How can we distinguish between anxiety that protects us and anxiety that threatens us? What feelings and thoughts do people typically experience during a panic attack? And how can we move from a state of being overwhelmed back to a sense of safety? In the first part of this article, we describe how panic and anxiety can manifest. In the second part, we present 10 strategies for managing them.
The best use of imagination is creativity. The worst use of the imagination is anxiety.
- Deepak Chopra
You feel as if your chest is tightening, as if someone were standing on your chest. You begin to become alarmingly aware of your breathing pattern and wonder if your next breath will be your last. It’s as if you’re drowning without being underwater. Thoughts race through your mind: “I can’t breathe. I must be dying. One more breath.”
Heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and a rapid heart rate are just some of the frightening physical reactions that occur during a panic attack. These symptoms can intensify and escalate, leading to uncontrollable shaking, sweating, a feeling of pressure around the head, and a sensation of suffocation.
It’s impossible to predict when a panic attack will strike, and it’s impossible to control. A common fear for someone struggling with anxiety is losing control in public, accompanied by a feeling of being trapped in an unpleasant situation—like being caught in a trap—and a sense of humiliation. When anxiety strikes, you may feel like you’re going crazy—as if you have absolutely no control over your mind. As with all chronic conditions, you can’t simply decide to stop having panic attacks or get rid of them completely with medication. However, you can learn to manage your anxiety better over time and thus reduce the frequency of panic attacks.
Understanding Anxiety
Anxiety can be defined as the body’s response to a threat, whether real or imagined. It is a process that is present in some form in all living organisms.
- Kerr, Bowen
According to Murray Bowen, author of *The Theory of Natural Systems*, there are two types of anxiety: acute anxiety and chronic anxiety. An example of acute anxiety is the unpleasant feeling you experience when driving in bad weather, which alerts you to drive slowly. This type of anxiety reminds you to act cautiously in situations that may be dangerous. It is a naturally occurring danger alarm in the body that is good for your survival. When the stressor is removed—for example, the bad weather stops or you reach your destination—the acute anxiety subsides.
Bowen states: “Acute anxiety is fueled by fear of what is, while chronic anxiety is fueled by fear of what might be.” When you feel fear or worry, it’s usually because you’re thinking about what might happen. Chronic anxiety is driven by anticipating a negative event in the future or by fear of “what if.”
Furthermore, if you are around people who are anxious or grew up with anxious caregivers, you will most likely deal with chronic anxiety as well. According to Bowen, anxiety is transmitted and absorbed without conscious thought. If we grow up with chronically anxious caregivers or close family members, we adopt this way of dealing with situations. We’ve learned to respond to the future with worry. If this is true for you, you can still learn how to better manage your anxiety.
Source: Translated from an article by Ilene S. Cohen, PhD:
