Beating Panic Attacks:

One Mans Story about Overcoming Anxiety

By James Weaver
Copyright 2013 James Weaver
Smashwords Edition
This publication is designed to provide accurate information regarding the subject
matter covered. It is offered ith the understanding that the author and publisher
are not engaged in rendering medical or psychological service. This boo! is not
intended to be a substitute for therapy or professional advice.
Introduction
This is a book that I never thoght that I wo!d write" It is abot a topi# that I $ind
very interesting% bt it is a very private sb&e#t $or me" I$ yo have e'perien#ed
prob!ems with pani# atta#ks% or other $orms o$ an'iety% yo probab!y nderstand what
I mean abot it being a private sb&e#t" It is not something that yo genera!!y want
to share with other peop!e" It was embarrassing to me to admit that I had a prob!em
with pani# atta#ks" (o one !ikes to admit to having% or having had at one point% any
prob!em" This is espe#ia!!y the #ase when the prob!em has a menta! basis" So de to
these reasons% I haven)t shared this aspe#t o$ my history with very many peop!e*nti!
re#ent!y"
+s yo may or may not know% I have written severa! other eBooks% most!y abot the
!aw o$ attra#tion ,see the end o$ this book $or in$ormation-" (ot !ong ago% I #ame to
the rea!i.ation that I had !earned a great dea! abot the !aw o$ attra#tion $rom my
e'perien#e with pani# atta#ks" I mentioned this in passing to a woman I was #oa#hing
and the sb&e#t resonated with her" It made me rea!i.e that many other peop!e #o!d
share in the know!edge I had gained throgh my e'perien#e with pani# atta#ks" So% I
ended p writing /rom Chaos to C!arity0 What 1ani# +tta#ks Taght 2e abot the 3aw
o$ +ttra#tion"
That book brie$!y dis#ssed my story abot pani# atta#ks% bt it was $o#sed on the
!essons I !earned $rom my e'perien#e and how they re!ate to the !aw o$ attra#tion"
When I was done writing the book I knew that I needed to write a book abot how I
over#ame my pani# atta#k prob!em"
4espite my reservations abot open!y sharing my story% I strong!y $ee! that this is a
book that I needed to write" 5o have to give to re#eive% and this book is a gi$t to
anyone who may be e'perien#ing prob!ems with pani# atta#ks% or who have !oved
ones who are strgg!ing with this prob!em" I know that there is someone ot there
who wi!! be he!ped by this short book" I hope that yo are this person" I hope
hndreds or thosands o$ peop!e are he!ped by my story% bt i$ on!y one person $inds
this book se$!% I have a#hieved my goa! in writing it"
I am not a psy#ho!ogist% psy#hiatrist% do#tor% therapist% or #onse!or" I am not
rendering medi#a! or menta! hea!th advi#e" I am simp!y a person who e'perien#ed a
sdden and ne'p!ainab!e prob!em with pani# atta#ks% and who was ab!e to over#ome
this prob!em" I have !ived throgh this e'perien#e and $ee! that I have a story to te!!
whi#h may potentia!!y he!p other peop!e" It is in this spirit o$ sharing that I write this
book% and I hope that yo $ind something o$ va!e in my story"
This book wi!! begin with a brie$ des#ription o$ a pani# atta#k" This in$ormation is
provided so that everyone may know what a pani# atta#k is and what symptoms it #an
entai!" /o!!owing this se#tion% I share my story o$ the pani# atta#ks I e'perien#ed in
the past" I wi!! then ta!k abot how I was ab!e to beat my pani# atta#k prob!em" I
wi!! a!so provide some additiona! resor#es abot pani# atta#ks $or anyone interested
in !earning more"
General Information on Panic Attacks
This short overvie of panic attac!s is "uoted #ith a fe additions and deletions$
from the Mayo %linic. Original information can be found at this &'()
http066www"mayo#!ini#"#om6hea!th6pani#7atta#ks64S00338 #as of *+,*,-+*.$.
+ pani# atta#k is a sdden episode o$ intense $ear that triggers severe physi#a!
rea#tions when there is no rea! danger or apparent #ase" 1ani# atta#ks #an be very
$rightening" When pani# atta#ks o##r% yo might think yo9re !osing #ontro!% having a
heart atta#k or even dying"
2any peop!e have &st one or two pani# atta#ks in their !i$etimes% and the prob!em
goes away% perhaps when a stress$! sitation ends bt i$ yo9ve had re#rrent%
ne'pe#ted pani# atta#ks and spent !ong periods o$ time in #onstant $ear o$ another
atta#k% yo may have a #ondition #a!!ed pani# disorder"
1ani# atta#ks were on#e dismissed as nerves or stress% bt they9re now re#ogni.ed as a
rea! medi#a! #ondition" +!thogh pani# atta#ks #an signi$i#ant!y a$$e#t yor :a!ity o$
!i$e% treatment #an be very e$$e#tive"
1ani# atta#ks typi#a!!y begin sdden!y and withot warning" They #an strike at a!most
any time * when yo9re driving the #ar% at the ma!!% sond as!eep or in the midd!e o$
a bsiness meeting" 1ani# atta#ks have many variations% bt symptoms sa!!y peak
within 10 mintes" 5o may $ee! $atiged and worn ot a$ter a pani# atta#k sbsides"
Panic attacks typically include a few or many of these symptoms:
Sense o$ impending doom or danger
/ear o$ !oss o$ #ontro! or death
;apid heart rate
Sweating
Tremb!ing
Shortness o$ breath
<yperventi!ation
4e7rea!i.ation ,$ee!ings o$ nrea!ity-
4epersona!i.ation ,being deta#hed $rom onese!$-
Chi!!s
<ot $!ashes
(asea
+bdomina! #ramping
Chest pain
<eada#he
4i..iness
/aintness
Tightness in yor throat
Trob!e swa!!owing
4ry moth
=ne o$ the worst things abot pani# atta#ks is the intense $ear that yo9!! have
another one" 5o may $ear having a pani# atta#k so m#h that yo avoid sitations
where they may o##r" 5o may even $ee! nab!e to !eave yor home ,agoraphobia-
be#ase no p!a#e $ee!s sa$e"
(ow that yo have an idea o$ what a pani# atta#ks entai!s% I wi!! share my e'perien#es
with them"
My Experience with Panic Attacks
+ $ew years ba#k I had trob!e with pani# atta#ks" They #ame on ne'pe#ted!y% and
$or no apparent reason" (othing in my !i$e sitation had #hanged% bt $or some
reason I was s$$ering sdden and intense episodes o$ pani#"
The $irst one o##rred on (ew 5ear)s Eve" 2y $ami!y was away visiting other $ami!y
members and I was home a!one in a very rra! setting" I had a #ar prob!em and had
no way o$ !eaving home" I had a st$$y nose% and a head #o!d" It $e!t hard to breathe"
It $e!t as thogh my throat was #!osing p and I was breathing throgh a straw" +s the
day went on I was having more and more intense worrying and strange $ee!ings" I was
sre that I had pnemonia and that I wasn)t getting enogh o'ygen in my b!ood
stream" 2y e'tremities $e!t nmb" I $e!t a sense o$ nrea!ity% dry moth% !ight7
headedness% and had a pervasive thoght that something bad was going to happen" I
had to go otside and wa!k arond a $ew times to try to #a!m down" 2y worry was
#ontining to grow and I kept having re#rring negative thoghts and images abot
what was happening to me"
This started in the morning% and !asted a!! day !ong" It was a horrib!e day% bt I made
it nti! night"
I was ab!e to go as!eep% bt I woke p at 1 +2 in a pani#" I was #overed in sweat" I
$ond it very hard to breathe" I was di..y% !ight7headed% had dry moth and my heart
was beating ot o$ my #hest" I had a sense o$ impending doom" I was very #on#erned
that I was going to die" I knew that I was not getting enogh b!ood to my brain and
my e'tremities and I was very #on#erned abot permanent damage" I knew that
whi!e I was s!eeping% I wasn)t get enogh o'ygen to my body and that I waited too
!ong to get he!p"
I was $reaking ot" I was very s#ared and I didn)t know what to do" I was a!one%
iso!ated and had no way o$ getting he!p" I $e!t stpid #a!!ing >11% and the thoght o$
doing that made me $ee! more neasy" It &st wasn)t an option $or me"
+$ter abot an hor in this state I de#ided to #a!! my mother" She !ived three hors
away $rom me% bt she was severa! hors #!oser than my wi$e" I to!d her what was
happening and that I was too s#ared to go ba#k to s!eep be#ase I was a$raid that I
wo!dn)t wake p again"
She was ab!e to #ome and get me" We went to an emergen#y #!ini# at abot ? +2 on
(ew 5ear)s 4ay" I to!d the #he#k7in person that I was si#k and was s#ared that I had
pnemonia% and I des#ribed my symptoms" I was broght a $inger o'ygen tester and I
wore this in the waiting room" It was #!ear be$ore they ever took me ba#k that my
o'ygen !eve!s were $ine"
The do#tor #on$irmed this when she e'amined me" I had an pper respiratory
in$e#tion" I des#ribed the midd!e7o$7the7night in#ident and she de#ided to give me an
E@A" This a!so #ame ba#k $ine"
The do#tor to!d me that a!! o$ the senses I was $ee!ing were signs o$ a pani# atta#k"
She said that my adrena!ine !eve!s were e'treme!y high and that I sho!d stop sing
#a$$eine immediate!y" I was a!so to!d that my b!ood pressre was higher than it
sho!d be% and that I sho!d $o!!ow p with my primary physi#ian"
Whi!e I was g!ad that I didn)t have pnemonia or any other serios #ondition% I wish
that I had a physi#a! #ase" It wo!d have been a !ot easier to hear that I had a
physi#a! prob!em than it was to hear that I had a menta! one" I $e!t #ra.y and
embarrassed" I worried that the do#tor and the sta$$ were &dging me and thinking
that I was some #ra.y person &st trying to get drgs" It was embarrassing to te!! my
$ami!y that I was okay physi#a!!y% and that it was a pani# atta#k" I to!d myse!$ that
the pani# atta#k was #ased by the high b!ood pressre and #a$$eine" There was no
way that I had a prob!em with pani# atta#ks"
I immediate!y stopped drinking anything with #a$$eine in it" I had been taking
#a$$eine pi!!s in the morning% and I stopped this as we!!" <owever% I was worried that
I had messed p my adrena!ine system with so m#h #a$$eine over the years" I $igred
that it wo!d take months or years to get ba#k to norma!" I had !esser pani# atta#ks
a!most every day% a!thogh I didn)t re#ogni.e them as pani# atta#ks" I thoght that
the $ee!ings were side e$$e#ts $rom the damage #a$$eine had done to my body% or the
high b!ood pressre the #a$$eine had #ased" Some days were better than others% bt
I didn)t $ee! right"
+bot two weeks a$ter my $irst pani# atta#k% I de#ided to #he#k my b!ood pressre
whi!e in a store" I $igred that the high b!ood pressre at the emergen#y #!ini# was
de to the e'#essive #a$$eine% and that it wo!d be norma! again" We!!% it wasn)t" 2y
b!ood pressre was high% and it s#ared me" It gave me something new to worry abot"
I #ame to asso#iate the $ee!ing o$ an'iety !eading p to pani# atta#ks as spikes in
b!ood pressre" I sti!! thoght that it may have been $rom the #a$$eine% bt I be#ame
more worried abot the b!ood pressre" <igh b!ood pressre #an !ead to stroke or
heart atta#k% and I didn)t want that to happen" I didn)t immediate!y go to the
do#tor% however" Instead% I resear#hed ways to red#e b!ood pressre throgh diet
and e'er#ise"
+ $ew weeks a$ter the b!ood pressre #he#k% I began to $ee! bad at work" I $e!t hot
and easi!y aggravated" I had the pre7pani# atta#k $ee!ings o$ nrea!ity% di..iness%
impending trob!e% di$$i#!ty breathing% et#" I even had trob!e thinking" I wo!d try
to think o$ a word to se% and I was nab!e to think o$ the word" Spee#h $e!t di$$i#!t"
+n emp!oyee o$ mine to!d me that her sister e'perien#ed simi!ar #onditions be$ore
she had a stroke" This worried me immense!y" I immediate!y went to the !o#a!
gro#ery store to #he#k my b!ood pressre" It was throgh the roo$BB It was W+5
higher than it had ever been" I $reaked otB
I de#ided that I needed to !eave% and that I needed to go get he!p" I drove an hor to
my hometown to my !ast primary physi#ian" ,5es% I rea!i.e that driving in s#h a state
is a B+4 idea% however% I didn)t know what e!se to do"- 2y mother sed to work $or
this physi#ian% and she got me in the see him !ate in the day and on very short noti#e"
<e #he#ked my b!ood pressre abot si' times dring the visit and he asked me
:estions abot how I was $ee!ing" <e to!d me that I was having pani# atta#ks" <e
said that whi!e I was in his o$$i#e that my b!ood pressre had dropped to norma!" <e
$e!t that the test made me nervos and that this is why it was registering as high" <e
set p some tests to make sre that there was no physi#a! isse whi#h #o!d be
#asing the an'iety" <e a!so gave me a pres#ription $or Cana' to be taken as needed"
When I went to get the pres#ription $i!!ed% I $ond ot that my #osin worked at the
pharma#y and that the pharma#ist was someone I knew $rom high s#hoo!" It was very
embarrassing to get the pres#ription $i!!ed" It was a!so embarrassing to te!! my $ami!y
what the do#tor had said"
I did the re:ired tests the ne't day% and the test res!ts #ame ba#k $ine" 2y on!y
prob!em was an'iety" I had no other e'#ses" I had nothing e!se to worry abot" I
o$$i#ia!!y s$$ered $rom pani# atta#ks% and I had to $a#e this $a#t"
The prob!em was that I had #ome to $ear the pani# atta#ks" They wo!d happen
withot warning% day or night" I was very #on#erned abot appearing #ra.y or
$reaking ot in pb!i#" I began to get s#ared to go too $ar $rom home% &st in #ase
something happened and I #o!dn)t make it ba#k"
I on!y took the Cana' when things got to the point that they were rea!!y bad% and I
never took more than ha!$ a pi!!" I didn)t want to get addi#ted to the pi!!s% and I
didn)t !ike how they made me $ee!" (everthe!ess% I #arried the pi!!s with me
everywhere I went" They were a para#hte in #ase things got too s#ary to hand!e"
=ver the ne't three months I #ontined to have pani# atta#ks% and to be a$raid o$
them" +!most every night I $e!t pani#ky be$ore bed" I wo!d take a :arter o$ a pi!!
depending on how bad I $e!t" I tried my best not take any pi!!s% bt the $ear o$ waking
p with a pani# atta#k was e'treme!y $rightening"
I did have severa! more $!! b!own pani# atta#ks over these three months" =n two
o##asions I woke p having a pani# atta#k% and took ha!$ a pi!!" =n one o##asion I was
going ot to eat with my wi$e% kids and my parents% and I had to !eave and drive home
be#ase I $e!t !ike I was going to have a pani# atta#k in a pb!i# p!a#e"
+part $rom the !arge D$!!7b!ownE pani# atta#ks% I e'perien#ed a genera! heightened
sense o$ an'iety% sma!!er pani# atta#ks% and distorted thinking" /or e'amp!e% I
remember trying to distra#t myse!$ dring a pre7pani# episode ,$e!t !ike a pani# atta#k
#o!d happen at any moment- by wat#hing te!evision" I was wat#hing a s#ien#e show
and the narrator made the #omment that we are on a sma!! ro#k in the midd!e o$
nowhere spinning throgh spa#e" This immediate!y be#ame my rea!ity and it was
overwhe!ming" I $e!t !ike I was abot to spin o$$ o$ this deso!ate earth into the vast
emptiness o$ #o!d% n#aring spa#e% to die si!ent!y and in terror" I !itera!!y $e!t this
way% and viewed the wor!d this way nti! I was ab!e to get myse!$ ot o$ that sort o$
thinking"
I began to $ee! as i$ I was perpeta!!y having a bad 3S4 trip" +ny negative thoght
#o!d !ead to a bad sitation" +ny negative or stress$! sitation #o!d !ead to a pani#
atta#k" I began to sht down and withdraw $rom norma! !i$e" I never made it to the
point o$ agoraphobia% bt I was beginning to approa#h this" I knew that I had to
de$eat this prob!em" 3i$e was too short to waste on $ee!ing bad% and being s#ared"
I made a de#ision to over#ome the pani# atta#ks"
ow I !efeated Panic
I had on!y to!d a $ew peop!e abot my pani# atta#ks" These peop!e genera!!y to!d me
that I needed to see a therapist" I% however% $e!t that I #o!d hand!e the isse on my
own" I knew that i$ I #o!d de$eat this prob!em% that I wo!d be a m#h stronger
person"
I have a!ways been somewhat o$ a so#ia!!y adverse person" 3ooking ba#k now% I #an
see a !ong history o$ an'iety in my past" I see now that I had so#ia! an'iety $or most
o$ my !i$e" This was #red $or the most part when I got a &ob that re:ired me to
intera#t with peop!e% go into their homes and to te!! them what to do% bt I sti!! have
so#ia! an'iety tenden#ies"
I am te!!ing yo this to e'p!ain why I $e!t the need to do this on my own" 2y prior
so#ia! an'iety isses had shaped me into a person that doesn)t !ike to rea#h ot to
others" I don)t go to the do#tor n!ess it)s an emergen#y" I don)t #a!! peop!e $or he!p
n!ess I have no other option" I am somewhat o$ a !oner% and I pride myse!$ on doing
things my way" This is not ne#essari!y a good trait% bt it is honest!y where I was
#oming $rom" This in$ormed my de#ision to not seek treatment more than any other
isse" <owever% I was a!so #on#erned abot how m#h money it wo!d #ost ,i$ I am to
be honest-"
Sin#e I had made the de#ision to do this on my own% I began to read as m#h as I
#o!d abot an'iety and pani# atta#ks" I started by reading abot pani# atta#ks
on!ine" I went to bookstore one day dring !n#h and !ooked at a!! o$ the books in the
an'iety se#tion" There were severa! abot pani# atta#ks" I de#ided to by /anic
Attac!s 0or!boo!) A 1uided /rogram for 2eating the /anic Tric!% by 4avid Carbone!!"
This book he!ped me more than anything e!se I read" I !earned severa! things $rom
this book that he!ped me great!y in my endeavor to over#ome pani# atta#ks"
The $irst trth that I n#overed in this pro#ess o$ !earning abot pani# atta#ks was
that I was going to be okay" "here was nothing to fear with panic attacks# 5es%
they are n#om$ortab!e to e'perien#e% bt they wi!! not ki!! yo and yo won)t go
#ra.y% or anything e!se yo $ear" I had p!a#ed myse!$ in that #age o$ $ear% bt this
know!edge set me $ree"
I$ yo are reading this book and yo are batt!ing pani# atta#ks% p!ease nderstand that
yo are going to be okay" 1ani# atta#ks are s#ary% bt that is a!! they are" They are
not going to harm yo" This one rea!i.ation he!ped me more than anything e!se to
!essen the $ear that I had abot pani# atta#ks"
+ se#ond% and re!ated trth is that pani# atta#ks are on!y n#om$ortab!e" =n#e I tr!y
nderstood and a##epted that pani# atta#ks wo!dn)t hrt me% I #ame to view the
pani# atta#k as an n#om$ortab!e $ee!ing" This $rther he!ped to de7#!aw the pani#
atta#ks"
Jst the #hange in !angage itse!$ is important" <ow we ta!k abot things he!ps to
shape how we e'perien#e and see them" By shi$ting my !angage and viewpoint $rom
one o$ terror to one o$ n#om$ortab!e $ee!ings% I provided instant re!ie$ and
motivation $or myse!$ to be strong dring the pani# atta#k"
+nother !esson I !earned $rom pani# atta#ks is abot being tri#ked" 4r" 4avid
Carbone!! in his /anic Attac!s 0or!boo!) A 1uided /rogram for 2eating the /anic
Tric! re$ers to the Dpani# tri#k"E 4r" Carbone!! writes in the introd#tion to this
book0
30hy do I call it a tric!4 5ot just because it fools you into thin!ing that youre in
immediate danger of a personal catastrophe6 li!e death6 insanity6 or terrible
humiliation. 5ot only because it intimidates you into giving up so many ordinary
activities you used to enjoy and ta!e for granted. Those are terrible tric!s that can
rob your life of joy and meaning but bad as they are6 theyre not the orst part of
panic. The worst part of the panic trick is that it brainwashes you into acting
and thinking in precisely the ways that makes the problem worse rather than
better. It tric!s you into using all your personal strengths and intelligence in ays
that produce a more chronic and difficult problem6 rather than the recovery you
see!. It uses your desire to feel 3safe7 to tric! you into staying stuc!.7 #8mphasis
added$
W=WB 4r" Carbone!! nai!ed it" This passage is so power$! to me be#ase it
en#aps!ates how pani# atta#ks work" It shows yo how $ighting against the pani#
atta#k on!y makes it worse" It is a tri#kB
So% how do yo avoid p!aying into this tri#kF
5o do it by doing nothing" Jst breathe and D$!oatE throgh the e'perien#e" I wi!!
dis#ss breathing a !itt!e bit% bt right now I want to ta!k abot $!oating"
/!oating is a state o$ &st !etting go" 5o are $ee!ing the dis#om$ort o$ the pani#
atta#k symptoms% bt yo aren)t doing anything to try to stop them" 5o a##ept the
dis#om$ort $or what it is% and yo wait $or it to end" 5o a!ready know that yo are
going to be okay" 5o a!so sho!d have a!ready !earned that the pani# wi!! eventa!!y
end" The great thing is that when yo a##ept the pani# atta#k as dis#om$ort and yo
know that it won)t hrt yo% the pani# atta#ks are m#h shorter in dration"
+$ter I !earned to $!oat throgh the pani# atta#k% my $ear o$ them began to !essen" I
started to see pani# atta#ks $or what they tr!y are0 tri#ks and dis#om$ort"
;eading and !earning was key in the pro#ess" +s I !earned more abot pani# atta#ks
and how they work% my $ear grada! began to erode away" I owe m#h o$ my s##ess
to 4r" Carbone!!)s book" I #omp!eted the e'er#ises in the book% and !earned more
abot myse!$ and pani# atta#ks" I high!y re#ommend this book"
Breathing was another te#hni:e that I !earned that had an immediate and !asting
impa#t" 2any o$ the symptoms e'perien#ed dring pani# atta#ks are a res!t o$
sha!!ow% rapid breathing" 3earning to breathe $rom my diaphragm in a s!ow pattern
he!ped to !essen the symptoms o$ my pani# atta#ks in a minte or two"
So how sho!d yo breatheF 5or stoma#h sho!d move p and down when yo
breathe% not yor #hest" 5o sho!d breathe in throgh yor nose $or a #ont o$ $ive%
ho!d yor breath $or a #ont o$ $ive% and breathe ot throgh yor moth s!ow!y $or a
#ont o$ $ive" 4i$$erent athors and programs give di$$erent #onts% bt the basi#
pattern is the same" 5o sho!d breathe s!ow!y in throgh the nose% ho!d yor breath%
and breathe ot s!ow!y throgh the moth" This is a #ommon theme in basi#a!!y
everything I have #ome a#ross"
2reathing) The Master 9ey to Self :ealing #The Self :ealing Series$ by 4r" +ndrew
Wei! was one adio program that he!ped me with breathing" <e has breathing
e'er#ises in this program to he!p re!ieve stress re!ated prob!ems" <e a!so has
breathing e'er#ises $or other prposes that I $ond se$!"
+nother program ,it)s e'pensive- that I re#ommend is 3#inda Bassett)s +tta#king
+n'iety and 4epression program" This program dis#sses breathing% and has gided
re!a'ation meditation that I $ond very he!p$!" This program is great be#ase it
in#!des interviews with !ots o$ peop!e who have e'perien#ed pani# atta#ks" I $ond
it very se$! to hear other peop!e)s stories" It made me $ee! not so a!one" It a!so
gave me the motivation to #ontine working on my prob!em"
+s my nderstanding abot pani# atta#ks grew my $ear de#reased" 2y stdies had de7
mysti$ied pani# atta#ks% and this gave them !ess power over me" +s my $ear
de#reased% I began to have $ewer and $ewer pani# atta#ks" +s my breathing
te#hni:es and D$!oatingE te#hni:e improved% I was ab!e to pt an end to pani#
atta#ks :i#k!y% o$ten be$ore they even started"
+$ter a #op!e o$ months I was having no $!!7b!own pani# atta#ks and on!y s!ight
an'ios $ee!ings" I sti!! had my medi#ine% bt I on!y sed it on#e a$ter I started trying
to beat my pani# atta#ks" The o##asion I sed it on was my grand$ather)s $nera!" I
sti!!% however #arried it everywhere I went" I started to see the medi#ine as a #rt#h"
I #ame rea!i.e that part o$ the reason that I $e!t better was that I had the medi#ine*
my para#hte" The $irst time that I was away $rom home and rea!i.ed that I didn)t
have my medi#ine% my an'iety !eve! in#reased" I started thinking Dwhat i$E thoghts"
What i$ I have a pani# atta#kF What i$ I embarrass myse!$F
<owever% I soon rea!i.ed that it had been months and I had not had a pani# atta#k"
Even when I did have pani# symptoms now% I was ab!e to #ontro! it easi!y by breathing
and not $ighting against it" What did I have to worry abotF Why did I even need the
medi#ineF
This !ine o$ thinking he!ped me get throgh the day" This was my $irst taste o$
e'posre therapy" E'posre therapy is a te#hni:e in behavior therapy intended to
treat an'iety isses" It invo!ves e'posing a patient to the $eared ob&e#t or #onte't% in
order to over#ome their an'iety"
2y e'posre therapy session entai!ed being severa! hors away $rom the sa$ety o$ my
medi#ine" I passed the test% and #ame to rea!i.e that I didn)t need the medi#ine"
Within a month or so I had the rea!i.ation that I had not had my medi#ine with me $or
severa! straight days" I hadn)t even thoght abot it" This was a ma&or break7throgh
$or me" It was at this point that I tr!y $e!t $ree o$ my pani#7re!ated isses"
In a $utshell%
I was ab!e to over#ome my pani# atta#ks by0
1- <aving medi#ine as a para#hte to he!p me ot o$ any bad sitation"
2- 3earning abot pani# atta#ks" 3earning abot them de7mysti$ied them% and taght
me that they wo!dn)t hrt me% that they were on!y dis#om$ort% and that they were
tri#king me into responding in ways that on!y made the prob!em worse"
3- 3earning to !et go and $!oat throgh the e'perien#e"
G- 3earning to breathe #orre#t!y at the $irst sign o$ any an'iety symptoms"
H- 4oing sma!! tests o$ e'posre therapy to the point that I no !onger $eared the
sitations I sed to $ear% and was ab!e to drop the medi#ine #rt#h"
&onclusion
I was ab!e to beat pani# atta#ks% and I am a m#h better and stronger person $or
having gone throgh this e'perien#e" I know that what one person #an do% another
#an a!so do" I know that yo #an beat pani# atta#ks as we!!"
5or way to being an'iety7$ree may be di$$erent than mine" 2y path worked $or me"
1erhaps there wo!d have been :i#ker paths" 5or path may in#!de therapy or
medi#ation management" The important thing is that yo make a de#ision to make a
#hange"
The #!i#hIs are a!! tre0 5o on!y !ive on#e" 3i$e is short" Carpe diem" 5o on!y
have one shot at this e'isten#e that yo are in" The years add p :i#k!y% and then
yo are ot o$ time" 4on)t waste yor !i$e worrying" 4on)t !et an'iety stea! years
$rom yor !i$e" 4on)t !et pani# atta#ks keep yo $rom $!$i!!ing yor potentia!"
4o something abot it" 4o anything" Jst start% and don)t give p"
I wish yo s##ess on yor &orney"
James Weaver
,=#t" 2013-
Additional Anxiety 'esources
/anic Attac!s 0or!boo!) A 1uided /rogram for 2eating the /anic Tric!6 by ;avid
%arbonell" This book% more than anything e!se he!ped me to !ose my $ear o$ pani#
atta#ks"
/anic Attac!s) The 5e6 ;rug<=ree Anxiety Therapy That %an %hange >our (ife6 by
4avid Brns" This is another great book on how to over#ome pani# atta#ks"
http066www"stress#enter"#om <omepage o$ the 2idwest Center $or +n'iety and
4epression" This organi.ation prod#es 3#inda Bassett)s +tta#king +n'iety and
4epression program" I have sed this prod#t% and it is very e$$e#tive"
http066www"!indenmethod"#om <omepage o$ the 3inden 2ethod" This is a pop!ar
method $or over#oming an'iety" I have not persona!!y had any e'perien#e with this
program% bt I have heard good things abot it"
JJJ
A special message from (ames: I$ yo en&oyed the book% p!ease !eave positive
$eedba#k" Bt more important!y% p!ease !et me know" 5o #an emai! me at
&amesKattra#tionebooks"#om" I wo!d !ove to hear $rom yo% and I wi!! answer any
:estions yo may have" I !ook $orward to yor emai!"
"witter: JamesWWeaver