Understanding
To gain understanding about what is happening and why it is
happening. A diagnosis from a health care professional is a
good step towards acceptance that this is an Anxiety Disorder.
Once we accept that what is happening physically, emotionally
and psychologically is part of an Anxiety Disorder, it dispels
many of the fears that breed within Anxiety Disorders. Where
there is an element of doubt the mind (thoughts) will seize
upon it and use it as a fear. "What if .. I am going to
have a heart attack" - because the physical symptoms seem
to suggest this is what is happening. Most of the heart
symptoms are in response to the adrenalin/ flight & fight
response and high anxiety states. If we investigate the true
nature of the symptoms we will find the answer lies very much
within the scope of the Anxiety Disorder. Go to the doctor, if
need be, and get them to explain everything that is happening.
Come prepared with questions if need be. If the explanation is
not satisfactory, then find someone who will give a
satisfactory explanation. The other alternative is researching
for yourself. Read all you can about Anxiety Disorders. The
more information you feed your mind, the more power you have.
When you truly know what is happening and why, then this is
your knowledge, your wisdom and you can use this to dispel
many of the fears that keep the Anxiety Disorder going.
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Meditation
The step of starting to release and lower the levels of
anxiety stored within the body. This step is vital in reducing
the intensity of the symptoms and the frequency of the
'attacks'. It is also very important because of it's power to
teach the skill of 'cognition,' i.e., working with our
thoughts. Practicing meditation also increases awareness - an
important component that assists us towards recovery. It is
recommended that for optimum effectiveness we meditate for
20-minutes, twice daily. Some people, however, find that time
constraints only lend to meditating once a day. Some people
also find it difficult to meditate for the full 20 minutes -
that's OK, just meditate for 5 or 10 minutes and slowly
increase from there. The act of sitting for meditation is
itself of benefit. It is putting the Anxiety Disorder on
notice that I am willing to do whatever I have to do to
recover. Refer to Meditation section - Power
over Panic by Bronwyn Fox for meditation instructions.
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Be Kind To
Yourself!!
A simple but essential ingredient for recovery. The kinder
you are to yourself, the quicker you are going to recover. I
personally have seen this to be true - repeatedly. To treat
yourself as you would a loved one or someone you truly care
about. If your best friend came to you telling you that they
experience all of this .. what would you do? Tell them to
"pull yourself together"? No, you would sit them
down and ask "What can I do for you? How can I
help?" If you take this approach with yourself you will
be amazed!
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Cognition
To work with the thinking cycles that keep the whole
process going. The "What ifs", the "Oh
no's", the fear thoughts. Awareness of what our mind is
saying to us and how we are reacting to it physically and
emotionally. If I nod my head to one of these thoughts I open
the gate to a whole pandora's box of thoughts. Awareness of
them is the first step, the ability to let them go is the
next. The other aspect of cognition is to become aware of our
monitoring of the physical symptoms. If I am focussed on my
heart symptoms then I am going to make them worse. To pull
ourselves away from monitoring and let the thoughts go is
important.
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