The origin of panic attacks can be traced back to our early ancestors when it was in many cases, a matter of life and death to respond quickly to the possibility of imminent danger. In other words the Fight or Flight response may take over in much the same way as a panic attack.
You may be going about your daily activities and then BOOM! Something triggers an anxious thought. The worry that the thought creates sends unpleasant shock waves through your nervous system, and then once you start reacting to the anxious thought it is hard to stop thinking about it over and over again.
This repetitive thought can last for several minutes, several hours, or even days on end depending on how upset you become by the thought.
Researchers have now learned that your brain activity actually changes during this process. Brain scans indicate that blood flow suddenly moves from the front part of your brain to the mid part. The increased activity in the mid part of the brain is also where instincts such as Fight and Flight originate from.
OK then, now the interesting part..... once this whole process begins it can be very difficult to reverse it, especially if you have reached that heightened state of fear. Now you need your brains mental activity to change, to revert back to the front part of the brain where rational thought can take place.
Here is a little technique that you can practice on your own, and may be of great help to you...
First of all you should acknowledge the anxious thought immediately. Identify the thought and label it. Don t be afraid to say to yourself that X thought can make me uncomfortable, but try not to react to the thought on an emotional level.
Secondly, trust that what you are worrying about will most likely never come to fruition because almost all anxious thoughts that you have are a complete waste of your time and energy. Tell yourself that in the end, everything will work out just fine and that life will resume as it should be!
Also, give your anxious thought over to a higher power. Whatever your religious or spiritual beliefs, trust that there is nothing to fear and that you will be looked after.
After you have accomplished the first 2 steps, then finally shift your attention elsewhere . Now focus on something positive that will avert your attention from the thought that you have identified, labeled and turned over to your spiritual guide. Replace your anxious thought with a positive thought. Do not suppress your anxious thought, just simply shift your attention somewhere positive and stay focused there.
In other words, if you are participating in an activity then focus 100 on what you are doing. If you are walking or driving around, then just focus on the sounds of the day and your surroundings. If you shift your thoughts to the present, then you will leave no room for the anxious thoughts to dominate your mind.
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