Help for Anxiety and Panic
HELP FOR ANXIETY AND PANIC
THE TEN TOOLS YOU CAN USE RIGHT NOW
1 – Remember that although your feelings and symptoms are very frightening, they are not dangerous or harmful.
2 – Understand that what you are experiencing is just an exaggeration of your normal bodily reactions to stress.
3 – Do not fight your feelings or try to wish them away. The more you are willing to face those feelings, the less intense they will be.
4 – Do not add to your panic by thinking about what “may” happen. If you find yourself asking “what if?” Tell yourself “so what!”
5 – Stay in the present. Notice what is really happening to you as opposed what you think might happen.
6 – Label your level of fear from 0 to 10 and watch it go up and down. Notice that it does not stay at a very high level for more than a few seconds.
7 – When you find yourself thinking about fear, change your “what if?” thinking. Focus on and carry out a simple and manageable task such as counting backwards from 100 by sets of 3.
8 – Notice that when you stop adding frightening thoughts to you fear, it begins to fade.
9 – When the fear comes, expect and accept it. Wait and give it time to pass without running away from it.
10- Be proud of yourself your progress thus far, and think about how good you will feel when you succeed this time.