HOW TO STOP PANIC ATTACKS

I was walking into work early this morning and this view of EXIT-EXIT which gave me a flashback into my first job outside of college...

Nearly 7 years ago…I had a panic attack that if I were to have allowed it, would have changed my entire course of life. I was sitting across from my boss at the time and in the middle of an intense conversation, I felt this crippling unable to move wave of panic take over my body.

My heart raced out of my chest, my face flushed and the ability to rationalize my thoughts became impaired. My boss looked at me and asked, “what’s wrong?” ….. "Um? I really don’t know?"

The rumble had stopped (after what felt like an eternity), I left the meeting and soon after, I felt defeated and afraid for when this feeling would return. What caused it? Why did this happen?

If you’ve ever had a panic attack, you’ll understand how AWFUL this feeling can been and completely disrupt your whole life. Your mind will go to some trippy ass places when trying to rationalize why this happened.

I remember thinking that *obviously* I had this panic attack because I wasn’t good enough at my career. I was too young, too naive, too inexperienced, too immature, not enough....Perhaps I should quit and never show my face again?

For weeks I dreaded meetings, face to face conversations and just about any interaction with my boss.

I couldn’t live like this anymore. Who had I become?

I had a choice, keep digging myself into the sand like a crab or confront this energy and move on.

After three solid weeks of stewing in my own shit, I asked my boss to coffee. Sat face to face, felt the bubble of anxiety burst in my chest and after a couple minutes everything subsided. It was NOT easy but needed to be done to move on.

While not everything always makes sense as to why we have flashes of anxiety or panic, we CAN choose to look at it eye-to-eye and confront it OR let it take control of our lives. The CHOICE is always yours.

And when all else fails, meditate on it. Ask why. The REAL why.

Perhaps there is an underlying message in all of the heightened energy just waiting for you to uncover it.

“I’ve learned that fear is simply an illusion based on past experiences that we project into the present and onto the future.” ― Gabrielle Bernstein

xo, The Bohemia Blonde