Panic Attacks-Gain Confidence One Step At A Time.

When you start out on the road to recovery from Panic Attacks,it can be very overwhelming.It can also be very difficult to gain the confidence needed to take the first step in whatever treatment method you choose.If you have struggled with your confidence levels in the past,panic attacks have probably zapped what little confidence you may have had left.

The good news is that the panic attacks recovery process can also help you gain confidence one step at a time.If you have difficulty with certain situations.I suggest choosing to try to overcome the one that cause the least amount of discomfort first,as this will be the easiest one to overcome in most case and will give you the strength and confidence to take on some bigger challenges..

For this example I will use shopping at your local grocery store but it could be any situation that makes you anxious or causes you to panic.You may want to start out very slowly at first until you become more confident in your ability to cope and remember that it will be a slow process in most cases and setbacks are a part of recovery but once progress is made recovery is usually relatively fast..

When you make your first attempt at going to the "grocery store" bring a trusted friend or family member with you if that makes the experience more tolerable.Start out by going as far as you can comfortably,and then leave as soon as you feel the first signs of a panic attack.The next time you go,try to stay a bit longer.When the familiar signs of a panic attack start to emerge this time instead of leaving immediately,try your best to tell yourself that you are perfectly safe and that the symptoms will subside.Eventually you will have to try to remain in the situation until the symptoms are gone or at the very least tolerable.If the symptoms become to much to handle always give yourself permission to leave.

Being overly critical of your actions will only make your confidence problems worse.Like the old saying goes if at first you don't succeed try,try again.It is also recommended that you keep some sort of record of your attempts so you can refer to them at a later date.I keep a journal that i write mostly about my successes and not so much about my failures as focusing too much on your failed attempts can have a negative effect on your confidence which is of course what we are trying to build upon to help us to overcome our panic attacks.

The technique is basically a for of exposure therapy and you will most likely have to practice this everyday or at least as much as possible for it to help.So now that we have made some successful attempts at overcoming our panic attacks our confidence should be to the point were we can try to put ourselves into these situations with little or no assistance and cope fairly well with the symptoms.This of course is only one of the many techniques that are helpful in dealing with panic attacks and may not be right for everyone.However I have found it very effective.

I will be dedicating a couple of my future posts to the subject of confidence building,and since I am by no means an expert on the topic I will make some resources available for anyone who is interested.I would also be very interested in your comments and suggestion on that and any other topic you wish to discuss..

Panic Attacks-Exercise Should Be a Big Part of Your Treatment Plan.

If you suffer from Panic Attacks,I won't have to tell you how uncomfortable the symptoms can be!On my Anxiety and Panic Attacks Blog I talk about many important panic and anxiety related topics,and this one is no exception.It is something I believe in so much that this is my second post about it.(and most likely not my last.)The topic I will discuss today is Panic Attacks and why Exercise Should Be a Big Part of Your Treatment Plan.

Most of the symptoms of Panic Attacks are the result of a number of biological changes that occur during times of anxiety and stress.One such change includes the release of excessive amounts of adrenaline.(there are of course others as well),it is important to be able to reduce the amount of adrenaline in order to reduce at least some of the symptoms of panic attacks.)

This in my opinion this means that one of the first things that should be considered is an exercise routine of some kind.(of course the very first thing that anyone suffering from any kind of condition should do is visit their doctor to rule out physical causes for their symptoms.)After the doctor has given a full exam and everything is OK you should try to find an activity that you enjoy.This is very important because it will determine whether or not you will be able to stick with the activity or give up because its either too difficult or boring.

The activity you choose can be anything as long as it gets you moving and your heart rate up.If you have a hard time choosing an activity,ask friends and family,search online or just take a bit of time to notice what others in your area are doing.Walking is a very popular exercise that can be done by anyone of any fitness level.Best of all its free.It really doesn't matter what you choose just choose something and get started as soon as possible.

Only 30-60 minutes of moderate exercise,a couple of times per week will help to greatly reduce panic attack symptoms in most cases.Of course exercise is only one part of the bigger picture and since the lasting benefits of exercise might not be experienced as quickly as most of us would like,there are also other life style changes like eating healthier and using Anxiety/stress reduction techniques that can be done to help reduce panic attack symptoms.

I have inserted a link above to an older post that talks a bit about some of the more popular Anxiety/Stress reduction techniques that will help to reduce or eliminate Panic Attacks.If there is enough interest in the subject I will also be writing a more detailed post about some of the more common Anxiety/Panic and Stress reduction techniques that are available.Just let me know what you are interested in and I will do my best to address it.

Panic Attacks-Why Me?

If you are suffering from Panic Attacks or any life altering condition you have probably asked yourself  Why Me?I know I have!Unfortunately when it comes to Panic Attacks(and pretty much anything else in life)its more or less the "luck of the draw".

On the other hand,when we look back on certain aspects of our lives we can probably see at least a few instances where we could have made some changes.These changes may or may not have given us a better chance of not developing whatever problem we happen to be dealing with now.(who knows right)

Some people are lucky enough to go through life without having any major issues(health,mental,money)but a lot of us are not as fortunate.The thing that I try to focus on is that although we may be experiencing things like Panic Attacks now and there may or may not have been things we could have done differently in the past.

The past is just that,The Past!

We can't change the things that might have been,so we need to change the things that might be!The present and the future are the only things that we have some control over.The present is a good place to start since that is what will determine the future.For example,I have recently over hauled my eating habits,I exercise every other day.and  I am also trying to think more positively

Anything you do now to improve your life style will definitely help to reduce or even eliminate the problems you are dealing with.But like a lot of panic attack sufferers I've been struggling with self confidence issues for some time,and am trying my best to work through that as well.

I will try to make some resources available(through links)to help anyone who is interested in gaining control over their panic attacks and being more self confident.

Thanks for reading,and Please Follow my blog.

Panic Attacks-The Fight or Flight Response

As most of us are aware,when we are in the midst of a Panic Attack something known as the fight or flight response automatically takes over.This is a natural physiological and psychological response to a real or perceived danger/threat.In the case of real danger such as a bear attack or a mugging,the fight or flight response is a great protective mechanism.

When the fight or flight response is triggered a part of the brain called the hypothalamus is stimulated which causes the release of increased amounts of chemicals such as adrenaline,noradrenaline and cortisol.

These chemical increases cause our breathing rate to increase,the blood to moved from the areas of the body that are less essential to more vital areas such as the major  muscles and limbs.These are the parts of the body that require the most energy for fighting or fleeing.The more energy that is available,the more like it will be that we will survive the fight or successfully flee from the situation.

When there is no real danger or threat,and the fight or flight response is activated due to a panic attack,the result is irrational,exaggerated fear,confusion,distorted thinking and sensitivity to sound and/or light.(as well as many other symptoms)The sporadic nature of panic attacks makes it extremely difficult to predict when they will occur,and causes fear of the panic attack its self.