Read Calming the Rush of Panic Online
Authors: Bob Stahl
We used tooth brushing as an example, but you can apply a mindful approach to any routine morning task. Each habitual action is an opportunity to be more mindful and more engaged with your physical body. When you practice mindfulness during these tedious but necessary tasks, you deepen your awareness of the present moment, the only moment in which you’re truly alive and can make changes in your life.
Wash Away Your Panic
Have you ever had a panic attack in your sleep? One woman told us that on many mornings she’d wake up trembling in a cold sweat. On these occasions she ached for a long, hot bath before starting her day, but she never had the time.
Few people have time for a long soak in the bath before work. A brisk shower is the best most of us can hope for to wash away sleep and pull ourselves together for the long day ahead. And sadly, showers can also be another part of a mindless routine, a task that we do simply to get it over with and get on with our day. Everyday activities are perfect opportunities for cultivating mindfulness. Perhaps you might consider each shower as a cleansing ritual, approaching it as a symbolic act of washing away the panicky sensations trapped in your mind and body. In this next practice you’ll do just that, step by step, breath by breath.
Let morning showers be your special time for you to mindfully check in with yourself, each warm droplet of water replenishing and healing to your mind and body.
Drive with More Ease
A panic attack can occur at any time and without warning. You may panic at inopportune times, such as while driving: going into a tunnel, crossing a bridge, or heading into a busy intersection. If this often happens to you, when you feel your heart pound in your throat and you start to clutch the steering wheel tightly, it’s okay to pull over for a bit. Find the nearest freeway exit or otherwise safely get off the road or highway. Then, take a break for a little mindful breathing. Practicing mindful breathing at such times will come in handy, even for the times that you struggle with panic when you can’t safely exit or park your car someplace. At those times, simply bringing to mind the memory of an episode in which you used mindful breathing may help. The instructions below are for you to practice ahead of time, while you’re not operating a vehicle.
Diaphragmatic breathing, as in mindful breathing, is a beneficial form of deep relaxation. We encourage you to practice breathing from your belly several times a day, until it becomes a natural way of breathing. The next time panic strikes while you’re driving, remember that your breath is all that you need. You carry it with you wherever you go, wherever you are. Befriend your breath as a tool for helping you through your next moment of panic.
Give a Worry-Free Presentation
If your job requires making speeches or giving presentations, your panic may shoot through the roof on a weekly basis no matter how many times you rehearse. You may feel on edge, startle easily, get butterflies in your stomach, feel jumpy and unsettled, or sweat profusely. Mindfulness can be a powerful antidote to the panicky feelings that may precede every speech or presentation. This next mindful practice will help anchor your mind and body in your breath in order to build concentration and focus before you have to perform in front of an audience. Go ahead and try it now.
Get Grounded
Panic has a way of throwing off your sense of connection and feelings of groundedness. People often express feeling disconnected, numb, or unsteady during times of panic. When you feel ungrounded because of panic, you might benefit from a walking meditation.
Before or after a meal is an ideal time for this mindful practice. Walking is an excellent way to get you feeling grounded and help you tune in to your body and mind. Gentle movement, such as walking, is soothing and helps quiet the mind. With regular practice, it can become a simple and supportive routine in your life. If you can walk barefoot, that’s ideal, but it’s okay with shoes as well. You can walk indoors or outdoors. What distance you walk isn’t really important. You can walk down a hallway and back, for example, or you can walk around the block.
When you take time to tune in to the physical sensations of your body—before, during, or after a panic attack—you deepen your appreciation for your body. You become more mindful of the needs of your body. Your body has a voice, and it craves attention and nurturing. Practicing mindful walking daily will keep you grounded and help you stay connected to your body so that you might listen to it better. Set an intention to walk mindfully to your car or to work or to the bus stop each day.
Find Balance
There’s nothing worse than having a panic attack in public, like during a meeting at work or when you’re waiting in line at a market or gas station. Your panic may inflame your body like a raging inferno. Physically, you may feel dizzy or reel with fear and bewilderment. Some people have described a sensation of vertigo or disorientation in their body at these times. The impulse to run out and get as far away from people as possible during a panic attack is undeniably real. You may experience a strong urge to postpone a transaction and rush frantically back to your car or your work station or even a vacant bathroom stall. That’s okay. Just remember, you have other choices, and this book will teach you new ways to cope with the impulse to escape.
The following version of the S.T.O.P. practice will help you reclaim your sense of balance and strength to follow through with the task at hand, whether you’re surrounded by strangers or people you know. Again, S.T.O.P. stands for Stop, Take a breath, Observe, and Proceed and be present. Try it now.