How to Have Panic Attacks (on a plane)

[@dr.v_speaks]

As a therapist and someone with severe anxiety and a fear of flying, this was gold!! I always tell myself in uncomfortable situations, “go ahead, do it…have the panic attack…just have a nice big one to get it out of the way”. And of course, nothing happens! 😂😂 amazing how the mind works! Surrendering to it, frees you from it!

[@everybodyhasabrain]

This sounds like a wonderful practice. The mind is amazing and hilarious!

[@Razumichinn]

I had a panic attack on a plane yesterday, it was fun! I'm planning on having another one in a month🎉

[@everybodyhasabrain]

Congratulations! 🎉💥 This is the way! 😁🙌

[@imasheep2baaa518]

Lol I love this 😂

[@kelseyking24]

😬 I’m trying to have one in a couple weeks too

[@virtualanxietytherapy]

I am a therapist who treats OCD and Phobias. I can't believe that it took me this long to find your channel. Thank you so much for this material!

[@everybodyhasabrain]

Thanks for helping people on their journeys!

[@leonski100]

11 years ago, I came across your channel and started watching Beat OCD. Being diagnosed with OCD and Autism, I found you channel fantastic, inspiring and most importantly motivating. I want to say Thank You! Thank you for helping me suppress the most of my compulsions and gave me peace with the chaos. I still reflect and return at times when I start loosing my way and the compulsions being to reappear. It’s life long journey!. Keep up the awesome work!

[@everybodyhasabrain]

Thank you for the kind words. I'm so glad these tools have been useful as you've been exploring the wilderness of life! Congratulations to you on turning this videos into practical action in your own life. Always feel free to stop by the channel to rest and recharge for a bit on the journey :)

[@thedude8526]

The best way to get over this stuff is exposure and laughing it off as it happens. I have to remind myself occasionally, when I take life too serious, that this is all a game, and I should treat it as such.

[@derekkam1375]

Thank you! I haven't laughed for a while when watching self-help videos. This one is rich in content and also fun to watch. Great work!

[@everybodyhasabrain]

😁🙇‍♂️

[@wutru20]

I'm flying in 12 hours for the first time ever. I have always suffered from dizzyness and am going to do it!

[@everybodyhasabrain]

Enjoy inviting the dizziness along for the ride!

[@pnda111]

How did it go?

[@wutru20]

@@pnda111 awesome, if i didnt get on that plane i would have never known my brain was wrong and I CAN and WILL explore the world ❤️.

[@juliadesiree2021]

I'll travel today (not by plane but by train) and I'm having all kinds of uncomfortable feelings, from sadness to anxiety to panic. This video calmed me down so much, I don't know what just happened. Apparently, sarcasm helps me.. Thank you ❤

[@everybodyhasabrain]

You're welcome! I hope you had fun taking the brain on that train adventure with all of the feelings! That's very kind of you to take the brain on a trip :)

[@beatrizwiltenburg5106]

Mark, I'm not very good with English, so sorry... but watching your videos has been so, so valuable in my OCD recovery process. You speak exactly about the things I feel and am going through and the lessons are so, so valuable! Thank you so much for this!

[@everybodyhasabrain]

Thank you for the kind words, Beatriz :) It's great to hear the videos have been useful!

[@eprkya]

Watching your videos for the first time after reading your book. You are amazing!! I can't wait to learn more about ROCD & panic attacks through you. Many thanks!

[@everybodyhasabrain]

Thanks for reading the book and watching the videos! As you're applying the skills from the book, feel free to ask any questions on the journey 😁

[@austinweeks6437]

Just found your page, I’ve dealt with panic attacks my whole life, I’m flying to Texas which is a 2 hour flight from where I’m at. I’ve dealt with severe severe panic attacks and I will be flying solo for the first time and it’ll be in about 1 month and a half, and I’m already freaking out about it

[@everybodyhasabrain]

I hope you had a fun adventure!

[@redbeardsbirds3747]

Not so long ago I had a sudden and unexpected panic attack followed by waves of disturbing intrusive thoughts while laying back in the dentist’s chair and undergoing a root canal procedure ( basically tooth surgery) ….and it felt very similar to the panic attack I had on a longish plane trip from Atlanta to California….and I mean all the way to California and the flight back ! 🫨 The funny and strange thing about this dentist panic attack experience was..after the procedure was finally over I had admitted to the dentist’s assistant that I was very anxious and actually had a panic attack during the procedure..but to my surprise she just laughed and said….oh wow you seemed very calm to me dude.. you were very easy to work on compared to most of the people we see! lol That made me feel proud even though I couldn’t believe it was not as obvious to them that I was indeed having a silent panic attack …now I’ll be happy to go back and feel the excitement again ! 😅 I think the dentist chair panic attack experience is somewhat similar to the plane seat panic attack experience…your strapped in for the ride..no turning back buddy 😳 New subscriber..enjoying your content ! 👍

[@everybodyhasabrain]

Thanks for sharing about that experience!

[@toby109tt6]

This is so funny... Such a smart way to explain things I love it!

[@everybodyhasabrain]

@@toby109tt6 😁🙌

[@Amina-cw1em]

Great video! Yes! The halo. The absolute avoidance is critical and key -- avoiding any and all triggering films, ideas, places, and/or conversations, even singular words lol. Even today, just the premise of that new reality hulu documentary, BS High, looked too scary for me lmao. 10/10 would not watch before any trip.

[@everybodyhasabrain]

So critical!

[@jordanborba]

Wow this is FANTASTIC! 😂😂 Your videos just get more + more hilarious/helpful! The best combination! Thank you for taking time to do this for us all 💛😊 Helps so much!

[@everybodyhasabrain]

Thanks so much, Jordan! 😁🙌

[@JosiahSCooper]

I think a lot of the idea's behind exposure and response prevention, is that there's a belief of choice. There's a theory of choice in which way we go: if we are going to just experience our feelings and thoughts, or compulsively react to get rid of the disliked and or unwanted ones. There's also, a belief in cause and effect - one - thing leads to another. For example: If I avoid my feelings and thoughts, I will therefore get more of them and vice-versa. It's not that you're removing "compulsions" from your life, it's that you're _replacing_ the conceptual framework - so - that the mind see's the new habits (to accept your thoughts and feelings) as "healthy" and "functional", rather than the "dysfunctional" and "harmful" ones. I don't think anyone really "wants" to have a panic attack - they just do - and to me that was the _scariest_ part of anxiety was the sense of hopelessness (something so, painfully, spontaneous and random). I did find this video to be funny though, as someone who's dealt with so many panic attacks. People would say to me "it's a choice". No matter how hard I tried, nothing was sufficient. I couldn't stop trying to let go, instead of actually letting go - because - it wasn't a decision I was really making. That just is what it is too. Is it doubt to say "I couldn't"? Is doubt intrinsically the wrong or bad thing? No. It too wouldn't necessarily be right or wrong, just as letting go wouldn't either. But that introduces us to a metaphysical nihilism, that's inescapable - and - the "ego", if anything, vehemently hates the non-answer (lack of direction).

[@andresuvz]

😄😄 I love this video. This point of view helped me to realize how easily can we get trapped in compulsions Thanks Mark. Great video 🙌

[@everybodyhasabrain]

Thanks! Indeed, it is so easy to get caught up in those compulsions that create even more unwanted experiences to do compulsions around.

[@anubhavsrimani1267]

In three months i a trip planned and and need to go in four short plane rides . Well cant wait to have my panik attack and complete the trip

[@SerendipityArtandGaming]

I’m flying in less then 24 hours and this was a nice change in videos

[@everybodyhasabrain]

Have a fun adventure!

[@mahashrayasundararaman1562]

Pretty fantastic delivery - it would‘be taken me a bunch of takes to not laugh through the last bit about holding the wine.

[@everybodyhasabrain]

Thanks! 😁🍷🥂

[@catherinelee6964]

New subscriber, great so see a video that's not all doom and gloom, it really made me laugh 😅 makes the solution so obvious!

[@everybodyhasabrain]

Thanks! :)

[@LeeAriel-en8nl]

Oh my God I have panic attack and I have asthma so this too got me really worried and I’m going to back to the state visiting my family and I haven’t been on stage for four years and I was so worried I was thinking so much and when my mom is asking all these things and I’m, I’m scared to leave my dog in the cat in Korea, even though just for 10 daysI’ve already feel like I’m gonna die but watching your video where they call me down just think like watching it I don’t know why I was afraid. I think it is all that doubting myself and not trusting myself that’s major issue.

[@caroleccles5095]

😂 great video!, it really gets the point across. Thank you.

[@everybodyhasabrain]

Thanks, Carol!

[@linusolmin9313]

This is your best video yet :) 😂

[@everybodyhasabrain]

Thank you!

[@TheDreamTeamProject]

Great acting Mark 😂😂😂 coming from a proffessional 😂

[@everybodyhasabrain]

Thank you! 😁🙌 that means a lot coming from an actual professional!

[@Ishowconten]

What's the worst that can happen panicking till I black out sounds fun

[@everybodyhasabrain]

I think we can imagine far worse catastrophes if we ruminate about it for several years.

[@Ishowconten]

@@everybodyhasabrain that sounds like a fun mindless adventure

[@everybodyhasabrain]

@@Ishowconten 🤣🙌

[@AnotherCaroline176]

Another tip is to leave your carry on at TSA and notice you dont have it about 30 minutes before boarding and not have a way to get it back, but still have your boarding pass and passport so you can spend 8 hours on the plane wondering if it was stolen and people can get in your computer and steal your identity etc... Fun times

[@everybodyhasabrain]

@@AnotherCaroline176 that is another great practice! 🧳✨️

[@JenniferMeyer84]

You didn't have to come for me so hard. 😂

[@everybodyhasabrain]

😅

[@smart7bit]

😁😁 Entertaining AND very helpful video. And wow, what a view 😍

[@everybodyhasabrain]

😁🙌

[@falrex7961]

Thank you so much!!!!

[@everybodyhasabrain]

You're welcome!

[@rickytiago3892]

Mark would it be possible to make a video on overcoming ocd whilst transitioning through abusive circumstances (ie, need the mental health to get a job to eventually move out but get triggered into ocd and have to code switch at home in order to avoid major conflict and abuse, get triggered also in learning new behaviours not learnt in childhood etc)

[@linus430]

My unprofessional opinion is that focusing on getting over ocd is the wrong way. If you need to get rid of a feeling before you can proceed with life you are going to be stuck. Your focus should be on building mental strength to be able to go on even though you are having those feelings. I'm sorry for what you are going through. I'm thinking though, why not get a job and risk being fired.

[@everybodyhasabrain]

I make all of my videos assuming people are experiencing difficult circumstances and have had or are encountering traumatic experiences. But as Linus mentioned, I'd watch out for the IF X THEN Y patterns you're getting stuck on. Believing that you need a very specific video to start practicing skills, or need some particular feeling or state of mental health before getting a job are classic OCD patterns. It's the same reason somebody with a contamination obsession might feel they need to get a specific clean feeling before leaving the house. What you're mentioning is the same. So no especially unique tips necessary. With cutting out any compulsions and making changes, we're learning new skills and teaching our younger selves new tricks. Enjoy exploring that learning!

[@rickytiago3892]

@linus430 @everybodyhasabrain thank you for the info guys ❤️

[@shawnleong3605]

I don’t really suffer from panic attacks, and thus I don’t experience them on planes. But I have anxiety attacks and gosh the tense feelings arising from ocd when I’m in the plane is not fun at all, especially when they surface in an enclosed environment

[@everybodyhasabrain]

I don't eat donuts. I just eat dough in ring shapes with stuff on top.

[@ImMooful]

Getting on a plane in a week, thank you so much for this step by step tutorial ❤️👍

[@everybodyhasabrain]

Enjoy NOT following this tutorial!

[@JaSh-j7v]

Lmao. Best title ever

[@everybodyhasabrain]

A handy guide!

[@kevinmccourt6546]

I had a panic attack recently on a flight which lasted the whole duration of the flight (6 hours). For some reason accepting the symptoms and letting them wash through me was not helpful like it usually is and I was in an anxiety hell. I eventually became so desperate to get off the plane that I asked the flight attendant if we could land at the nearest airport. She looked at me like I was insane. It was so traumatising that I now have a phobia of flying

[@everybodyhasabrain]

What do you define as "helpful"?

[@kevinmccourt6546]

In this situation I would say that observing the thoughts and feelings and not getting involved with them would be helpful in teaching the brain that there’s no threat. I thought I was pretty skilled at this, but my confidence has been shattered after this overwhelming experience

[@everybodyhasabrain]

@kevinmccourt6546 Trying to tell ourselves there's no threat when we're panicking, can easily turn into a gas-lighting scenario and just like any cleaning compulsion. The purpose of accepting an experience is not to get rid of it. If we're doing that, then it's natural we don't get rid of it, because we're telling the brain it's a bad thing we should get rid of! What you experienced completely makes sense if you were trying to get rid of the uncomfortable feelings. The brain is working totally normally.

[@kevinmccourt6546]

So next time what should I do differently when this panic inevitably comes over me on my next flight? I know the answer is probably “nothing”, but this recent experience was so intense that I’m not sure how to sit with that again

[@kevinmccourt6546]

@everybodyhasabrain how do you overcome a fear of flying? I’m super uncomfortable with being so high up in the air and I was in extreme distress my last flight. I want to travel but the thought of flying again is terrifying so I feel stuck

[@MattLees-Nunan]

Very entertaining😂

[@everybodyhasabrain]

Thanks, Matt!

[@Dadaxox]

Mark, I had a panic attack a while ago that left me in pretty rough shape. My body (muscle spasms, heart racing, and so many more symptoms) and mind are in survival mode. So I am getting so many intrusive and bothersome thoughts that are not me. And this is what I am scared of which is a never ending loop of fear. How do I approach this.

[@hiya1399]

You are correct when you say, "bothersome thoughts that are not me" Your thoughts aren't you. You're attaching meaning to your thoughts when you have them and that is causing you anxiety. You are not your thoughts. Mark has a few great videos on how to allow your thoughts (whatever they may be) and continuing on with whatever it is that you're doing while learning to not attach meaning to them 💜

[@linus430]

I had the exact same loop, I broke it by focus on doing what I want to do. I would get panic attack feel completly broken but keep on going with my life even though I thought I'd never be the same again. It's amazing, the skills I have built from that.

[@Samueltheagent89]

Haha love this

[@everybodyhasabrain]

Happy flying, Samuel!

[@LadyGodivaish]

Lol 😂

[@robinvogt1472]

i had to go on a 5 hour flight doctor gave me medication it was only way im very claustrophobic and i made it

[@everybodyhasabrain]

I found it useful to take a different approach.

[@naseemreema90]

I am also claustrophobic… what would be the best approach to overcome the fear of feeling enclosed in a plane with no escape.