finally a body relaxing technique where you focus on a body part like the scalp and you relax it, then move to your forehead and relax it, and repeat this process all the way down to your feet - can also be useful.
     

15. Understand the effect that food and drinks have on your nervous system. Remove all caffeine from your diet. If you’re a coffee or tea aficionado - end it, for even decaf coffee has caffeine. (Non-caffeinated herbal tea is okay.) Once you have your panic attacks under control, and if you still desire it, you may again have decaf coffee or tea. Chocolate also has too much caffeine, eliminate it if possible. If not, don’t have more than 10 grams a day and always make it dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa. Reduce your intake of sugar and processed foods, for such products shoot your energy levels up and down creating an unbalanced state where panic attacks have an easier time developing. Drink lots and lots of water. Water transports hormones, chemical messengers and nutrients to vital organs of the body. If a body is not well hydrated it may react by sending stress signals to the brain, which in turn can raise your level of anxiety and produce a panic attack.
    
    Your body needs to be functioning at its best to reduce the toxins from it. Food such as sugar, salt and processed foods lower your body’s resistance, whereby food like fruits and vegetables raise your resistance. Fruits and vegetables should comprise 60% - 80% of your diet, and whole grains, nuts, protein and dairy the remaining 20% - 40%.
     

16. Exercise – include exercise like yoga in your daily routine. Yoga is an exercise that asks you to focus on your breath. Regardless of the pose you are practicing, the key is the breath and your continuous focus on it. By doing so, you bring your focus back to the moment. The present moment is free from the past and from future imaginings. Within the present moment lies the gift of peace. You cannot have a panic attack and be in the present moment - for a panic attack deals with learned behaviors, and all learned behaviors are past related.
    
    Also focus on exercise that burns adrenaline. This means exercises that really tire you out. Exercise is a great tension burner, loosening up your body and activating endorphins that make you feel great. Any serious aerobics class should do the trick. Physically active people have lower rates of anxiety and depression than sedentary people. Exercising will have a tremendously positive benefit on your mental, emotional, and physical health. Your energy levels will soar and your resistance to stress will increase, therefore reducing the general feeling of anxiety. Be kind to yourself, take it slow to begin with and be determined. If you can incorporate regular exercise into your life, the benefits will be profound.
     

17. Using distractions as a calming tool. The goal here would be to reduce your strong fearful emotion to an anxious thought. Try thinking of Donald Duck or Goofy delivering to you the anxious thought you are having. Visualize them tripping as they deliver the idea, then thank them and move on to whatever else you were doing.
     

18. Join a self-help group. In the UK, you can find details through the No Panic charity free phone helpline at 0808 8080545. Also check the Mind charity website - www.mind.org.uk for further help. Also visit www.phobics-society.org.uk for more information on anxiety disorders.
    
    When you join a group of people dealing with the same basic issues you are working on, it becomes a blessing to all involved. For in other people's stories, you will remember your own, and as they heal so too does a small part of you heal. And as you tell your story and struggles, you heal. And as you do, so too does a small part of them heal. God uses all things for good, and as the group slowly awakens from their illusions, you will realize the great gift you are to your group and the great gift that your group is to you.
     

19. Practice behavioral modification therapies to deal with your fears. Although many of the above points are examples of behavioral modification therapy, there are also numerous well studied, researched and detailed psychological behavioral modification exercises that a professional therapist can guide you through. These should be part of your personal daily therapy and experience. If your therapist is not providing some of these types of therapies as daily and weekly homework assignments, then it is time to find someone who does work with more applicable, detailed and well researched tools.

Conclusion

You do want peace and are ready to teach peace to learn it, for why else would you have offered this opportunity, the participation in the creation of this question and response for yourself and others to read and rediscover. My friend, the night is over and the light has come. Become conscious of the difference between sleeping and waking so that you can understand that you do not need to be afraid of the dreams you made. Now when bad dreams / fear based attack thoughts come, you will simply remember the above reminders and call on this light to disperse them. Gradually, you will begin to experience the change and this in turn will strengthen your motivation for further change.

Your Source has established your identity. Your essence is awake and whole, fully capable of a life filled with peace of mind, love and joy. You have a wonderful life ahead of you. Simply decide to peel off the layers of illusions that you have placed upon your truth. My friend, it is not as hard to do as your ego may say, to peel off that which you do not truly want, to peel off that which you have no use for. It is so much harder to keep doing what you are doing, and deep down, as hard as your ego might fight it, you know it’s true. Implement the points above, and every small victory will be a step in the right direction, in the direction your soul is calling you from. For the day is simply made of moments, and every moment you now decide to join your true self - will become a moment where instead of choosing fear you choose faith, where instead of condemnation you choose compassion, and where instead of desperation you will now be choosing deliverance.

Peace, Health, Happiness, Love, Laughter and Light.

In Service,
James Blanchard Cisneros

 

   

View larger images of front & back cover 
of the great spiritual / self development book You Have Chosen to Remember: A Journey from Perception to Knowledge, Peace of Mind and Joy by James Blanchard Cisneros.