Did you know you can actually control your anxiety and panic attacks in the matter of minutes?
I know, I know!! It sounds too good to be true right?. But believe me, it’s very possible and with some practice - you can become a pro and take back control of your anxiety.
But before you learn how to be a pro, It’s also important to understand why you have anxiety and panic attacks, so let me give you a run down of how and why anxiety and panic attacks occur.
Anxiety is a symptom of our FIGHT and FLIGHT response and stems from negative experiences and unresolved trauma in our life that made us feel unsafe and endangered which on some level threatened our survival. Be that a car accident, relationship breakdowns, being bullied at school or socially to just name a few.
While we have unresolved trauma and negative experiences, we now have to be on high alert just in case these experiences which made us feel unsafe happen again. We search for triggers that are a part of the original experience and store them in our subconscious - leaving us ready to identify them next time they come up. This enables us to be on high alert - we do all of this subconsciously - so we can now be ready to flight - run or fight - stand our ground if the same experience happens again.
As we wait and wait for these traumas to surface again. We keep searching for the triggers, in day to day life, holding onto the possibility that the original experience or trauma will reoccur and we will be in danger again. This leaves us feeling out of control or lacking control of our own life. It’s when we can’t control or avoid the triggers that anxieties become heightened, our natural state of being is threatened, and if bad enough - panic attacks occur.
Remember, anxiety exists only because the original trauma or experiences remain unresolved. This means that we have not been able to understand the experience in a way that answers the question: can I still be ME now given what has happened? If the answer is “no” or “I don’t know” then we don’t understand why the experience or trauma happened and we need to use our survival system in case it happens again. It’s not about reason, logic or probability, it’s about the possibility of it occurring again.
Obviously, the best way to manage anxiety is to search deep and be able to resolve traumas - get to the bottom of why you felt threatened in the first place and overcome these triggers so they no longer affect your day to day life. Learning how to trust yourself, identify triggers and respond to them in a manner that doesn’t send our survival system into overdrive is and always should be the priority. However, this is not the quick fix that I promised in the beginning of this blog.
By learning strategies that benefit our “thrival” response rather than our “survival” response - we can learn how to effectively manage our anxiety and overcome panic attacks quickly. Carolyn Farnan from Resolve Beyond Neurology suggests a great strategy: the 4-by-4 breath and can get us out of a full state of panic within minutes. It is recommended that this strategy is practiced when in a state of calm first so you are ready to execute like a pro when anxious or panicked.
The 4-by-4 breath
Step 1: Match your breathing by counting to 4 on the fingers of each hand
Practice this when you’re relaxed and not anxious. The purpose is to match your counting with your breathing. If the breathing is panicked and fast - then count fast, if it is slow and steady - then count slow and steady. We are not modifying our breath, just matching it.
Start by holding your hands in front of your face with palms facing towards you and fingers spread. Count off each finger by facing it towards your palm as you breathe in: 1-2-3-4. Then repeat with your other hand as you breathe out: 1-2-3-4. Try to watch your fingers moving with your breath - this allows you to take control of your focus by distracting you from the trigger. It is normal for your counts to be faster when you breathe in and slower as you breathe out. Get yourself into a comfortable rhythm and then you’re ready to move onto step 2.
Step 2: Introduce a hold for a count of 1 after an in-breath
Using your left hand, match your in-breath and count off each finger as per step 1, then before moving onto counting your out-breath - hold for a count of 1. Then continue to breathe out still matching your counts to breath. (Note: we are only holding after the in-breath and not the out-breath). Do this for 4 cycles of breath and once you have found your rhythm move onto step 3.
Step 3: Extend the breath-hold after an in-breath gradually for a count of 4
As per step 2, extend the hold for a count of 2 and repeat for 4 cycles. Then extend the hold for a count of 3 and repeat for 4 cycles. Finally hold for a count of 4 and repeat for 4 cycles. It's important to take your time and get into a rhythm before moving onto the next hold - this allows for a gradual reduction of anxiety and panic as you progress through each cycle. If it doesn't feel to be working, simply do more repeat cycles. The more you practice, the easier it becomes.
Step 4: Practice, Practice, Practice
It's super important to practice this when you are not anxious or panicked. If you are already in survival mode and trying it for the first time - your body will struggle to follow the steps as it has already prioritised the overwhelming feeling of anxiety. This will feel difficult at first, which is why we suggest practicing it when you are relaxed. Practice it over and over so by the time your next panic attack arises you’ll be a pro.
As mentioned before, the 4-by-4 breath is a great strategy to quickly shut down a panic attack or overwhelming feeling of anxiety. BUT if you’re ready to really step out of survival mode and begin thriving again, it's time to get in contact with Aaron. Book in a session TODAY to work through those unresolved traumas and get to the bottom of what is triggering your anxiety.
Original Content written by Carolyn Farnan and sourced from Resolve Beyond Neurology
Blog post designed and edited by Allie Michelle Aitken