In some respects, we haven’t really advanced much as a species since the time of the caveman. If you met a threatening animal in the forest, your whole body would prepare you for the flight or fight mechanism, this is what we now call a Panic Attack.
This comes from the adrenaline hormone that is released from the adrenal glands. What happens when adrenaline is released quickly into our body? Muscles fill with blood; heart rate and blood pressure elevate and your breath becomes shallow and rapid. The blood is taken away from your non-essential processes, such as digestion, in order to move to the major muscle groups. Sugars are released into the bloodstream to give you a burst of energy. Your senses (touch, sight, smell, hearing, perception of time) become heightened, so you are alert to your surroundings. Your body temperature increases; therefore, your perspiration also increases to cool down the body. You are now ready to fight this perceived threat or run as fast as you can to escape. This all happens very fast. Sound familiar?
Being able to rid or control Panic Attacks enables us to get on with our life without the fear of them striking, however, if they do, we can learn to manage and ease them quickly.
This flight or fight response has served human beings well forever. In taking action, the tension and adrenaline that has built up in the body is released. As soon as we are out of danger, or believe we are safe, our body returns quickly to homoeostasis or its normal state.
This process still happens to us even if when we perceive a threat to our well-being or safety. Today our threats are, for the most part, emotional or psychological, not often are they so physical such as being eaten by an animal. These threats might exist in our way of thinking, rather than in the physical world, but our body doesn’t know the difference. Our mind perceives various events from the surrounding environment, can imagine what may happen or activate a feeling of threat and fear. Some may be categorised as dangerous. As a result, the body speeds up its activity, releases the adrenaline in preparation to run or fight, preparing to react. As our threats are now rarely about physical danger, we need to find a way to release the accelerated adrenaline to reduce this flight or fight response in the body.
We can feel overwhelmed, unsure or our direction, fear of the unknown or how we are to do something or manage, unable to find resolutions to our questions or fears. We may doubt ourselves and fear a consequence. All these feelings can result in a panic attack, a perceived feeling of threat or fear.
These fears create the adrenaline release and we are now in a panic mode wanting to run away or fight, yet we still do not know what one to do. It is imperative for us to learn tools for managing these panic attacks as they can prohibit us living our daily life.
Even if you had experienced panic attack symptoms just once or repeatedly, it can have debilitating effects on your self-confidence and daily life activities. You might be terrified to have that panic attack symptom anytime. Panic attack problems can disrupt your social life and can even obstruct your career development.
To remove this panic from our body you can ideally work it off using physical energy (30 sec should do). If physically burning off the adrenaline is not possible then –
- acknowledge the adrenaline as it is released, it thinks we need it to help protect us from danger
- thank it for protecting us, (we do need it sometimes if we are really threatened)
- close your eyes to internalise, breathe deeply and slowly to ensure good amounts of oxygen dissipates the adrenaline in the blood (min 3-5 breaths)
- reassure by repeating to yourself that you are safe, ˜all is good, I am safe, thank you, I am safe”
- this again releases good feeling hormones.This works fast and effectively.
Adrenaline is a hormone in your body and this one you do have some control over. If it is not serving you well, do something different to regain your control. Everyone at times feels scared, threatened by thoughts or fear and adrenaline is released in all of us. Be one of those who is not controlled by it and take your control back.
Thousands of people have been assisted to regain their control over panic attacks very quickly. It is necessary to understand what is happening and when we do, it becomes far more logical and easy to control. Hypnotherapy is a fast way to adjust the thoughts and lower those tension levels. You can do it, just practice, you will Win.
If you suffer from anxiety or panic attacks, which are often connected, please consider downloading your Reduce Anxiety session to keep. Instead of attending regular Therapy sessions you can have your own personal session to use in the comfort of your own home at anytime. The Virtual Hypnotherapy Reduce Anxiety session is a Psychotherapy Video to explain how you can quickly control and lower your anxiety level. This is followed by a full Hypnotherapy session to relax you and readjust your thoughts. It is our thoughts that guide our behaviour so adjusting the thoughts changes our behaviours so we can become more at ease, relaxed and in-control again. How great will that again feel?
Please visit Virtual Hypnotherapy to get the session that is best for you.
