Beating panic is a skill: You get better with practice.
The vlog version of this blog post.
No Instant Cures to Panic
If someone tells you they're offering you an overnight cure to panic, don't believe them. I am not saying you can't have a meaningful turnaround in a single night. You can, and if you successfully use the Acceptance and Surrender intervention as I teach it in my workshops, then you will. However, an overnight cure is not likely.
Results are typically not instant because the problem of panic is composed of two issues that are not amiable to overnight change. One issue is faulty cognitions, and the other is conditioned responses. Both of these pose unique challenges and require different tools that take time to master.
There are two parts to us.
There are two parts to us: The conscious, deliberate part, and the unconscious, automatic part. We need both parts to function effectively. The conscious part is the boss. This is the part of you that decides the best course of action.
However, all conscious conclusions eventually become unconscious and automatic, saving on brain processing power. This allows you to drive your vehicle while simultaneously conversing with your passenger. If this didn't happen, you'd have to stay 100% focused on driving and nothing else every time you got in the car.
Faulty cognitions drive panic attacks.
Faulty cognitions drive panic attacks. Faulty cognitions refer to logical errors we make daily without even realizing it. CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, is the best way to address these errors. However, CBT is not supposed to be easy and definitely not instantaneous.
If you've ever had to try and solve a complex math problem, then you know that they require a lot of deep thinking and time. That's how CBT is supposed to feel. It's supposed to be as or almost as cognitively demanding as solving complex math equations. And as you are aware, this cannot happen instantaneously. It requires effort and time to process.
Conditioned responses drive panic attacks.
Conditioned responses are even less amiable to instantaneous change because they are independent of our conscious awareness. We can be aware that we have a conditioned response but fail to reason our way out of it. This is why many people with panic attacks eventually reach a point of total awareness, knowing they're going through a panic attack. They'll understand that panic is not dangerous, yet STILL, get caught up in a panic attack every single time. This happens because the panic reaction is automatic. It is a conditioned response that occurs outside our conscious awareness.
Have you ever tried to break a bad habit? If so, then you know how difficult changing your automatic behavior is. This is why an instant-panic cure does not exist.
A meaningful overnight turnaround is possible.
However, As I mentioned, while you can't have an overnight cure, you can have a meaningful overnight turnaround. What I mean by a "meaningful turnaround" is a moment where you suddenly realize that you have found the missing piece of the puzzle. I experienced it, and many people I've worked with also experienced it.
This is a moment when you know that you have the weapon that will ultimately defeat panic. After this moment, panic loses the grip that it once held over you. At this point, not only do you conceptually understand it, but now you have experienced it... You have experienced putting theory into practice, and you see firsthand how the days of your panic are numbered.
That is real, and I've seen it happen in under three months from the onset of treatment. The more help and guidance you get, the faster you'll get there.
Get Help
Self-Help Workshops
Curing panic will only be possible once you understand all the theories and methodologies involved. To save you time and money, I have pre-recorded workshops covering all diagnostic scenarios and, therefore, all the skills you'll need to overcome panic. Your membership includes one free session with me. I strongly recommend you finish watching all the workshops before booking our session.
To give you an idea of what these workshops are like, I am giving away the first workshop for free. Follow this link to sign up and receive the video.
Private Sessions
Perhaps you understand what you must do to eliminate panic but need some troubleshooting or direct support. I invite you to book a private, one-on-one session with me, where we'll focus on whatever is causing you trouble. I created multiple levels of care for private sessions so that everyone has an option that they can afford. Lastly, you can reserve these sessions each week or book on an as-needed basis.
