If you have never experienced a panic attack, it usually begins with an unexpected physical discomfort, such as chest pressure or pains, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, weakness, shakiness, a case of the jitters, or feeling vaguely unsettled or "weird."

 

Mysteriously, this often occurs for no medically detectable reason. Being human with imperfectly functioning physiologies, we are all vulnerable to ephemeral physical symptoms.

 

But the anxiety-prone person, rather than ignoring those discomforts, dwells on them, magnifying and prolonging them by thinking: "I must know precisely why I'm feeling like this; I absolutely must be certain it's not serious; I must never lose control or act crazily; I absolutely must not do something stupid or look foolish; I must have a guarantee I'm not going to die; I must not make myself panic."

 

 

Fired with such unrealistic notions, the anxiety-prone individual creates out of thin air feelings of fright, panic, hysteria, and finally depression, while rigidly avoiding uncomfortable situations and increasingly circumscribing his or her life.

 

Is there a solution to this syndrome, which has reached epidemic proportions?

 

Thankfully there is and it's called Three Minute Therapy (TMT). TMT is a modern comprehensive cognitive-behavioral approach based on Albert Ellis's Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT).

 

TMT helps sufferers successfully complete the two-stage process for long-term relief by targeting the panic-creating "musts."

Step one consists of the sufferer recognizing that the "musts"--but not the preferences--are totally false; that although it would be highly preferable to avoid discomfort, it's never a must. You don't always have to feel entirely comfortable and you usually won't.

 

Although it would prove lovely never to unduly upset yourself, being human and imperfect you assuredly will some of the time. And, in the unlikely worst case scenario, even if you do lose control, go crazy or even die, that's profoundly sad, but if it happens, it happens--and worrying is surely no cure.

 

Step two consists of thoroughly convincing yourself of the truth of those insights. You accomplish that by persuasively, vigorously, persistently confronting and contradicting those unrealistic musts until you give them up.

 

Also by practicing pushing yourself to do the things you are terribly afraid of doing and by reconfirming with these actions that great discomfort is never horrible, but rather tends to diminish as you consistently face, rather than avoid, it.

Three Minute Therapy can help you significantly if you are the victim of panic attacks. There is no need to suffer in silence.

 

(Text by Jessica Lord)