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The Surprising Result of Wanting to Panic
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David Carbonell, Ph.D.
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Dec 31, 2006 12:52 PST
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THE ANXIETY COACH®
Helping People Thrive in an Anxious World
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Volume 7, Issue 12
IN THIS ISSUE
Dr. Carbonell relates a story that explains the paradoxical
nature of the panic trick.
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INDEX
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1. Dave's Note
2. The Surprising Result of Wanting to Panic
3. About The Anxiety Coach®
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Dave's Note
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Decembwer 31, 2006
Dear Reader,
This month's article is a reprise of an article that first
ran in October of 2004.
If you're a professional therapist in Oregon, or nearby,
you might be interested in my day-long workshop, "Treating
Anxiety, Panic, & Worry". I'll present it there on these
two occasions:
January 25: Eugene, OR
January 26: Portland, OR
For information and registration, visit www.pesi.com.
Happy new year!
Dave Carbonell
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The Surprising Result of Wanting to Panic
by David A. Carbonell, Ph.D.
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I gave my lecture, "Recovery from Panic Attacks" at a Long
Island library this month, and a woman in the audience
shared a story that I thought was worth sharing with you.
She described a history of panic attacks in a variety of
situations, but the one that troubled her the most was
driving. She became quite limited in her driving due to the
panic attacks she experienced while behind the wheel.
One day she began to panic while driving with a friend, and
the friend told her "Sing! Sing the Star Spangled Banner!"
This woman didn't really want to, but feeling desperate
enough to try anything, she sang the Star Spangled Banner
as instructed. Sure enough, her panic attack subsided as
she sang.
That's interesting, but it's not the most interesting part
of her story. I've often recommended singing as a helpful
response to a panic attack. It offers a distraction
combined with the change in breathing that usually comes
from singing, and is often a good way to interrupt an
attack.
The most interesting part of her story was that she was so
surprised and pleased with the results that she wanted to
try it again. She was actually curious enough to want to
have another attack, so she could try out her new singing
routine again.
In this regard, she was disappointed. She didn't have any
more attacks while driving. She had them elsewhere - the
problem didn't simply go away - but she didn't have them
while driving any more.
Do you see why?
An essential ingredient to a panic attack is that you have
to fear the attack, and wish to avoid or resist it. In her
case, she *wanted* to have another one so she could see if
the singing continued to work for her. This desire removed
an essential ingredient to panic attacks - the fear and
loathing of another attack.
People have often told me how they have wished they could
have a panic attack while meeting with their internist, so
he or she could see what they were talking about. But this
never happened for them either. For the same reason.
Simply singing the Star Spangled Banner won't cure you of
panic attacks. Nor will "pretending" that you want to have
another one. But anything that helps you lose your fear of
having an attack will make it less likely to occur. That's
how exposure treatment works. Exposure is essentially a way
to practice with panic. It's with practice that you lose
your fear.
Practicing with panic, as part of an exposure program, is a
great way to lose your fear of panic. When you lose your
fear of panic, that's when it tends to go away.
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THE ANXIETY COACH®
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The Anxiety Coach® is a publication of the Anxiety
Treatment Center, Ltd. The Center is a small group of
clinical psychologists who specialize in the treatment of
anxiety problems. The Center has offices in Chicago and
several nearby suburbs.
Dr. Carbonell, a licensed psychologist, is the founder and
director of the Anxiety Treatment Center.
The information contained in this publication is not a
substitute for consultation with healthcare professionals.
Each individual's health concerns should be evaluated by a
qualified professional.
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SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
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To unsubscribe, follow the link at the very end of this
newsletter.
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CONTACT INFORMATION
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David A. Carbonell, Ph.D.
Anxiety Treatment Center, Ltd.
E-mail: dcarb-@anxietycoach.com
Web: http://www.anxietycoach.com
5105 Tollview Drive, Suite 103
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
847.481.5251
© 2006, Anxiety Treatment Center, Ltd.
All rights reserved.
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