From Panic Disorder to Malfunction and How You Can Solve It

Have you ever felt like your body is completely going out of control for no apparent reason? Your heart races, your breathing quickens, you start to sweat, and it feels like you have no control anymore. These are typical symptoms of a panic attack. While this can feel frightening, a panic attack is essentially a brilliant protective mechanism of your body. But what if this natural response turns into a problem?

You might want to rename your panic disorder to panic malfunction: it is not a sign that something is 'wrong' with you, but rather a temporary glitch in your internal system. Just like a computer can freeze, your body can get caught in a loop that activates itself repeatedly. It is possible to break this malfunction, but how?

What happens during a panic attack?

A panic attack is actually a survival mechanism that kicks in when your body experiences extreme stress. It puts you in the so-called 'fight-or-flight' mode:

• Your heart rate increases to pump more blood to your muscles.

• Your breathing changes to take in more oxygen.

• You start to sweat to cool your body down.

• You feel pressure in your chest, as if you can't get enough air.

All of this happens to protect you and eliminate excess stress hormones. It is an automatic reset of your system.

When does panic become a malfunction?

A panic attack is not dangerous in itself, but the problem arises when you become afraid of the panic attack itself. This creates a vicious circle:

1. You experience a panic attack.

2. The fear of a new attack causes additional stress.

3. This stress triggers another panic attack.

Thus, an endless loop is created in which panic continues to feed itself. You get stuck in a pattern that seems increasingly difficult to break.

A malfunction in "your system"

Instead of seeing yourself as someone with a 'disorder', you can view it differently: your system has a bug. The beauty of this approach is that you can understand that a bug can be fixed. Your body and mind always want to heal and return to balance.

Just as you can reprogram a computer, you can reset your internal system.

But how do you break the vicious circle?

1. Understand the trigger

Every panic loop starts somewhere. Often there is an underlying cause that you have not consciously noticed. This could be an unprocessed experience, prolonged stress, or a specific situation that your brain has labeled as 'dangerous'.

2. Work with your unconscious

Much of what causes panic takes place at an unconscious level. Your consciousness tries to understand the symptoms, but this can backfire. By using techniques such as hypnotherapy, you can communicate directly with your unconscious mind and address the original trigger.

3. Reprogram old patterns

During a panic attack, your body follows a set pattern. By reprogramming this, you learn to respond differently to stress. This can be done through relaxation techniques, visualizations, and rewriting negative thoughts.

4. Stop the feedback loop

It is also important to reduce the fear of fear. When you stop being afraid of panic, the loop can no longer feed itself. When you consciously understand this principle and work unconsciously to reduce the fear through the above points, you will at some point internally know that the panic attack will no longer occur. Then your fear will disappear.

Ready for a reset?

A panic attack does not have to take over your life. With the right approach, you can break the loop and take back control. It is not a matter of being 'stronger', but of managing how your system works more intelligently.

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