Panic Arsenal — Demystify
Anxiety has a critical weakness, here’s how we can exploit it to handle anxiety and panic attacks.
I’ve been suffering from health anxiety and panic attacks for a few years. I know first-hand what it feels like, and I wouldn’t wish it on anybody. This article series is my effort to share techniques that I use to successfully get through anxiety and attacks. If it helps even one person, then it’s worth it.
Although I’m open about having anxiety, I might not come across as the kind of person you’d expect to be suffering. I’m a joyous person who enjoys laughing and cracking jokes. I don’t shy away from large gatherings, nor do I mind being the center of attention. But ever since November 2017, I’ve had to learn to deal with health anxiety and its frequent descent into severe panic attacks. In that time, I’ve gathered a lot of tools that I can bring to bear on anxious situations. I call it my Panic Arsenal. But we can talk about my history another time, right now you need a tool, and I call this one
Instructions
- Say out loud, “I’m feeling anxious,” preferably to another person, but to yourself is good too.
- Try to say out loud the things you’re feeling anxious about.
- Watch your anxiety wither away.
Seems simple enough, right? I’m starting the series with this technique because it’s easy to use and I’ve found it to be the most effective in my arsenal.
Jump In
The most crucial part of Demystification is to speak out loud, and that’s why I’m emphasizing it so much. Anxiety is powerful but it has a critical weakness: anxiety is ephemeral, and it can’t survive outside of your mind. We start with “I’m feeling anxious” for two reasons:
- Always starting with the same phrase means it will become a trigger for your brain. You’ll start to automatically shift into anxiety-tackling mode when you say those words.
- It jump-starts the process in only three words, like jumping right into cold water. Getting started is often the most difficult step.
Get Specific
Describing exactly what you’re feeling anxious about can be tough, especially if you’re saying these things to another person. Some of the things I’ve had to say out loud:
- I felt my left hand twitch and it made me think that the paper cut I got yesterday got infected and now I think the infection might be traveling to my heart.
- The wind blew on my collar, but I don’t think it felt right. Now I think feel too warm. I think I feel too warm!
- I lost focus for a few seconds, which makes me think I might be losing my mind.
It’s totally normal to feel self-conscious about your anxious thoughts. Before I started Demystifying, I would criticize myself internally for having these “crazy” thoughts. But no matter how much I acknowledged that my triggers were ridiculous, it wasn’t until I started saying them out loud that I saw results.
Welcome to Reality
Anxiety is cunning and ruthless. It strikes with incredible potency, able to derail us even when we feel strong. But like I said before, anxiety can’t survive in reality. When we Demystify, anxiety is dragged out into the real world where it withers away, like a cloud dissipating.
Declaring your anxiety is the first step, where you grasp your anxiety and drag some of it out into reality. As you state out loud your anxious feelings, you’re pulling more and more of it until it’s completely out in the open.
It helps me to visualize my anxiety as a sort of creature. It’s gross, but I imagine my own anxiety as a worm that’s burrowed in my brain. When I Demystify, I imagine that I’m able to pull it out of my head, inch by inch. When it’s out, I visualize it crumbling to nothing. You don’t have to be so graphic, but maybe it would help for you to play with your own imagination.
Good Luck
Remember that your anxiety is a part of you: its power is a direct reflection of your own strength. But now that you’re building your own Panic Arsenal, you’ve got an advantage. I sincerely hope Demystify helps, it’s always the first tool I use. Be sure to let me know if you try it and how it goes!
