How to live with panic attacks? Personal methods of fighting. Svetlana K.

How to live with panic attacks?

      Personal methods of fighting

      Svetlana K.

      © Svetlana K., 2024

      ISBN 978-5-0062-4776-5

      Created with Ridero smart publishing system

      Chapter 1

      Given that fears, anxieties, and panic states are affecting almost every other person nowadays, I have decided to share my successes and methods for overcoming panic attacks with readers. The idea came to me when, after publishing a post on this topic in a well-known social network, people suffering from similar conditions started messaging me privately. I realized that not everyone can figure out this situation on their own. And the methods that have helped me and continue to help me might be of interest to you, my dear readers. I will try to be brief and not beat around the bush. When I read different books on this topic, by the time you get to the point, the book is already read but there is still no answer. Yet a person suffering from panic attacks needs help and practical advice here and now. What to do? What practices can help? What knowledge?

      In general, I believe that at the state level, psychological counseling centers should be established to assist people. Free of charge. After all, if thousands and hundreds of thousands of people suffer from such conditions, it means that they cannot live and work fully. And what does the state gain if half of the population lives in phobias, fears, and anxieties?

      And you can’t call a person like that sick because there are no visible signs. Psychologically, they appear perfectly healthy on the outside. These are their internal fears. Only they suffer, and they suffer unbearably. The person thinks they’re going crazy and doesn’t know which specialists to turn to.

      But there’s no need to worry about it. As long as you’re thinking about going crazy, it means everything is fine with you. After all, you can think about it. Those who have actually gone crazy don’t even realize it. So you can relax. You’re not going crazy.

      That’s why having a free psychologist at the clinic would be beneficial for everyone. We need to start thinking about this now, allocating resources, and finding specialists. It would be a real concern for the population. Well, never mind… That’s not the point.

      So, let’s say you experience your first panic attack, your blood pressure rises, or you have some other symptoms (let’s not delve into it, as everyone has their own symptoms). And you get scared, your brain registers that fear and that state. You became scared for your life, and that’s how you fell into a trap. That’s why it keeps happening over and over again.

      Fear has done its job.

      But in reality, nothing threatens you. It’s just your subconscious trying to protect you from an invisible enemy. Its job is to warn you and shield you. However, it manifests through various symptoms. Your brain is basically telling you to run, save yourself, danger. It’s a defense mechanism that helps you but also harms you at the same time. It helps when there’s a genuine threat, but it harms when the danger is imaginary.

      So, what can you do about it? Let’s dive into that and figure it out.

      Chapter 2

      So, fear. Where does it come from? It couldn’t appear overnight; most likely, something was hindering you from living a full and interesting life. But everyone has their own story. For example, it could be a long-standing grudge or annoyance. Every fear has its reasons. I analyze my own states, as it happened to me. The prerequisites and signs were present long before the onset of panic attacks, but I didn’t pay attention. I didn’t pay attention because I didn’t understand where it could all lead. Think about what’s wrong in your environment? What thoughts are you constantly turning in your head? Most people know why they have such a condition as a panic attack. They know or suspect. And there are those who don’t understand at all why suddenly symptoms of autonomic dysfunction appear. To those people who don’t know, I recommend seeking help from a psychologist to understand the reasons behind their fears and anxieties.

      I am writing for those who already know what a panic attack is, as well as for those who are simply interested in this topic. Psychosomatics is actually a very serious matter. And it’s better to know some aspects and not let fear take over you in order to avoid such dreadful states as a panic attack in the future.

      And so, the very first rule is to not be afraid of anything. Easy to say, but hard to do? Yet, it is something that can be learned.

      You must understand that when a panic attack «hits» you, it is very important to realize that nothing will happen to you. No one has ever died from panic attacks. If you are experiencing this state for the first time (for example, if the pressure is rising due to nerves, dizziness, or other various conditions), it is important to understand that it is panic, and there is no need to fear it. It always passes. That’s how it was for me. I was taking pills, calling for emergency assistance, until I realized that I was creating this fear and panic myself. And when I gained the knowledge that everything will pass soon (and it definitely will), I stopped being afraid.