Decoding Panic and Anxiety

Before we begin working on the panic and anxiety program, it is important for you to develop a good working understanding of both concepts. We will begin by defining panic, anxiety, and fear. Next we will go through the difference between panic and anxiety. Finally, we will go over what causes anxiety and panic.

What is a Panic Attack?

"I am running. Breathless, I know there is almost no chance of survival, I know that the tornado is too close to outrun and yet I am compelled to bolt, to run away somewhere and save my life. There is no shelter, just stretches of fields — no hope of escape. The truth is, I have never been in a situation close to a tornado — but that is what my panic attacks feel like, life or death, trying to flee desperately, only to be consumed by a force beyond my control."

"I am locked in a walk-in freezer at work, it feels like the oxygen is running out, I feel I know I am about to pass out. No one else is around — there is no hope. I wake up in a cold sweat — that time it was just a nightmare. I have never worked in food service; I have a desk job, but that is what my panic attacks feel like."

"I have been told that if a lion is going to attack you in the wild, you will not see the lion. You will only see the lion when it will be on top of you, and that is when you know you are in trouble. It is like that with my panic attacks, they just sneak up out of nowhere, and all of a sudden I know there is no escape."

"It is just like that movie where you are alone in the house, and you realize that there is a serial killer in the house with you and you are running around, out of breath, hoping to find a safe nook, and when you finally do — you are face to face! I know that there is no serial killer and that I am not in danger, but my entire body is demanding that I escape!"

Above are some examples of people describing what it feels like to have a panic attack. The danger and the push to escape are so real. Except, it does not make sense. There is no serial killer we are trying to escape. There is no mountain lion attacking us. And yet, we feel the surge of adrenalin that is coursing through our bodies with enough momentum to catapult us into the fastest sprint of our life, should we really need to save ourselves.

Irrational as we may believe it to be, our body tells us, "run for your life!" and we feel the pull, it is hard to dismiss the physical alarms. Even when there is no villain and you know that no one is chasing you. Even when there is no tornado that you are trying to outrun. This book offers you a system to overcome not only panic attacks, but also other anxiety issues, using a simple sixstep process. Before we jump into the process, let's first define panic, anxiety, and fear.

Fear is an internal alarm that tells us that we are in real or perceived danger. Fear is what helps us quickly press on the brake pedal to avoid hitting a child who runs into the street. It is a built-in mechanism that helps keep us safe. Anxiety is a future-oriented response that we experience without the presence of imminent danger or threat. All of us experience some passing feelings of anxiety that are normal. For example, it is normal to feel some anxiety before a job interview or an important exam. When the anxiety becomes chronic or pervasive, or disproportionate to the stressor, it becomes an anxiety disorder. When anxiety peaks quickly and intensely, it is defined as a panic attack. You already read some examples of what it feels like to have a panic attack, below is the clinical definition.

A Panic Attack is defined as:

A discrete period of intense fear or discomfort in which four (or more) of the following symptoms develop abruptly and reach a peak within ten minutes. (It is entirely possible that the time it takes may feel much longer to you.)

1. Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate

2. Sweating, or feeling very hot

3. Trembling or shaking

4. Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering, or difficulty breathing

5. Feeling of choking

6. Chest pain or discomfort

7. Nausea or abdominal distress

8. Feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint

9. Derealization (feelings of unreality), the feeling that you are in a dreamlike state

10. Depersonalization (being detached from oneself), feeling as though you are watching events happening around you from a distance

11. Fear of losing control or going crazy

12. Fear of dying

13. Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations) commonly felt in the fingers or toes.

14. Chills or hot flashes

Panic Physiology

The Fight or Flight Response

Our fight or flight response is hard-wired, powerful, and predictable. It is our body's way of safeguarding our survival. It pumps blood to the large muscles in the body, away from the brain, in order to ensure that we can run away from a predator in a life-threatening emergency. Our body temperature goes up, our reaction time quickens, our breathing and heart rate become faster. We are primed to react in a way that protects our survival. The flow of blood to our large muscles can make us feel lightheaded and dizzy, but it is not considered dangerous. What is happening is that you are fully alert and ready for action, should a life-threatening situation arise.

Breathing

Our breathing quickens during a panic attack. We can also feel as though we cannot get enough air or experience a choking sensation. In response, we tend to open our mouths in an effort to take deeper breaths. We may also try to correct our breathing by practicing some kind of relaxation type breathing.

I am going to go against a lot of experts who recommend different ways and types of breathing. While those techniques can be helpful in reducing your overall anxiety level, they do not help with panic. If you have ever tried to breathe your way through or out of a panic attack, it is likely that it either did nothing or that it actually escalated your panic.

Physiologically, when we think we...