You have a lot more control over your next panic attack than you might think.
Picture This
You’re cruising down the freeway when it hits—that distinctive feeling that means you’re about to have a panic attack.
Or maybe you’re already freaking out. You’re floating somewhere above your body.
You don’t feel real.
It feels like you can’t breathe.
You’re so convinced that you’re about to crash that you’re this close to pulling off the road.
Maybe this has been happening more often than not lately—maybe so much so that you’re considering avoiding the freeway altogether.
Guess What?
This problem is less complicated than you might think. I’m not saying that it doesn’t feel horrible. I’m just saying there’s a very quick solution. Let’s start solving your panic attacks by understanding what it is that’s happening, so you can take the right actions to change the scenario.
For whatever reason (and it’s different for everyone), while you’re driving down the freeway you suddenly have enough energy to win the 100-yard dash 10 times in a row. That’s what a panic attack is. It’s WAYYYY too much energy when you don’t need it.
Maybe once, years and years ago, you were in a hairy situation on the freeway where you needed to be on high alert. In the years since, traffic’s gotten heavier, your vision’s gotten worse, and the problem keeps getting bigger.
Maybe you have 5—or 10—stressful things going on in your life right now. You’re a little more high strung than your usual high-strung self. Your habitually rapid, shallow breathing pattern has gotten even more rapid and shallow, making your brain think you’re on the verge of an emergency
ALL.
THE.
TIME.
The extra stress inherent to driving on the freeway can easily tip you over into a breathing situation that then tips you over into a panic attack.
You’re going to feel like a victim to the mysterious problem known as panic disorder—unless you know how to make your brain believe that everything is fine.
So how do you convince your brain that all is well? You turn down the fire by turning on your body’s natural calming and resting mechanisms. Plain and simple.
When You Think a Panic Attack Is Coming
All you have to do is close your mouth and start slowly belly breathing through your nose.
3 counts in, 4 counts out.
Do that until you’re calmer… and keep going as needed to stay calm.
When You’re Already Freaking Out
You’ll want to ramp up the exhale.
Close your mouth and take a nice slow breath in through your nose, inflating your belly on the inhale. Count to 10 out loud, over and over until you can’t speak the words anymore…
Then, keep counting 1 to 10 as you mouth the words and you continue to exhale.
This will make you squeeze your stomach and diaphragm, which slows down your energy surge.
If doing this once hasn’t worked, keep repeating until you’re calmed down.
Pro tip: Yes, you CAN do this while driving.
I’ve taught this to many clients who used to have panic attacks in the car. They have far fewer panic attacks—and if they do feel one coming on, they can get rid of it quickly. By turning down the energy surge, the “panic” feelings go away.
That’s all, folks! That’s how you get rid of panic attacks and get your life back on track, pronto.
