Good Luck

The feelings are normal bodily reactions – exaggerated.

They are not harmful – just unpleasant.

Do not add frightening thoughts – negative, unpleasant consequences

Describe what is happening – notice what IS not what you fear MIGHT.

Wait for fear to pass – Do not fight or run away – accept it.

Notice when it fades – when you stop adding frightening thoughts, it fades by itself.

It is an opportunity for progress – use it to learn coping – learn to grow!

Think about progress to date despite the difficulties – think how pleased you'll be when you succeed this time.

When you begin to feel better, look around you, and start to plan what to do next.

When you are ready to go on, start off in an easy, relaxed way. There is no need for effort or hurry.

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15 COPING TIPS

Change "What If's" to "So What".

Stay in the present.

Don't judge your feelings.

Thoughts and feelings are NOT actions.

The more I do, the more I can do.

I've done it before, I CAN do it again!

I am the same person, here or in my safe place.

I can handle it, nothing terrible will happen.

The feeling are distressing, NOT dangerous.

In reality, there is nothing that can hurt me here.

The anxiety can only go so high and then it comes down.

SLOW DOWN.

Take slow, deep breaths.

DON'T PANIC

Accept the feeling, it can't hurt you.

Give yourself permission to feel anxious.

Calm yourself with positive self-talk.

Breathe slowly through your nose.

Let go, float, and flow.

Distract yourself, it is only anxiety.

Use the adrenaline in a positive pursuit.

Don't let a bad day scare you.

Give yourself credit for how far you've come.

Let time pass, IT WILL GO AWAY!
TOOLS FOR COPING SKILLS

When you begin to practice, expect yourself to experience some anxiety.
You are doing something that you have been afraid of or avoiding for a long time, so anticipatory anxiety is appropriate. You may have some physical reactions such as lightheadedness, palpitations, sweaty palms, etc. It is your past memories of these situations that create your anxiety response. Try to switch your thinking to more realistic thoughts like: "My body is only bluffing me. I will let go and not fight the feelings."

Whenever you feel the fear rising, WAIT.
Don't run to your safe place immediately. Research has shown that if someone leaves a situation while in a state of panic or high anxiety, they have more difficulty returning the next time. If you have to leave, just go far enough away for the anxiety to lessen. Allow yourself time to recover before going home.

Watch the fear rise and let it fall.
Notice that it comes in waves. In the past, you have run at the first sign of fear and didn't give yourself a chance to see it go down.

Rehearse going into a situation in a positive way.
Focus on rational thinking and use your THOUGHT SWITCHING CARDS (cards with a relaxing scene with you in the scene such as an ocean front, gardens, waterfalls, etc.) often until their influence is felt. Practice thought stopping.

Place emphasis on what you do, not what you feel.
Remember, you are learning that YOU CAN FUNCTION WITH DISCOMFORT. Experiencing anxiety gives you an opportunity to practice coping with it. Remember, comfort is a desire, not a need. Try to function with the fear. Accept it; don't fight it.

Try to focus on things outside of yourself.
It is this constant internal focusing that pumps you up. Listen to what other people are saying, focus on things in the shop window, count backwards from 100 by 3, engage in conversation, listen to what is being said on the radio, imagine yourself in some pleasant place, touch something soft, recite to yourself the states and their capitals, or any other thing that will get your mind off of your feeling.

Remember to go slowly.
Try not to rush because this tends to pump the body up and make the anxiety worse. If you have to leave, leave as slowly as possible. Imagine yourself in slow motion.

If you begin to feel lightheaded, try one or all of the following:
(a) Breathe slowly through your nose to the count of 4 and then exhale through your mouth to the count of 4. (b) Always practice breathing through your nose, slowly.

Try to remain in the present.
It is the constant fear of what you are GOING to feel that keeps you anxious. Say to yourself, "If this is the worst it gets, can I stand it?" Identify what you are feeling at the moment; don't add to it by jumping into the future. Deal with it from moment to moment.
10 GOLDEN RULES FOR COPING WITH PANIC

Remember that although your feelings and symptoms are frightening, they are neither dangerous nor harmful.

Understand that what you are experiencing is merely an exaggeration of your normal reactions to stress.

Do not fight your feelings or try to wish them away. The more willing you are to face them, the less intense they will become.

Don't add to your panic by thinking about what "might happen." If you find yourself asking, "What if?" tell yourself "So what!"

Stay in the present. Be aware of what is happening to you rather than concern yourself with how much worse it might get.

Label your fear level from zero to 10 and watch it go up and down. Notice that it doesn't stay at a very high level for more than a few seconds.

When you find yourself thinking about fear, change your "what if" thinking. Focus on and perform some simple, manageable task.

Notice that when you stop thinking frightening thoughts your anxiety fades.

When fear comes, accept it, don't fight it. Wait and give it time to pass. Don't try to escape from it.

Be proud of the progress you've made. Think about how good you will feel when the anxiety has passed and you are in total control and at peace.

There's lots of advice online. Here's one of many sites…

http://www.anxiety2calm.com/faqs.shtml

This link might be particularly useful…

http://www.phobics-society.org.uk/condition_panic.php

http://www.phobics-society.org.uk/index.php