Typically, feelings of fear and anxiousness are valid: You're in danger or something terrible is going to happen and your body readies itself to react to it.
But when you suffer from a panic disorder, you have these very same feelings, yet they are false or greatly exaggerated.
Often times, these are a result from irrational thoughts.
At the time, these thoughts will seem completely realistic, but they're not.
This kind of neurotic thought distortions serve no useful purpose because they aren't related to any real danger or threat.
Common Distortions Fortune-Telling: In this scenario, you complete some prophecy which ultimately something terrible happens.
You might be at a party (or thinking about going) and you tell yourself that you don't want to meet anyone because you'll "just end up saying something stupid.
" Or maybe you're cleaning the gutters of your house and you say to yourself, "This is dangerous, I might fall!" Mind-Reading: Here you are telling yourself that people are looking down on you or judging you, despite no real reason to think this.
Let's say your boss sends you an email that she needs to see you in her office.
You immediately start saying to yourself, "I'm in trouble.
She probably doesn't like the report I just finished.
" Or maybe you over-hear co-workers organizing a lunch outing and you start to think "they won't invite me, they all hate me.
" Both of these kinds of thought distortions have no basis in reality and serve as the seeds to quickly grow into full-fledged panic for the sufferer.
3 Easy Steps in How To Deal With Panic Disorder Thoughts The first of the steps is to recognize when you're starting to get anxious or experience negative thoughts which are distorted.
Write them down so you can remember them later (this is important).
If they are building into a full-fledged panic attack, take steps to immediately deal with this by employing relaxation techniques or find something to occupy your mind.
The next step is to go through with the situation if aren't experiencing an attack.
Go see your boss about what she wanted.
Finish the gutter work.
Go up to your co-workers and ask to tag along.
Chances are, your fears were completely unfounded and you'll come away with this understanding.
The last step is to go back to your journal and write down what really happened.
Did your boss really chastise you or your work? Did you fall and break your neck.
Do your co-workers really hate you? Write these down next to your earlier feelings to denote how unrealistic your thoughts were.
By doing this, and re-reading this journal from time to time, you'll begin to see patterns of negative, distorted thoughts and how you and more effectively think them down.
But when you suffer from a panic disorder, you have these very same feelings, yet they are false or greatly exaggerated.
Often times, these are a result from irrational thoughts.
At the time, these thoughts will seem completely realistic, but they're not.
This kind of neurotic thought distortions serve no useful purpose because they aren't related to any real danger or threat.
Common Distortions Fortune-Telling: In this scenario, you complete some prophecy which ultimately something terrible happens.
You might be at a party (or thinking about going) and you tell yourself that you don't want to meet anyone because you'll "just end up saying something stupid.
" Or maybe you're cleaning the gutters of your house and you say to yourself, "This is dangerous, I might fall!" Mind-Reading: Here you are telling yourself that people are looking down on you or judging you, despite no real reason to think this.
Let's say your boss sends you an email that she needs to see you in her office.
You immediately start saying to yourself, "I'm in trouble.
She probably doesn't like the report I just finished.
" Or maybe you over-hear co-workers organizing a lunch outing and you start to think "they won't invite me, they all hate me.
" Both of these kinds of thought distortions have no basis in reality and serve as the seeds to quickly grow into full-fledged panic for the sufferer.
3 Easy Steps in How To Deal With Panic Disorder Thoughts The first of the steps is to recognize when you're starting to get anxious or experience negative thoughts which are distorted.
Write them down so you can remember them later (this is important).
If they are building into a full-fledged panic attack, take steps to immediately deal with this by employing relaxation techniques or find something to occupy your mind.
The next step is to go through with the situation if aren't experiencing an attack.
Go see your boss about what she wanted.
Finish the gutter work.
Go up to your co-workers and ask to tag along.
Chances are, your fears were completely unfounded and you'll come away with this understanding.
The last step is to go back to your journal and write down what really happened.
Did your boss really chastise you or your work? Did you fall and break your neck.
Do your co-workers really hate you? Write these down next to your earlier feelings to denote how unrealistic your thoughts were.
By doing this, and re-reading this journal from time to time, you'll begin to see patterns of negative, distorted thoughts and how you and more effectively think them down.