Chapter 15 - How to Handle a Panic Attack (Part 3 - Doing Exposure)

Question 1

If you were totally confident that panic is harmless, it would have all the drama of a sneeze. It would disrupt you momentarily, and then you would return your attention to whatever you were doing before.

But because it’s hards to be that confident, because panic tricks you into believing otherwise, you get fooled into resisting and trying to protect yourself.

There lies the trouble. When you resist, you make it worse. You need a way to experience panic without resistance.

Question 2

AWARE

A - Acknowledge & Accept
W - Wait & Watch
A - Actions (to make yourself more comfortable)
R - Repeat
E - End

Question 3

** STEP ONE: ACKNOWLEDGE **

Question 4

The first step is to acknowledge the preset reality- namely, that you are having a panic attack or feel like you’re about to have one - and resign yourself to that experience as best as you can. Point out to youself that you’re afraid, and remember that, miserable as the experience is, it’s okay to be afraid, and it’s okay to have a panic attack.