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How to Break the Panic Attack Cycle

86 0
27.04.2024

If you have ever experienced a panic attack, you know how awful it feels. It would make sense if you did everything possible to prevent having another one.

Unfortunately, the things that people do in between panic attacks to prevent them often end up keeping them trapped in the cycle of panic attacks. Thus, the key to preventing panic attacks is not doing things that reinforce them.

If you have panic attacks, see if you engage in any of the following common behaviors. If you do, you might want to consider addressing them in order to break the cycle of panic attacks.

Panic attacks can feel so awful, and people often think they are dying, about to faint, or going to lose control of their actions or their minds. In reality, panic attacks are not dangerous. They are the fight or flight response that evolved to protect people, not harm them.

Why catastrophizing is a problem: The more you have catastrophic thoughts about panic, the more anxious you become, and the more likely you are to have another attack.

What to do instead: Remind yourself that panic attacks are not dangerous and do not have horrible consequences. Often, accepting that you could have another attack and that it’s not the end of the world can be helpful.

People with panic attacks tend to be hyperaware of their bodies in between attacks. They might mentally focus on their heart rate or breathing or use devices like a watch, pulse oximeter, or blood pressure machine to monitor........

© Psychology Today


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