Panic attacks
How do you stop resisting?
The 20 Second Countdown
When you feel the sensations of a panic attack building do the following.
Tell the panic that it has 20 seconds to initiate the
full panic attack. 20 seconds and no more. After the
20 seconds are complete it must stop making empty threats.
You are allowing 20 seconds for it to fully manifest but not a second more.
Whatever the bodily sensation is that you fear, it must happen within that 20 second time frame.
-If you heart is going to explode then it has 20 seconds to do so.
-If you are going to lose control, then your mind has 20 seconds to do so.
-If you are going to faint - 20 seconds!
But absolutely no more time than that.
Start counting nice and slowly to give it chance. By not rushing through the countdown you will feel your confidence soar because you are demonstrating real control and authority over your anxious thoughts and bodily sensations.
Switch to an attitude of gratitude
A powerful way to move out of the anxious mental fog is to switch your focus from your head to your heart.
By simply making a deliberate shift of attention to your heart you will find the anxious thoughts dissipate more easily and the mental fog starts to gradually clear.
You can make this switch by practicing the art of gratitude.
It has now been scientifically proven that regular practice of gratitude can dramatically change your body’s chemistry giving way to a more peaceful body and mind.
Begin by closing your eyes and moving your attention to your heart area.
-Imagine a feeling of warmth emanating from the centre of your chest.
If appropriate place your right hand there. If you are around people or driving etc. simply imagine your right hand resting on your heart area.
Imagine this area glowing warmly for one to two minutes.
-Now, begin to focus on something in your life that you feel a genuine sense of appreciation for.
This can be one or more things that you really appreciate having in your life (e.g., family, health, friends, work, your home, a beautiful day etc).
It is important to focus on things that spark a real sense of gratitude and appreciation. If you really appreciate the thing you are thinking about, you will immediately feel a
response from that area by way of a light warm sensation in your chest or an involuntary smile (remember those).
It does not really matter what you think about as long as it evokes this feeling of warm appreciation from your heart area.
Don’t struggle with this exercise. Everyone has something they can be grateful for.
Do not worry if you are thinking of your partner/family and you do not feel this. Some days it will be people close to you that will spark the heart feeling, other days it may be
gratitude for very simple things like the fresh air you breath.
It depends on the mood you are in, -remember it is the feeling you after.
The feeling we are looking to achieve is unmistakable, it is a positive change in your emotional state.
I say it is best to do this exercise alone because you will need to stay with this feeling for as long as you can.
Then, when you feel you have taken it as far as you can, open your eyes.
There is no time frame on this exercise, it can be a few minutes to half an hour. Again it is about establishing a heart/mind connection and getting your awareness out of the
anxious thoughts and more into your body.
After a few attempts you can incorporate this into your daily routine.
Do it in the car.
Do it sitting at your desk.
Do it before you sleep at night.
You have to practice it frequently.
Just like a muscle your heart will get more accustomed to this state and you will be able
to switch into that feeling in seconds.
With practice you can also use this exercise in the middle of any stressful situation. You will be surprised at the positive outcome in terms of your own stress levels and the
change in others around you.
Do nothing
Don’t just do something, stand there
Instead of:
Don’t just stand there, do something
Don’t become attached to the emotion. Withdraw your energy from it.
Helen's Twitter Feed
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Our newsletter contains lots of interesting information about the site, up and coming events, occasional special offers for readers including methods to help you from our resident hypnotherapist Marisa Peer.
