How To Control Panic In A World Of Misery
Panic is felt deep within your chest.
Your heart pounds like a drum set. Your breathing becomes short, as if a snack was constricting your lungs.
Panic sucks!
It causes you to think nasty thoughts, do desperate things, and react poorly in many ways.
Your emotional panic is controlling who you are.
Right now, there's no shortage of panic. Everything seems to involve a panic attack.
The virus is going to kill us all! Thousands of businesses will go bankrupt. Millions will lose their job. Life as we know it will never be the same you read.
My jaw clenches, my fists squeeze, and my fingers angrily hit the keyboard as I write that.
Panic. Anxiety. Stress.
A shitty cocktail that clouds your mind worse than a liter of tequila.
Nows is a time of worldwide panic, but in the panic, we must remain calm.
I know it seems impossible, but nows not a time for excuses.
Here's how to address your panic.
Acknowledge it and let it be.
The first step to addressing your panic is to recognize it, then progress to acknowledge it.
If you don't know you're in panic mode, you won't know how it's controlling your emotions and behavior.
Yesterday I wasn't in the best mental state. I slept like shit, and my whole day felt as though I was on edge and mentally overwhelmed.
I knew what was going on. I felt it. I noticed it. I acknowledged it.
This was the first step to me thinking clearly.
I then let it be.
It's okay to feel this way. To have these shitty emotions, on a shitty day, in what feels like a shitty time.
But is it that shitty?
My answer will be different from yours, but whatever it is, just let it be.
Once I acknowledged my emotions and let it be, I prioritized a great night of sleep. I was back in control.
Don't be cheap and invest in your sleep.
If you sleep like crap, you're going to feel like crap.
In a time of panic, you must prioritize sleep. Many things play into what a great night's sleep looks like, but prioritizing these things, will help you destress and relax.
You can't jump into bed, knock out eight hours of high-quality sleep, and feel perfect the next day.
Sleeping takes a strategy:
Eat a well-balanced diet. No processed junk.
Avoid alcohol four hours before bed.
Eat three hours before bed.
Turn off screens two hours before bed.
Block all light in your room.
Keep your room cold.
Turn off all blue lights a could hours before bed.
Amp up your oxytocin with hugs and cuddles.
Relax!
Committing to a night of great sleep will help you address other areas of your life.
Now is a time to make good sleep a priority.
When in doubt, breathe it out.
This deserves repeating.
When in doubt, breathe it out.
When I'm in panic mode, my breathing becomes shallow, and I'll hold my breath.
When I do that, my type-A aggressive mode comes out.
It's not fun.
I feel like shit after I bark at the people I care about.
When I notice my emotions controlling me, I breathe, four seconds in through my nose, seven-second pause, and eight seconds out my mouth.
I'll do this a few times, and it works wonders. If it works for me, it'll work for you.
In a time of panic, you must take the steps to address it and control your emotions.
