In yesterday’s edition of The Anxious Morning I talked a bit about the need to experience the natural end of a panic attack and the natural decrease in anxiety and agitation that occurs when we allow it to occur.
When I talk about that, invariably a few people stand up and want to tell me that theirs never ends.
“I have panic attacks that go on for days!”
This is a common assertion in the community. But while it may feel like your panic goes on for days and days, it does not.
Physiologically, human bodies do not have the ability to maintain a full blown fight or flight life and death alert state for days on end. That is a high intensity, short duration physiological state. We just don’t have the juice to actually panic for 8 hours, or 4 days straight.
Biology. It matters.
Usually when I point this out, a person that insists that they do panic for days will re-think that assertion and will fall back to a lesser claim. They might say that they feel on the edge of panic all day, or that they feel afraid all day. Then we’re getting somewhere.
You can be afraid all day. You can feel on the edge of panic, or the edge of some horrible disaster, all day. That can happen. But that is not uncontrollable level ten five alarm panic. That’s just being anxious and uncomfortable for long periods of time.
Naturally you don’t want that, but it is important to understand that you are not in a blind panic from Tuesday to Friday. You are likely agitated, uncomfortable and anxious from Tuesday to Friday, and you could be experiencing panic attacks multiple times from Tuesday to Friday. Panic can come in waves, but just like the ocean, it does subside between peaks. That is VERY different than saying that you live in a state of panic during every waking moment.
Why is is important to make this distinction? It matters because for most people, the state of panic is the “forbidden” state that they must never be in because they have no control, can’t do anything, and are totally helpless. This is not true, but the perception matters. Thinking that you are living in that state all the time leads to the logical but incorrect conclusions that you can do nothing to change things, that you have the worst anxiety in the history of the world, and that nothing can help you.
Recognizing the breaks between panic attacks gives you some initial room to work in. It cracks open the door and lets in some light. It offers a first ray of hope, and sometimes that’s what’s needed to get things moving in a new direction.
So if you want to respond to this by telling me that I am wrong because you are in a state of panic all the time or for days on end, stop and think about it. How would that even be biologically possible? And if it is biologically possible for you, then I assume that you are one of the new alien overlords so … welcome to Earth. We have cookies and cake here. Help yourself.
I am not particularly interested in saving time; I prefer to enjoy it. - Eduardo Galeano
Every Friday I’ll share one of my favorite quotes. They’ll often have direct application in recovery, but sometimes they’re just generally funny, inspiring, or thought-provoking. I hope you enjoy them.
105. Your Panic Attacks Do Not Last For Days And Days