Initial stages of controlling panic attacks centre on retraining the mind in how to deal with the unpleasant effects of adrenal overload. When our body’s nervous system goes into overdrive and the hormone adrenaline is secreted in huge amounts, the head can spin and the stomach becomes unsettled. Heart palpitations and shortness of breath can accompany the physical side of the mind responding to what it sees as jeopardy. Should theses responses escalate to unmanageable levels, an attack ensues.
The human physique is complex. Within it there are systems to regulate everything from breathing to growth. Fear is something that we may have to deal with on a day to day basis. Our physical make-up has a distinct warning mechanism which help to protect us from any kind of perceived danger. In normal day to day functioning, this capacity should protect us in our everyday environment.
Dealing with the body’s response to a perceived treat will always be the best place to begin. Mastering the release of adrenaline so that you can actually control how much is permitted into the blood stream is of prime importance. This begins by dealing with an excess of fear response first. Panic attacks are actually gifts in a way, as if you learn to deal with them, you can conquer any fear and move on with a life in which you are able to take risks and deal with their consequences.
When you are ready to deal with the fear that is compromising your life, it is time to face these episodes full on when they happen. This may be difficult at first, but persistence pays off. Feelings of terror can very easily be divided into physical and mental.
Telling yourself that you can handle this, befriending the feelings or even asking your body to give you more fear, that what you are getting just isn’t enough are all techniques that have been used in the past in fields as varied as public speaking and martial arts. Minimizing the impact of the fear response by learning to live with it is the key to coping.
This condition is rather like an overload in the nervous system. The first thing that has to be managed are the physical feelings. Unpleasant as they are, it is important to understand that the feelings are just that. They are something that although we do not want, have arrived and so need to be dealt with.
Some people prefer to take the route of facing their fears by slowly coming into contact with whatever it may be that induces the panic. This approach should be supervised and desensitization is something that needs careful planning and practice. Millions of people world wide suffer from this phenomena. Millions more have learned to get through it. Controlling panic attacks is not as impossible as it may seem. In the end, small steps in the right direction make for great rewards and a full recovery.
Learn more about how Reiki can help, Click here: how to stop a panic attack