Control the Breath, Control the Mind...

Yes, panic attacks are a bitch to deal with; and once they begin they can form a cycle of reinforcement where each attack makes the next attack even more severe. You need to break the cycle. Here's how.

One, excellent, non-drug way to stop panic attacks is to consciously breathe. This means that you remain aware of your breath, throughout the day, and you never allow your breathing to become erratic. Why? Because when you are in fear, you typically breathe erratically, and from high in the chest. Conversely, you can actually cause yourself to enter a state of irrational fear simply by breathing erratically, and high in the chest. This type of erratic breathing causes fear, and fear causes this type of breathing -- one will cause the other.

By maintaining a constant and even state of breathing, where your breath comes in deep and steady, and goes out deep and steady, your mind will naturally relax. Why? Because when you are deeply relaxed you breathe deep and steady.

Once you start to become aware of your breathing patterns, notice how each pattern causes (or is triggered by) your state of mind. For example if you want to feel passionate about something you want to do, then breath passionately (usually it is a fast, deep in-breath and slow, relaxed out-breath as in: "ooohhh!" and "aaahhhh!"

The bottom line is that you cannot slip into a panic attack as long as you are breathing slowly, steadily, and deeply. The onset of a panic attack will try to make you breath a fearful breath -- much like panting -- but you can control this urge and stop the attack in its tracks.

Pay attention to how different breathing patterns cause different states of mind, and how your different states of mind cause specific breathing patterns. Then you can easily enter into any state of mind you choose by breathing it into being.

You can control your state of mind through your breath -- try it and see. If you feel a panic attack coming on, quickly focus on your breath, force yourself to breath a relaxing breath, and notice that the panic simply goes away. Do not focus on the panic, focus on your breath. Do not fight with your panic or you will make it worse -- simply ignore it and breath deeply, slowly, steadily... and if you can smile as you do it then so much the better.

By the way, the folks at Avatar Coaching can lead you through the process -- so you are not alone, and you can learn the method easily.

Sahara
www.1izen.com

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