Panic attacks are about the fear of fear.
Anyone who has suffered panic attacks knows that their first instinct is to run from the situation that has triggered their panic attack.
But running only makes the problem worse.
It allows the fear of having a panic attack to take hold - anywhere.
Years ago, I started having a panic attack before take off, on a transatlantic flight from New York to London.
I was travelling with my family.
Our seats were booked so that we'd be sitting together.
But horror of horrors, when we boarded the plane, a bunch of kids were sitting in our seats.
Rather than asking them to give us our allocated seats, the stewardess offered to seat us elsewhere in cattle class.
All in separate seats.
After much argument, two in our party were offered an upgrade to club class, while the remaining two would be seated together in cattle class.
Failing that, if we were unhappy with the arrangement, we could all get off the plane.
Kinda had us over a barrel, didn't they? The whole incident was handled insensitively, pretty much with a take-it or leave-it attitude.
Before taking my seat in cattle class, I could feel the waves of panic mounting.
I just wanted to get off that plane.
Couldn't breathe.
Didn't want to be there.
Under the circumstances, I had no choice but to embrace the panic attack, and to let it wash over me.
As a medical scientist, I knew that I wouldn't come to any harm despite the unpleasant sensations coursing through my body - heart pounding, hyperventilating, feeling faint and so on.
But that doesn't stop you feeling as if your head is about to explode.
Fighting the urge to run ain't easy either.
Turns out that embracing these sensations, and accepting that the worst won't happen (i.
e.
that you'll lose control, which is generally what sufferers fear the most) is all part of a technique that helps you to move through it.
In turn, this helps you to process your emotions of fear.
Admittedly, I embraced my panic attack reluctantly.
Subsequently, I've learned that the trick to dealing with panic attacks is to stop resisting.
Instead of fighting it, you can move through the range of emotions you're feeling, whether it's feeling foolish or afraid that you'll cause "a scene", or having an overwhelming sense of foreboding.
That's the first step.
The crucial next step is to demand more of those uncomfortable sensations.
Sounds crazy, huh? But paradoxically, conquering panic means no longer fighting it.
If your heart is pounding, or you feel as if you can't breathe - you should tell your anxiety to make it worse.
Because you feel threatened during a panic attack, your body is reacting with the fight or flight response.
Yet, as you know in your heart of hearts, the threat is in your head.
It isn't real.
Turning the tables on your anxiety and challenging your symptoms to do their worst - shatters the illusion.
In the end, you take control of your panic attack, instead of it controlling you.
If you'd like to learn about the technique that goes to the core of the behavioural problem with panic attacks, find out more at http://www.
easytips4success.
com, where I share some techniques for unlocking your mind's potential.
Just remember, whatever technique you choose to help, you can get through it.
Anyone who has suffered panic attacks knows that their first instinct is to run from the situation that has triggered their panic attack.
But running only makes the problem worse.
It allows the fear of having a panic attack to take hold - anywhere.
Years ago, I started having a panic attack before take off, on a transatlantic flight from New York to London.
I was travelling with my family.
Our seats were booked so that we'd be sitting together.
But horror of horrors, when we boarded the plane, a bunch of kids were sitting in our seats.
Rather than asking them to give us our allocated seats, the stewardess offered to seat us elsewhere in cattle class.
All in separate seats.
After much argument, two in our party were offered an upgrade to club class, while the remaining two would be seated together in cattle class.
Failing that, if we were unhappy with the arrangement, we could all get off the plane.
Kinda had us over a barrel, didn't they? The whole incident was handled insensitively, pretty much with a take-it or leave-it attitude.
Before taking my seat in cattle class, I could feel the waves of panic mounting.
I just wanted to get off that plane.
Couldn't breathe.
Didn't want to be there.
Under the circumstances, I had no choice but to embrace the panic attack, and to let it wash over me.
As a medical scientist, I knew that I wouldn't come to any harm despite the unpleasant sensations coursing through my body - heart pounding, hyperventilating, feeling faint and so on.
But that doesn't stop you feeling as if your head is about to explode.
Fighting the urge to run ain't easy either.
Turns out that embracing these sensations, and accepting that the worst won't happen (i.
e.
that you'll lose control, which is generally what sufferers fear the most) is all part of a technique that helps you to move through it.
In turn, this helps you to process your emotions of fear.
Admittedly, I embraced my panic attack reluctantly.
Subsequently, I've learned that the trick to dealing with panic attacks is to stop resisting.
Instead of fighting it, you can move through the range of emotions you're feeling, whether it's feeling foolish or afraid that you'll cause "a scene", or having an overwhelming sense of foreboding.
That's the first step.
The crucial next step is to demand more of those uncomfortable sensations.
Sounds crazy, huh? But paradoxically, conquering panic means no longer fighting it.
If your heart is pounding, or you feel as if you can't breathe - you should tell your anxiety to make it worse.
Because you feel threatened during a panic attack, your body is reacting with the fight or flight response.
Yet, as you know in your heart of hearts, the threat is in your head.
It isn't real.
Turning the tables on your anxiety and challenging your symptoms to do their worst - shatters the illusion.
In the end, you take control of your panic attack, instead of it controlling you.
If you'd like to learn about the technique that goes to the core of the behavioural problem with panic attacks, find out more at http://www.
easytips4success.
com, where I share some techniques for unlocking your mind's potential.
Just remember, whatever technique you choose to help, you can get through it.