33 Ways to Deal with Panic

1.Take low breaths, not deep breaths, but breaths which drop into the bottom part of your lungs.
2.Let the breath out slowly
3.A good sequence is In for 1, 2, out for 1,2, in for 1,2, out for 1,2,3 extending it up to 5
4.Remember bringing down your rate of breathing can help bring down heart rate
5.Just stop, sip a glass of cold water slowly and do nothing else
6.We can move towards a problem – and engage with it further
7.Move against it – blast it in some way
8.Move away from it – flight!
9.Or go into a state of paralysis
10.Choose one of these
11.And remember two states help mental panic
12.Something that makes us feel in control
13.And something that restores a sense of perspective
14.Just organizing something – night out, friends round, an outing somewhere may help
15.And taking time out in an entirely different environment – rural, seaside, small market town
16.Hysteria is wildly contagious, as is herd instinct
17.The combination of the two is better observed than engaged in
18.Do this through announcing a ‘halt’ to yourself
19.And somehow taking yourself out of the hysterical environment
20.A computer game, online chat, you tube video can help you do this mentally
21.The panic sequence often starts with disbelief and denial
22. Then moves to grief, and/or anger
23.We can get stuck in any of these stages
24.The worse is denial, as that is when we split from reality
25.Grief or anger can be useful and dealt with
26.Frantic exercise, lose-yourself sex and anaesthetic alcohol spring to mind…
27.Many psychologists believe only after we’ve worked through these reactions
28.Do we come to an acceptance of reality and a negotiation with the new situation
29.We often engage in psychic bargaining
30.Of the ‘If I work every hour god sends/am kind to my family/am a good boy then things will come right’
31.Problem is, fate isn’t listening…
32.BUT handling panic is about balancing impotence and agency
33.So to direct your sense of agency into being a great partner/parent/friend may be very wise…TALK it out… good luck today..

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