Ever have so much anxiety that it causes a panic attack? Without any thought or reason, that you can think of, you start feeling increased energy, shaking, vision changes, dizziness, tightness in chest, not enough air.
“Catastrophic Thinking is at the core of panic"
We all have experienced unexpected, spontaneous physical sensations and possibly even entertained a catastrophic interpretation such as ‘could this be something serious’
Anxiety and panic can make you feel like your life is limited or ruined. It causes you to avoid gatherings, going to the super market for groceries, missing major life events or even causes loneliness because you fear being around people. It’s not like you don't want to engage or meet people, because you do!
You really wish you could accept the promotion at work but your anxiety won’t allow it. It would mean more business meetings, more eyes on you, fear of judgment.
A common element of panic is catastrophic thinking.
These Automatic Anxious Thoughts pop in your head:
Fear of dying from a heart attack , suffocation or brain tumor.
Fear of going crazy. “I’m losing my mind” coupled with fear of extreme embarrassment.
Fear of having another or several more uncontrolled intense panic attacks. Catastrophic Thinking is at the core of panic. It is the pivotal event in creating and increasing panic.
Through Cognitive Therapy you can learn how to counter this catastrophic misinterpretation of physical sensations so that anxiety does not escalate into panic. Stop spending most of your time worrying about panic attacks, trying to figure out when or what will cause the next one.
Through therapy and utilizing learned coping skills you can lead a more fulfilling and positive life.
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