How We Respond to Panic Attacks, and How We Can Do Better

"I do not exaggerate when I say that I lived this book. As someone who knows that panic and panic attacks are real, horribly uncomfortable, and extremely life-disrupting, I was compelled to write the book to help those who fell there is no way out of the panic loop. The excerpt below is drawn from my personal and clinical experience, and presented to offer some hope and healing to those for whom panic feels unmanageable."

"When I was really struggling with panic attacks, I found it challenging to perform tasks that had previously been easy and done without thinking. For instance, walking my beloved Boston Terrier, Tug, became a frightening proposition. I worried that I might become dizzy and pass out while walking. The ironic part was that I loved walking my dog: It was a time of solace for me and an opportunity to engage in mindfulness."

Panic and panic attacks are intensely uncomfortable and can severely disrupt daily functioning, turning routine activities into sources of fear. Activities once easy, such as walking a dog, can become anxiety-provoking because of fears of dizziness, fainting, or losing control. Attempts to avoid panic frequently produce constriction, hypervigilance, and numbing as subconscious protective responses. Avoidance can lead to withdrawal from valued activities and loss of solace and mindfulness opportunities. Personal and clinical experience can inform practical strategies to break the panic loop, restore engagement in meaningful activities, and offer hope and healing for those who find panic unmanageable.

Read at Psychology Today