Your heart races, you feel lightheaded, your sweat glands work overtime—is this the end? Nope, it's a panic attack. The Savvy Psychologist has 6 ways to fight this disabling disorder
You get hit with a tidal wave of fear, your body short-circuits, and you think this is the end - you’re either dying or going crazy. In short, it’s a pretty awful feeling, and the 1 in 4 Americans who have experienced it often go for months or even years without knowing what panic is or what to do about it.
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Luckily, panic is straightforward to treat. Working with a trained cognitive-behavioral therapist is best, but here are 6 methods you can try on your own:
Tip #1: Practice Having the Scary Sensations
I know, inducing symptoms is often the last thing folks with panic want to try, but hear me out on this one..
Interpreting the symptoms (a pounding heart, feeling lightheaded) as dangerous (“I’m dying!") throws fuel on the fire. Symptoms snowball and over a matter of moments, you find yourself in the throes of a full-blown panic attack.
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