Mark S. DeBord, LCSW, LLC
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BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF PANIC and MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

12/30/2015

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Panic or panic attacks can be quite frightening.  Many who experience panic do not recognize what is taking place initially and mistake the symptoms for a heart attack.  Visits to the ER are common until one determines that the symptoms are due to a “misfiring” of a normal protective system that is built in.  If one has a few of these, the symptoms can quickly become what is feared most.
A Management Strategy:
1.       IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET A GOOD PHYSICAL CHECKUP IN ORDER TO ENSURE THERE ARE NO PHYSICAL PROBLEMS/ RISKS.
2.       Medication can help control symptoms and allow for the focus and determination to use the Cognitive Behavioral Strategies that follow.
3.       Understanding
a.       Panic is a natural protective function of the body and mind that increases alertness and even physical strength for a short period of time to allow one to protect themselves or otherwise respond to a real danger.  The cause of Panic Attacks is not absolutely known, but can be considered a misfiring of this natural protective system.
b.       There is real danger that is present continually in that there is always risk and uncertainty in life – most of the time we simply do not pay attention to it.  We take a risk getting out of the bed in the morning, but generally we do not see this as a particularly great risk!
c.       We are always taking calculated risks!  We certainly do this when we get in a vehicle to go anywhere, but the risk is compared to the potential benefit.  So we take calculated risks in order to receive the benefit.  Again, we just do not always pay attention to the fact that that is what we are doing.
d.       Some people are more comfortable with taking greater risks and there is not a right or wrong about those choices.  Where some would never consider skydiving, for instance, others would do it for the thrill, sense of accomplishment, etc.  Where some would vehemently avoid public speaking, others might put themselves in those situations on purpose in order to advance their career or out of a sense of responsibility to share their experiences or an important message.  Bottom line is that we are always at risk of uncertain events or outcomes.
4.       Learn to relax (there is a relaxation exercise on the Links and Resources page of my website).  There are so many ways to relax that I won’t go into that here, but you will not find it difficult to discover a variety of methods/ activities with a little research.  You may want to find something you can use immediately in those times where you may experience acute anxiety, but also something you can do more routinely to increase your ability to tolerate the normal stresses of life.  Relaxation can help minimize the panic symptoms.
5.       Relaxation can help you tolerate the discomfort of exposure to those situations that trigger the panic.  Exposure simply is placing yourself in the situations that have triggered the panic.  When we avoid those situations, they become even more fearsome; therefore, we want to “expose” ourselves to them in spite of the discomfort until they become much less uncomfortable.  (A therapist may be of some help as some have a difficult time getting through this important part of the strategy.)
6.       Remember that “although rotten things may happen or I might be uncomfortable, I can tolerate it, I can survive it”.  People do not die from panic!

​(To learn more about Panic Disorder please visit the Health Library on the Links and Resources page of my website where you can search for Anxiety Disorders and find a link to Panic Disorder on the left hand side of the page.)


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Motivation - "Where Do I Get Some?"

12/23/2015

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Generally, people are motivated by a “what’s in it for us” attitude which means that in order for us to make changes in our lives, whether that it to stop a behavior or to pursue a behavior, a connection/ awareness of potential benefits is critical.  All too often we are aware of the short-term benefits and less aware of the long-term benefits.  Short-term benefits can over time lead to increased problems or at least a shallow or hollow result – an example might be spending money outside one’s budget on routine basis in order to satisfy a variety of desires where there is immediate gratification, but over time debt overshadows that gratification and results in financial stress.

Motivation does not have to be something provided by someone or something outside ourselves and one’s poor behavior or dissatisfaction in life is not the result of someone else failing to provide motivation.  When motivation is viewed in this manner, such as one who is waiting for a raise at work in order to be motivated to do a good job or one who is waiting for their spouse to act a certain way before making efforts to love well, it can become an excuse for poor behavior placing the responsibility on others.  Indeed, external factors do often provide motivators for people, but these motivators are generally temporal.  Increased income, for instance, may be a motivator; but, generally that motivation dissipates rather quickly once obtained.

Motivation is not something that one has to wait on to show up.  Exploring what is important in life and making decisions about values is an evolutionary process as people experience life with their eyes wide open.  In other words, as people experience life on purpose, they tend to refine and revise their beliefs/ values as they collect information and understanding and try out ideas.  This is the maturation process in action.  Too often people live on automatic pilot just doing what others expect, rebelling against what others expect or just doing what they have always done.  This tends to result in a general dissatisfaction and disillusionment with that pursuit of happiness.  The more one behaves in keeping with their chosen values, the more in sync with themselves they feel.  People who are feeling out of sync with themselves often have not understood the power they have to make those value choices and to continually evaluate the long-term benefits. When one lives with the attitude that the world and others must anticipate and then provide desires and goals (that may not have even been fully acknowledged or articulated) they set themselves up for continual disappointment.

If you are feeling somewhat unmotivated, this is a great time of the year to make some decisions to evaluate/ re-evaluate your beliefs/ values and make some choices about how you might live those out in the coming year.  Ask what is important to me?  If you have trouble identifying those, you might do a Google search on values and beliefs to spark some thoughts.  Ask others you admire about their values and what serves as motivators for them.  Try some things out and approach this self-discovery as an interesting journey/ quest with the long-term goal of finding greater satisfaction and meaning in life.
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