The Trance of Panic Attacks and Anxiety

Getting lost in panic attacks and anxiety is like being in a trance —half asleep, not fully conscious. We get hooked and controlled by worry and fear.

Anxiety and panic gets worse when we try to avoid it, pretend it’s not there, or run away from it. It also gets worse when we try to change and control it.

Anxiety SOFTENS when we stay with it, accept and allow it to be there, approach it with courage and compassion, and then re-engage with the present moment — with what’s important to us.

GET OUT OF THE TRANCE OF PANIC AND ANXIETY. Learn to wake up so you can start living the life you want, instead of the life that anxiety is pulling you into.

Learn to Stay A.W.A.K.E.

Use this AWAKE acronym to remember the 5 steps you can take to wake up from the trance you are in and stay present the next time you are experiencing panic attacks or anxiety.

AWAKE

A: Anchor with a breath. Anxiety can pull you into a storm of thoughts, feelings, and body sensations. Like ships need anchors to stay put in the harbor, we need anchors to secure us too!

Focusing on slow, simple breaths can help you move back into your body and into the present moment instead of being lost in anxious thoughts/feelings, the future, the past. You already know how to breathe so don’t over think this. Just be slow and intentional, find your breath and focus on it: in… out… in… out...

W: What do you notice? What’s there? Where do you feel it in your body? As you breathe you will be aware of thoughts, feelings, body sensations, sounds, etc.  “What and where" questions help you simply notice and name your experience — instead of judging, analyzing, or trying to fix it with ‘why’ questions.

Simply say to yourself; “In this moment I am noticing the feeling of worry… In this moment I am noticing a thought about tomorrow. In this moment I am noticing the sensation of tightness in my chest…”

After you name your experience, move back to noticing your breath. Keep repeating this back and forth motion between focused breathing and noticing your thoughts, feelings, etc. This exercise is not an attempt to get rid of thoughts, feelings, etc. We want to notice and change the way we relate to them, not alter them. We also want to create a little bit of distance between the thought, feeling, etc. and the part of us that is aware of the experience.

A:  Accept and Allow whatever you are experiencing. Do not criticize, judge, or attempt to change or control your thoughts, feelings, etc. Instead make room for all feelings. Don’t fight thoughts.

Make room for everything, open a space to be welcoming and curious about your anxiety/fear/worry. Let go of the fight (trying to force the anxiety to go away or judging yourself critically for being anxious).

K: Kindness and compassion — Meet your anxiety the way you would meet a friend or family member in need, with kindness, gentleness, patience, understanding, and compassion. There’s a part of you that really needs your own help.

Anxiety often is attached to hurt, longing, and other emotional needs. What we often need most is kindness!

E: Engage (or re-engage) with what’s in front of you in the moment. Engage with your senses, with what’s around you (people, places or things), with the tasks you have to do, with whatever is next. Keep moving. Bring your anxiety with you on your way to what’s next in your day.

When anxious, there is a tendency to withdraw, avoid, pull away from life. Keep this impulse in check. Instead, engage and approach what’s next in the day — don’t avoid. Stay committed to living the kind of life you want, doing the things that are important and fun in your life! Don’t let your ‘worry brain’ keep you from that!