Stop having panic attacks: beginner's step by step guide
TLDRDr. Ali Mattu, a clinical psychologist, explains how to stop panic attacks through exposure therapy, coping skills, and grounding techniques. He details the physiological responses during a panic attack and how classical conditioning associates normal sensations with danger. The video outlines various exposure exercises to confront fears, differentiates between safety behaviors and coping skills, and offers grounding techniques for depersonalization and derealization. Dr. Mattu emphasizes the importance of professional guidance for severe anxiety and encourages viewers to engage with his community for support and further learning.
Takeaways
- 📖 Understanding panic attacks: They involve a sudden rise in at least four symptoms and can feel like they're coming out of nowhere due to classical conditioning.
- 🧠 Association process: Your mind associates normal physical sensations of anxiety with a real sense of danger due to past experiences.
- 🏃♂️ Exposure therapy: Identify what you're afraid might happen during a panic attack and use exposure exercises to recreate those sensations.
- 📝 Document fears: Write down what you're afraid might happen, perform exposure exercises, and note if your fears come true to break apart associations.
- 🚴♀️ Physical exercises: Activities like hyperventilating, running in place, or holding your breath can help simulate panic attack sensations.
- 💡 Coping vs. safety behaviors: Coping skills help you stay in contact with your fears and learn from them, while safety behaviors prevent learning.
- 🌬️ Breathing exercises: Slow, deep, controlled breathing can trigger the parasympathetic nervous system to calm you down.
- 🧩 Grounding skills: Techniques like the 54321 method and engaging in familiar activities can help with depersonalization and derealization.
- 📞 Reach out: Connecting with someone can provide support and help distract from panic sensations.
- 🩺 Seek professional help: Consider therapy or medication if self-help techniques are insufficient.
Q & A
What are the initial steps to stop having panic attacks according to Dr. Ali Mattu?
-The initial steps include understanding what happens during a panic attack, using exposure therapy, coping skills, and grounding skills.
What are some common symptoms experienced during a panic attack?
-Symptoms can include a sudden rise in at least four of these: heart palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, dizziness, chills or hot flashes, and a feeling of detachment from reality.
How does classical conditioning relate to panic attacks?
-Classical conditioning involves associating certain sensations with danger. For example, if someone experiences anxiety in a stressful situation, their mind may later associate similar physical sensations with danger, triggering a panic attack.
What is exposure therapy and how is it used to treat panic attacks?
-Exposure therapy involves confronting fears by recreating panic sensations in a controlled environment. This helps break the association between physical sensations and the sense of danger.
What are some exposure exercises mentioned in the script?
-Examples include hyperventilating for one minute, breathing through a straw for two minutes, holding breath for 30 seconds, sitting with a head covered by a blanket for one minute, and running in place with high knees for two minutes.
What should be done before starting exposure exercises if someone has health problems or a history of trauma?
-They should consult with a doctor if they have health problems, and those with a history of trauma might need to master coping and grounding skills first before trying exposure exercises.
What differentiates coping skills from safety behaviors?
-Coping skills help manage anxiety while staying in contact with the feared situation, promoting learning and breaking associations. Safety behaviors provide immediate relief but prevent engagement with the fear, hindering learning.
What is one example of a coping skill to manage panic attacks?
-One example is slow, deep, controlled breathing, which activates the parasympathetic nervous system to calm the body.
What is the 'dive reflex' and how does it help with panic attacks?
-The dive reflex tricks the body into thinking it is diving into water, which also activates the parasympathetic nervous system, calming the body.
What are grounding skills and when are they particularly useful?
-Grounding skills help individuals feel connected to the present moment, their body, and mind. They are particularly useful for those experiencing depersonalization or derealization during panic attacks.
Outlines
😌 Introduction to Stopping Panic Attacks
Dr. Ali Mattu, a clinical psychologist, introduces his approach to stopping panic attacks using exposure therapy, coping skills, and grounding skills. He shares his background and goal of offering free psychological advice. The first step is understanding panic attacks and their symptoms, which often appear out of context, causing fear and anxiety due to classical conditioning.
🏃♂️ Exposure Therapy Techniques
Dr. Mattu explains the importance of exposure therapy in addressing panic attacks. He advises writing down fears associated with panic attacks and offers various exercises to recreate panic sensations. These exercises include hyperventilating, holding breath, using a heavy blanket, and physical activities. The goal is to practice these exercises to break the association between sensations and fear.
🧘 Coping Skills for Anxiety
The video discusses developing coping skills to handle anxiety. Coping skills are contrasted with safety behaviors, which provide immediate relief but hinder progress. Effective coping skills include controlled breathing, the dive reflex, physical activity, and connecting with others. These skills help reduce anxiety and maintain contact with fears, facilitating the breaking of fear associations.
🌍 Grounding Skills for Panic and Dissociation
Grounding skills are essential for dealing with depersonalization and derealization, common in panic disorder. Techniques include the 54321 method, creating lists, visualizing familiar places, and experiencing intense sensations. These skills help individuals feel connected to their body and environment. If struggling, consulting an anxiety expert or psychiatrist is recommended.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Panic Attacks
💡Exposure Therapy
💡Coping Skills
💡Grounding Skills
💡Classical Conditioning
💡Parasympathetic Nervous System
💡Safety Behaviors
💡Depersonalization
💡Derealization
💡Dive Reflex
Highlights
Introduction to stopping panic attacks using exposure therapy, coping skills, and grounding skills.
Dr. Ali Mattu's background: from almost flunking high school to becoming an assistant professor at Columbia University.
Understanding panic attacks: sudden rise in symptoms and the role of classical conditioning in associating normal sensations with danger.
Explanation of exposure therapy: importance of gaining new experiences to break associations with panic sensations.
Exposure exercises: hyperventilating, breathing through a straw, holding breath, using a blanket, and other physical activities to recreate panic sensations.
Tracking progress: writing down fears, practicing exposures, and evaluating if fears come true.
Coping skills vs. safety behaviors: how coping skills help reduce anxiety and enhance learning while safety behaviors inhibit it.
Breathing techniques: slow, deep controlled breathing to trigger the parasympathetic nervous system and calm the body.
Dive reflex: using cold water to trigger the parasympathetic nervous system and calm down.
Physical activity: importance of getting active to manage the body's response to panic.
The Doctor's quote on fear: using fear as a superpower to become more alert and capable.
Connecting with others: reaching out for support during panic attacks.
Grounding skills: engaging the senses with the 54321 technique to stay present.
Engaging in familiar activities: using well-known activities or places to counteract depersonalization and derealization.
Seeking professional help: considering therapy or medication if self-help methods are insufficient.
Transcripts
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