How to End Panic Attacks

[This is a transcript of an audio presentation]

In the first video (panic attack causes and symptoms) I gave a quick overview of what panic attacks are and why they happen. To quickly review, it starts with a mental environment of fear, worry and/or anxiety which causes the subconscious mind to release hormones like adrenaline. This in turn creates a sensation of fear or nervousness. And that's usually a normal survival response. But in today's modern world, where we worry more about invisible issues rather than actual tangible physical danger that we can see with our own eyes, we often don't consciously understand the sensation. Therefore you become fearful of the sensation itself. Then that fear causes more adrenalin to be released, which you become more fearful of, and pretty soon you're in a full blown state of panic... Even if you're lying in bed with absolutely no physical danger around you, panic attacks can happen anywhere.

So I first want to mention some very easy ways to begin on the road to recovery from panic.

Okay, I'm not out to change your lifestyle, but until you get your panic attacks under control, its going to help a lot if you cut caffeine out of your diet completely. This isn't going to be the final solution, but caffeine is a drug that really can contribute to a sense of nervousness, which ultimately can increase the frequency or likelihood of a panic attack. So just until you learn some more powerful tools, try cutting out soda, tea and coffee from your diet altogether. Even decaf coffee - it has more caffeine than you think and the effects really build up.

Improving other aspects of your diet can also help with anxiety, but start with caffeine. It might be having a bigger impact than you think.

I know it may seem like panic disorder is a purely mental phenomena, but it's amazing how closely our mental condition is tied to our physical condition.

For millions of years the human body has been evolving with regular physical exercise as part of daily life - hunting, gathering, walking everywhere. And now within the space of just a few generations, we're sitting in offices all day, we're taking buses and driving cars... and really only getting a fraction of the exercise that our bodies had been adapting to for thousands of generations. So what does this mean? A whole lot of extra energy buildup in the body. And that energy overload in the right mental environment of fear and worry can quickly convert into excess anxiety, and eventually panic attacks.

SIDENOTE: A few months ago I adopted a dog from a public animal shelter, and it turned out that this dog had a lot of problems. Since that time I've watched just about every episode of the "Dog Whisperer" TV series by Cesar Milan. It turns out that one of the very common issues that you see with troubled dogs is anxiety. Everything from separation anxiety, anxiety about strangers and other dogs, environmental changes, anxiety that turns into aggression, you name it. And with dogs, you can't talk them through it, or reason with them, or give them a self help book - we don't speak the same language. But the Dog Whisperer has a formula for working with dogs who have problems like this. And guess what the very first component of that formula is? EXERCISE. Exercise is so many times the number one key to a dogs rehabilitation. And when you think about it, dogs are in the same situation as us. They started as wolves, out walking their territory all day... then for thousands of years, many were bred for hunting, racing and other outdoor physical activities... and many of them also lived outside and just got exercise during the normal course of their day. Now, all of a sudden, in an evolutionary instant, they're living in Los Angeles in a little apartment, and the owner takes them out for a little ten minute walk each day. And the owner is wondering why their dog is acting fidgety, or chewing up their couch, or barking. Its simple. Unused body energy turns into frustration and anxiety. And if you're suffering from anxiety and panic, there's probably a good chance that your ancestors lived lifestyles that had way more physical activity than you're getting now.

So here's a little assignment for you. Depending upon your current physical condition (meaning ask for your doctor's advice if you're unsure about your health issues), find a physical activity that ideally wears you out. I mean, for whatever length of time that you're comfortable, go for a really brisk run, or lift some weights, or both. Experiment by doing this daily for a week. I know, exercise isn't going to be everyone's favorite solution. And its just a part of my overall approach. But if it makes you feel 100 times better, you're going to start to like it. And I know, from personal experience, that in the initial stages of my overcoming panic disorder, exercise played a major role. So, even if it doesn't seem like it will help, give it a try... experiment a little bit just as a favor to yourself. And if you have concerns about your current state of health, talk to your doctor first. But in general, exercise is an extremely simple yet powerful step you can take to get your panic disorder under control.

Okay, the next method that I want to discuss is what I believe to be most powerful tool for overcoming panic attacks. It's definitely the most powerful technique that I know of. It was really a miracle for me, and I've received a lot of amazing feedback from other people that I've taught it to.

Read the transcript: Panic Attacks Treatment

Listen to the audio: Stop Panic Attacks with Self Treatment (recommended)