Therapy in a Nutshell
Having a Panic Attack? The Anti-Struggle Technique -A Guided Walkthrough to Stop a Panic Attack
Stop panic attacks with the Anti-Struggle Technique. Learn to manage anxiety symptoms through acceptance and mindfulness for improved mental health.
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So, you’re having a panic attack?
If you’re right in the middle of a panic attack, this video is for you. For many people, a panic attack feels like a lot of intense physical symptoms. Maybe your heart is pounding, you feel faint or tingly, you’re afraid that you’re going to pass out or have a heart attack. In this video we’ll walk you through how to know if it’s anxiety causing those symptoms and some practical steps to stop the panic cycle. Because you’re going to be ok. You are safe.
These sensations feel scary but they’re not going to hurt you.
First let’s try this experiment- does moving around make it better or worse? If walking around makes you feel a little better, that’s one indicator that this is anxiety, not a physical condition. Panic Attacks are the physical sensations of the FFF response going into overdrive, not a heart attack. Panic attacks are caused by being afraid of the FFF symptoms.
These symptoms feel really uncomfortable, they feel really scary, but Anxiety and panic won’t harm you- they usually resolve within 5-10 minutes. And by dropping the struggle against them, you may be able to help them resolve faster. Now there are two approaches to dealing with anxiety attacks and panic attacks, this one is the “Roll with it” method and the other one is the calm down method- after watching this video, check out my other video to try the other technique too and see which one works for your situation.
The real problem is not the anxiety or the sensations, – it’s the belief that they are dangerous- So if you’re struggling to calm your body down, you might think “I can’t feel this way. I have to breathe slower, I Have to calm down”- you’re essentially telling your brain that these feelings are dangerous. This heightens the anxiety cycle.
Let’s stop the cycle of panic attacks by showing your brain that anxiety is not dangerous, you can feel anxiety and still be 100% safe.
So say this:
“This is uncomfortable but not dangerous.”
“Even though this is uncomfortable, I am safe.”
Say “I can handle feeling this” “this will pass” Emotions and sensations come and go like waves, this will too.”
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Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.
In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.
And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe
If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services.
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So you're having a panic attack. If you're
right in the middle of a panic attack, this video is for you. For many people, a
panic attack feels like a lot of intense physical symptoms. Maybe your heart is
pounding, you might feel faint or tingly, or you're afraid that you're going to pass out
or have a heart attack. In this video I'll walk you through how to know if it's anxiety
causing those symptoms and some practical steps to stop the panic cycle. Because
you're going to be okay. You are safe. [Music] [Music] They feel scary, but they're not going to hurt
you. So first let's try this experiment. Does moving around make your symptoms feel slightly
better or slightly worse? If walking around makes you feel a little better, that's one indicator
that this is anxiety, not a physical condition. Panic attacks are the physical sensations of the
fight/flight/freeze response going into overdrive, not a heart attack. Panic attacks are caused by
being afraid of the fight/flight/freeze symptoms. These symptoms feel really uncomfortable. They
they feel really scary, But anxiety and panic won't harm you. They usually resolve within five
to ten minutes, and by dropping the struggle against them you may be able to resolve them
faster. Now, there are two approaches to dealing with anxiety attacks and panic attacks. This one
is the roll-with-it method, and the other one is the calm-down method. So after watching this
video, check out my other video to try the other technique too and see which one works for your
situation. The real problem is not the anxiety you're having or the sensations that you're having
– that fast heartbeat, that rapid breathing, or the tingly or faint sensation. The real problem
is the belief that these sensations are dangerous. So if you're struggling to calm your body down,
you might think, “I can't feel this way. I have to breathe slower. I have to calm down.” If you're
thinking these things, you're essentially telling your brain that these feelings are dangerous,
and this heightens the anxiety cycle. So you can learn to stop the cycle of panic attacks by
showing your brain that anxiety is not dangerous, that you can feel anxiety and still be 100%
safe. So say this: “This feels uncomfortable, but it's not dangerous.” Or “Even
though this is painful, I am safe.” You can say, “I can handle feeling this. This will
pass.” Emotions and sensations, they come and they go like waves, and this will too. Now, let's make
some space for these physical sensations. Your instinct is to try to force yourself to calm down
or to believe that these sensations mean something terrible is about to happen. So instead we flip
the script. We send the opposite message. Open up to your sensations. Get super curious. Say, “Oh,
I wonder what it feels like to breathe this fast.” Now, you really can allow yourself to feel these
feelings. You can make space for these sensations. There's a few ways to practice doing this. You
could imagine that you're a curious scientist making observations about what anxiety and panic
feel like. Can you be curious? Can you explore? Instead of labeling these feelings as bad or
dangerous, just describe them as they are .”Oh, I feel faint. What does faint feel like? Can you be really curious about the other
sensations you're having?” Or you can try this experiment. Say, “Fear, bring it on. Go
ahead, make me as anxious as possible.” And say, “I can feel the fear and do it anyway.” Say,
“Panic, let's go. Let's have the biggest, strongest panic attack of my life.” This is the
paradox. Right? It's impossible to make yourself have a panic attack, because trying to have one
sends the message to your brain that anxiety is safe. So instead, try to open up a little space
for your feelings. Get back into your body and in the present moment. Notice what you're feeling
and allow it to be there, and then watch as it passes and you're okay. Be really compassionate
to your feelings and sensations. This this sounds counter-intuitive. But for example, you could say,
“Oh, hello upset stomach. It's okay. You can keep being upset if if you need to do that.” Or you
say, “Hello, jiggle legs. What do you feel like right now?” You can even exaggerate that sensation
if you want. You can tense your muscles tighter. You can try to breathe faster. You can try to
make your heart pound harder. You can jiggle your legs faster just to show yourself that you
can feel this and you're still okay. So instead of trying to calm your body, say, “It's okay to
have a fast heartbeat. It's okay to breathe this way.” Just create some awareness. You don't need
to force anything. Because you can allow yourself to feel these sensations, you can also expand your
awareness to sensations that might not be as loud. So what else can you see in your environment? What
else can you hear? What's one thing that you can touch? What does it feel like? You can allow
both feelings to be there at the same time. “I can notice that I'm hearing something, and I can
notice that I'm feeling something in my body.” You can do this. You got this. When you make space
for these sensations and feelings, you can stop the cycle of being afraid of fear. This here panic
attack that you're having is an opportunity to explore and try new things. So let's be curious.
Also, be really gentle with yourself. You don't have to get it right the first try. You don't have
to make your anxiety or panic symptoms go away, at least not right away. Right? You're okay.
By learning this technique you'll help yourself have less panic attacks and less severe
panic attacks. At least one-third of people have a panic attack in their lifetime. It's a
pretty normal experience. It's human. And as you keep practicing, you can learn to stop
the chronic panic attacks from coming over and over again. So just tell yourself, “It's
okay. I can feel my feelings and be okay.” Send yourself some love and gentleness. Imagine
your best friend talking to you and just saying, “It's okay that you feel this way. Some of these
things scare you. Some of these sensations you're having probably scare you. You could still send
them love, even if you don't like them.” Okay. So open up some space to be right where you are.
Because you are safe. You don't need to force anything to change. Your body knows what to do to
calm down when you stop struggling against your feelings. It's going to naturally relax when you
realize that these sensations aren't dangerous. Learning to let go of the struggle against your
sensations is a skill that you can develop. You can do this. You are safe. Keep
practicing. It will get better. Thank you for watching, and take care. [Music]
#Panic #Attack #AntiStruggle #Technique #Guided #Walkthrough #Stop #Panic #Attack
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i prefer to sit down when i feel a panic attack because i feel that faint way .. this video is the best one ive watched tbh with u tho
went to the ER today, did an ECG but showed ntn. now, my chest still hurts
dont be afraid to ask for help, no matter what. even a complete stranger if need-be! people like being relied upon, so chances are people are willing to at least hear you.
if it helps and youre able, try going outside and hanging out there for a bit. just look at the sky & clouds and just breathe.
maybe try changing the light intensity of your environment; make it brighter or darker to suit your preferences.
you can also distract yourself with various things, like talking to friends, watching a comfort show/movie, engage in a hobby, etc.
and if you need to, youre allowed to just cry. cry your heart out. let it happen. yeah, it might make it worse in the short-term, but it gives your mind room to feel these feelings and heal from them. plus it can help pass time to get to feeling better faster!
im typing this with tears on my face and im shaking. you didnt need to, but thanks for reading that.
im just scared, too.
Thank you
I am here again because i'm having panic attacks 😭😭
I had a massive panic attack last night, out of nowhere ❤
I got up, went out the back garden, took an anti histamine, and put olbass on my pillow.
It took around 15 minutes, but I came around.
I always feel I'm guna stop breathing or that I'm choking ❤
This started on my fourth child.
I had them every night.
I got them under control and know what to do, and here we are 12 years later 💥
I have my period, so I'm presume it's a hormone thing with me.
Love to all my panic attackers and check out get sleepy 😴 ❤
I’m here to say it took 5 minutes for my heart rate to finally calm down. I didn’t struggle. It wasn’t perfect, but I did it and you are going to feel better soon.
Me because I feel worse when I move 😮
Thank you for this immensely helpful video.
Thank you ❤ I listen to this always when I'm going to have a panick attack. You've saved me many times.
This has been going on for 7 hours now. Chest pain short of breath and fear like never before
Woke up with a panic attack. So fun
How can I talk to you, I think you can understand my problems.
You are a Angel life saver❤❤❤❤
This is Travis I have bad life habits like eating and drinking it's part of my nature to overwhelm anxiety and paranoia anxiety
I used to be a little nervous and have anxiety. But now in my second preganancy i started to have panick attacks and it is the WORST thing i has and felt in my enfire life. We are worried about the baby with medications like Zolpidem and klonopin and start to have even more ansiety. It is a never ending cicle that just simply makes you feel you don’t wanna exist anymore. It is all so sad. I have two babies to take care and my husband is fine, but I just can’t take this anymore. I am feeling like I am done with all the pressure, death feeling, shaking, nonstop thoughts. We just wanna be free and end everything. I thanks God for life. I am not suicidal. We just don’t wanna be here anymore. It is a different feeling. You wanna run from your self
Thank you for this video 🥹😭
Thanks!
Thank you for this video. Three years ago my cat got into a pill and got very sick. This morning was having a full on panic attack when I found a vitamin on the floor
Lost my emotional support friend to suicide last week and the truth is, I'm sad and all ,devastated even, but I'm also jealous of him. He got awayy
I’ve been super anxious all day and this might sound like a funny reason but I want to ask my crush to homecoming and I’ve been planning so hard for it and I’m worried how heartbroken I’ll be IF he were to say no… I’ve been thinking so hard about it today that I’m shaking and just feel really off and stressed… I can’t seem to calm down from it. I’m kind of worried but I know I’ll probably be okay right?
I really am feeling like I'm gonna die…. This has been going for hours
Astagfirullah 😢
Have you ever had a weird headache that gave you vertigo and after that you convince yourself you have a tumor or cancer in your head?
Ride the wave you’ve got this, you’ve been through this before , they’re only temporary feelings
This really works xx thank you xx
The fact that this video opened very slowly, long title card, no sense of urgency, was very helpful in making me feel like I'm safe
I always feel like I can’t get a deep enough breath, that’s my most uncomfortable symptom
Hi guys having "fun" aren't we
thank you <3
jesus christ get to the point whats with the intro? i will not be listening to your video
I am really struggling because I have Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) and my main symptom is gait lock/freeze when I’m more anxious than usual.
Anybody here with the same experience?
A lot of the power of panic attacks lie in the belief you're on your own and you have no control. This is why reading the comments helps. This is why reaching out to others helps. Realising you're not alone in this is reassuring. Knowledge is power and disarms the evil anxiety. ❤
I feel like I was dying too when I had those attacks. I don't feel like closing my eyes and sleep. I don't want my loved ones to stay out of my sight. I thought I would never see them again.
I saw my dad collapse right in front of me due to a heart attack. And that traumatized me so much that I have major depression and GAD with panic attacks.
After reading all these comments I realised I was not the only one and that I will get through this phase.
❤❤❤
thank you soo much, I had a panic attack before my final exams and this helped me a lot, thank you thank you, so so thank you!!!
Don’t know why this starts me in the end of the video. Never seen it. Waste of time
5-10 minutes my mufunkin asp
"they are not going to hurt you", until I passed out, broke my jaw, and had my mouth wired shut for 2 months 😂