For those of you suffering from Anxiety attacks or panic attacks here’s a tip. There’s a little area of the brain called the “Amygdala” (Coordinator of the stress system) that sends messages to your adrenal glands (which release adrenaline causing you to feel alert & ready to run or fight). This particular area’s sole responsibility is to sense any threats & notify the body. For many of you, this puppy is on high alert, even perhaps overactive. You’ve tried deep breathing, you’ve tried medications, you’ve tried prayer, you’ve really done your best to talk your way out it. Perhaps this hasn’t helped.
Here’s the tip…. with anxiety you have to try another angle. See, your brain THINKS there’s danger… but there isn’t. You’ve just got an overactive imagination & an overactive emotional brain. One of the keys to anxiety is to stop resisting it. You wouldn’t throw gasoline on a fire right? When you try to wrestle anxiety that’s what you are doing. You’ve got to show your brain whose boss. By talking back to your anxiety or resisting it you are in fact agreeing with the emotional brain that you are in danger. This is a lie. The truth is panic attacks are NOT dangerous they are just very uncomfortable.
You won’t die, you won’t go insane, your body will actually be fine in a few minutes.Your adrenals glands are releasing adrenaline when they shouldn’t.
Start visualizing yourself stuck in cement, don’t listen to the lie that you should resist or run away. You have to turn and face the chihuahua & he will run away.
Think of it this way…if there is a real danger the appropriate response is to run or fight. If the real issue is just a hyperactive imagination or emotional brain the best response is to just call those thoughts what they are! LIES! MYTH’S! Cognitive Distortions! Your physiology & Amygdala can be re-trained & will eventually learn “There is no threat, I’m fine”.
For more resources check out “Dr Harry Barry” or “Dr Reid Wilson” on youtube, they have excellent short clips which you may find very helpful.
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