How do you deal with Panic?

[Nupur]

I am having a very hard time controlling my mind. I have a surgeon consult coming up and either it is a coincidence or my mind playing tricks but last couple of days I have felt strange, dizzy, weird shortness of breath, all kinds of "symptoms". To make matters worse, the BP monitor showed the little icon of extra heartbeat once yesterday. Just once, mind you. But I just can't stop my racing mind from reaching the worst case scenarios. My cardio has said not to take Xanax so much. Well, I took two yesterday and feel worse today. I have realized that my panic is not so much fear or the surgery than the fear of unknown. Once I know exactly what is to be done, I'll feel better. So I do believe that I will be much calm through surgery than I am in the waiting room.

 

[Braveheart]

Today I chose a bit of "retail therapy" to quiet my mind. Did not buy that much, but it was good just to wander around the mall by myself, watching people going about their normal business. It got me away from thinking about my insides, just enjoying the beautiful day, and being distracted by all the visual stimulation around me.

 

[Ged1975]

Today I chose a bit of "retail therapy" to quiet my mind. Did not buy that much, but it was good just to wander around the mall by myself, watching people going about their normal business. It got me away from thinking about my insides, just enjoying the beautiful day, and being distracted by all the visual stimulation around me.

That also works for me and sometimes buying a little treat helps too

 

[BigOwl]

I was at a loss at how to deal with angina (all too familiar because of previous bypass surgery) which was related to anxiety and stress. My internist (who's a D.O. and whom I chose because my grandfather was also a D.O. as well as a surgeon) prescribed clonazepem because it has a slower reaction time and longer effect than Xanax and its ilk--thus making one less likely to become dependent. I've actually been able to sleep a couple of nights without having to take it, but otherwise it enables deep, relaxing sleep without imagining every disaster that could possibly occur.

Sleep seems to be the important thing. Going into REM helps work stuff through, so anything that allows you to calm yourself down (meditation, Yoga--especially Yang yoga which doesn't require a lot of physical exertion), just sitting in the garden if you have one, petting puppies, that sort of thing, is helpful. I do 'em all and they've allowed me to postpone surgery long enough to get my stuff together so somebody can take over my teaching duties--which in turn helps me relax (I worry about my students, too). Massage, TM, whatever you can do to help yourself through this seems to be the ticket.

 

[Nupur]

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A dear friend of mine sent me this when I told her I was a complete basket case. I liked it.

The litany against fear: (say it aloud and slowly and mindfully, it will help)

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain"

I am going to try it! I need it badly.