Hi and welcome back to the podcast I'm Dr. Ellen Hendrickson and every week I'll help you

meet life's challenges with evidence-based research, a sympathetic ear, and zero judgment.

We'll use the best of psychology to help you be happy, healthy, and most importantly, yourself.

Panic is no picnic. You get hit with a tidal wave of fear, your body short circuits, and you think this is the end. You're dying or you're going crazy. In short, it's a pretty awful feeling, and the one in four Americans who have experienced

it often go for months or even years without knowing what panic is or what to do about it.

So previously on the podcast, we covered symptoms of panic disorder and its dastardly

sidekick agoraphobia.

But this week, we'll talk about what to do about them.

So of course, working with a trained cognitive

behavioral therapist is going to be your best bet, but here are six methods you can

try on your own. So tip number one is practice having the sensations you're afraid of. So I know I know So, But hear me out on this one. So interpreting the symptoms, like a pounding heart or feeling light-headed,

as dangerous, like thinking I'm dying,

throws fuel on the fire.

And then your symptoms snowball, and over a matter of moments you find yourself

in the throes of a full-blown panic attack. So try inducing the very symptoms you're afraid of

to practice having them outside the context of an attack,

attack, and then you can stop seeing them as dangerous.

You'll learn that your body can handle a racing heart or a tight throat.

And when you practice having your own symptoms, you're always in

control and you'll get the chance to habituate. Or as I like to say, your brain

will get bored. So if you're worried about a pounding heart, hop on the treadmill.

If you're terrified of feeling dizzy, sit in an office chair and spin around and around.

...