Catastrophic Thinking and Panic Attacks: The Relation
Are you tired of experiencing panic attacks over and over again? Panic attacks are sudden intense feelings of severe anxiety and nervousness that happen quite often without warning as you are not aware of the triggers. During panic attacks, a person sometimes loses self-control and finds it difficult to concentrate even when doing very simple activites. Often, you can get confused with catastrophic thinking and panic attacks. These two concepts are often associated with panic disorder but some clarification is required.
Catastrophic thinking happens before a person goes into a panic attack. He or she thinks the worst things might happen. Thus, the person thinks negatively. In order to avoid this kind of thinking, a person should find the main cause of fear or the main cause of anxiety in order to prevent this from occurring.
When faced with a fearful situation, the body responds by manifesting a fight or flight response. This response causes the system to increase pulse rate and respiratory rate, tremors, hot flashes, chills and upset stomach. To prevent any untoward circumstances to occur, it is best to find ways to control the situation and find ways to calm yourself down.
Listed below are some approaches to manage panic attacks. Read on them and apply these approaches in managing your condition.
- Face your fear. Give yourself the freedom to explore your emotions most especially your anxiety. Suppressing what you feel will just worsen the situation. Conquer your fears!
- Do some deep breathing exercises. At the first sign of panic, try to control the situation by doing some breathing exercises. Deep breathing will help relax the nerves.
- Think positive. Telling yourself that you can do it and that you can calm yourself will help you relax and avoid panicking. Sometimes it is all about mind over matter.
- Determine the cause of your fear. Determining the cause of everything will help you face the problem easily. It will avoid catastrophic thinking and panic attacks. Once you get to know what you fear, you will know how to manage it and avoid it or minimize the effects that it could cause you.
- Try to walk slowly. Walking fast may cause you to panic and experience panic attacks. Continuously tell yourself to calm down and relax and that everything is fine. So, there is no need to panic.
- Communicate slowly. Talking fast may also lead to panic attacks and it will be difficult for you to breathe deeply. Do not rush. Express yourself slowly.
Once you have managed to face a panic attack episode, you will feel better and more relaxed. List down the things that helped you feel relaxed so that you when you feel that you are about to have an episode, somehow you will know how to manage.