Positive Reenforcement

This gonna be quite long, but hopefully you'll be able to pick out of this description something that will work for you in a time of panic.

I had a panic attack last night, one of those long lingering ones with a sense of doom, but I'm extrememly proud of myself because I got through it with what I believe was the least hassle, and I'm going to tell you how in the hope that it will work for you.

I've read many relaxation techniques and what not and in my experience I've bunched them all together to use as I please when needed. So here's what I did. It was dark, late at night and I was fretting. I took a moment to try and clear my mind of thoughts and do some focussed deep breathing, it helped but I didn't feel hundred percent, but I believe this laid the ground work for what was to follow.

I decided to go outside to get some fresh air and while I was out there I resumed my deep breathing and did some simple stretches (stood with feet apart, raising arms in a big circles as I breathe in, then back down as I breathe out) and while I did this I told myself:

"Everything I'm worrying about now, I'm going to deal with tomorrow when I feel stronger. Right now, I'm just going to wind down, relax and go to sleep." I then described to myself what i thought the main worry was and came up with an idea for how to tackle it (the problem being that I was fretting over what I had read about migraines that day, I always fret when I think about health issues) so I promised myself I would start off small and read about something that can't possibly effect me, something that effects women only and see how I feel, but tomorrow. I then repeated this to myself as I continued the brathing and the stretching. Then I went inside.

I went back to my room and occupied my hectic mind with a simple puzzle game on my computer (if its distracted it can't think of reasons to panic. I would suggest a simple card game like patience, a crossword or word search if you don't have a computer)

As I played this game I kept repeating to myself : "As time goes on I am feeling more and more of the tension draining from my body" over and over til I got tired of it, but you know what? It worked. In time I felt really loose and relaxed. The idea behind it being that you counter the negative thoughts with a positive notion, but one that appeals to the imagination because then your subconcious will take it on board and make it happen - which incidentally is why you feel ill when you keep telling yourself you feel ill.

When I could play the game no longer, I stopped and decided to go to bed, but this was an important point where if I stopped the negative thoughts would creep back in. So while I prepared for bed, I told myself repeatedly that going to sleep would be simple and easy and when I awoke I would feel refreshed and happy.

Then as I got into bed, I began a favourite relaxation exercise where you lie on your back and repeat the following things
1. My arms and legs are feeling heavy (though you should start of individually at first "my left arm is heavy" etc.)
2. My arms and legs are warm (ditto)
3. My pulse is calm and regular
4. My breathing is calm and regular
5. My solar plexus (belly) is warm
6. My forehead is cool
And I found myself drifting off towards the end of this, and guess what? I woke up and I did feel happy and refreshed and proud of myself for coping so well.

I hope it helps you too.


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It's just my high anxiety getting to the best of me. I call him Bingbongilypoop. Then I can laugh at him cos he has a funny name. HAHA! [points]