Welcome to that anxiety guy episode six how panic attack can become panic disorder. Hello everybody Drew here that anxiety guide

dot com thanks for swinging by to listen today we're going to talk about something

that I think is pretty important we're actually going to take panic attacks and panic disorder all the way back to the beginning in your life.

And in my life too, I guess. So we're going to talk about how a panic attack and the first few panic attacks in your life can become panic disorder.

We're going to talk about that mechanism.

We're going to go over the difference between panic attacks and panic disorder.

And we're going to talk about why understanding that and really getting your brain

around it can really change the direction you go in terms of recovering from panic and anxiety

issues in your life.

It really does make a big difference, it's important. So let's think back to the very first time that you ever had a panic attack.

We don't want to dwell on it because we don't want to freak anyone out, but just think back on it for a few seconds.

And I'm guessing, if you're like me the thing that comes

rushing back when you think about that very first episode is probably two

things there's fear and fear was huge for me I thought I was dying the first time I had a panic attack. I was convinced of it.

And then there's confusion or bewilderment. I know Claire Weeks, Dr Weeks calls it, or called it, bewilderment a lot, because it's a new experience it's something that we've not

had happened to us before the first time it ever happens so you're confronted with these

extremely powerful physical sensations and feelings and we know all about panic symptoms

so we don't have to go over them now but extremely powerful wave of symptoms that

sure don't feel good and then that kind of triggers an even bigger wave in your mind of catastrophic thinking and what if thinking and oh my God and that just brings on huge intense waves of fear.

So by all accounts in that very first situation, that first panic attack, that we've never experienced before in our lives, we are 100% convinced, and rightly so, that we are in absolute mortal danger.

Most people will say that the E they thought they were going to die or be

severely physically damaged by something like a stroke or they were going to go insane or

...