Give yourself permission to panic. Just sit calmly and tell the panic to come. Say "Come on panic... Come and get me." Sit in the chair and open your arms and take some deep breaths and tell the panic to come take you over. Accept it willingly. Stop fearing it. You can't have a panic attack if you aren't panicking.

Or imagine all that adrenaline is coursing through your veins because something good happened. Pretend you just won the lottery. Pretend you are the happiest you have ever been. The adrenaline and the feelings you have when you are happy and excited is the exact same adrenaline and feelings you have when you are scared. The difference is how you think about it.

Or try slowing your thoughts down. Speak very very slowly to yourself in a calm voice. Do this for several minutes until the adrenaline dissipates a bit. Say to yourself that you are just fine, you are just a little keyed up and need to settle down. Tell yourself that you have been under stress and slowly describe to yourself what it is that is stressing you. When you are having panic attacks, your thoughts are very jumbled and confused. Your brain is like a folder that you dropped on the floor and all the papers are scattered everywhere. Slowing down and organizing your thoughts helps your brain process things and "make sense" out of what is going on. And it tells your brain that you are in charge and doing fine so it can shut the alarms down and let you relax a bit.

Hang in there. I have been there. Just stay strong, breathe deep and think positively!

I agree with lilygirl. Stop protecting yourself from the panic. It won't hurt you unless you keep "protecting" yourself from it. That's what makes the cycle persist. We can all get better if we stop reacting to "discomfort" as though it is "danger." it takes practice. Use the next time you're anxious to practice. Do deep breathing and keep doing whatever you were doing. Let it pass. It always does.

Btw lily your blog is amazing! I've been reading every word of it so far. It all makes a lot of sense. I wanna get over this crappy anxiety like you have...

Lily where is your blog? I would love to read it but I'm not overly "computer savy" :)

The program I use teaches me to not only accept the panic but to invite it. The point is telling it to "bring it on" teaches your brain to not fear it. If you master not fearing the attack the idea is you will stop getting them. Helps me with panic attacks but does nothing for high anxiety. well maybe adds to it. Sometimes a cold shower can help as water is healing and the physical "divers response"

p.s. I HATE that feeling of wanting to jump out of your skin makes me want to throw my hands up and start running around in circles screaming---literally. Good luck tonight

Hang in there! i know its rough but it will get better again. Lilygirl has some great advice. We are here for you!

I get so much comfort from what you share Lilygirl! I'm going to try to find your blog also. I print out what you share and put it in my "panic attack bag". My panic attacks have gone from making me almost agraphobic to only when I'm going to take road trips. That bag is what I take when I go to remind me of all the things I learned in the Panic Attack Workbook. Now I have your writings to also help when I find myself in a panic.

Sorry Mizkriz that you are having a tough time though. :-(

Wow, that may be the best compliment I have ever had in my whole life. Thank you so much.