Stress, Anxiety, Panic, Take Control of Your Thoughts
Stress, Anxiety, Panic, Take Control of Your Thoughts
By Viola Woolcott
Anxiety and panic attacks happen because of an overwhelmed nervous system. Constant messages are send to the body through your thoughts. Your thoughts seem to be your comfort zone, but that doesn’t mean that they are always comfortable or even healthy. You didn’t feel anxious… you weren’t worried, neither stressed, but from one minute to the other your world is out of control and you don’t understand why…
To have healthy and productive thoughts, you have to decide to change them and become consciously aware of them. Become consciously aware of your stress triggers. That will help you reduce emotionally overpowering thought patterns. Don’t run on autopilot, wake up and take charge!
There is always a reason for a sudden out of the blue anxiety or panic attack. The best way to handle an attack is to breathe and remain calm. These are the two major factors in dealing with an attack. By being scared, the worse the attack will become. Attacks can cause physical and emotional feelings, but they cannot hurt you. Symptoms of an anxiety or panic attack are normal responses and will automatically occur during times of stress.
Attacks don’t last forever, they have a beginning, a peak, and a coming down phase and we have probably all experienced them. Once you worked through an attack, you will realise that you feel yourself again afterwards.
The one thing you shouldn’t do during an attack is worry about what is causing it. Dwelling on it will cause more symptoms. Breathing will naturally calm you down, if you allow it to. It stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. When you worked through an attack and are feeling ‘better’, sit down and think about what could be causing the stress. Don’t try thinking about it during the attack, as it is not the time to do it.
Take control, don‘t let anxiety control you. Close your eyes. Make your thoughts productive. Your mind can only focus on one thing at the time and your body will react to your thoughts. Visualise a peaceful setting and tell yourself that you are safe. By the way it makes you feel, you will know what works or not.
It is the reaction to the attacks that determines the length and how severe they are. Make ‘friends’ with your thoughts, how they make you feel, take control of the messages you send to your body and don’t let your mind be your worst enemy.
Related link:
Stress, Physical, Mental, Emotional Health, Listen to Your Body
Filed under: Mind | Body | Spirit on February 16th, 2008
Leave a Reply