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The Weird Hack I Use to Stop Panic Attacks
My car was quickly approaching a red light. Red lights are a trigger for me, so I began panicking. Shaking, I gripped the steering wheel tightly and screamed, “I’m so effing excited right now! I love driving!”
My son laughed in the back seat and said, “Mom’s having another one of her panic attacks.”
A couple weeks later, my son tried the same trick for his own panic attack. Much to his surprise, it worked. Now my kids scream and laugh whenever they feel a panic attack coming on. Well, unless we’re in public.
It may sound crazy, but screaming with excitement helps stop panic attacks better than deep breathing or other relaxation techniques we’ve tried. Turns out scientific research backs up my family’s experience.
Trying to switch from anxiety to calm is often a futile mission. It can, ironically, make you anxious about your anxiety. — Nate Klemp
Here’s why this approach works
The brain doesn’t know the difference between anxiety and excitement — at least when it comes to your body’s initial reaction. When you panic, your brain releases hormones. When you are excited, your brain also releases hormones.
