The Panic Trick, part 1

Dr. Carbonell explains how panic is a trick, and how you can use this knowledge to achieve recovery from panic and phobias.

[@AyeshaRabab]

Your workbook changed my life. i don't know how to thank you. If you suffer from panic attacks, please don't waste any time. Get the book. Nothing has helped me more than the guided CBT it contains.

[@taradaktyl]

You truly understand what panic attacks feel like, unlike many counselors out there. Thank you!

[@ringbolt9]

this is spot on ...same as claire weekes says and she is the pioneer in this field

[@drewb1263]

Yea shes unbelievable, so greatful for her recordings

[@jaydeesfield3575]

Great advice. The trick got me today, and it will in the future. But as soon as I perceive the "threat" as discomfort as opposed to danger it becomes less of a big deal. Thanks Mr. Carbonell! (his book is really recommendable too)

[@LifegrindX]

I liked how you phrased "danger or discomfort". I've heard similar ideas before but never put in such a digestible way, thank you! A wonderful tool to internalize.

[@rachelluvskitties3286]

i recommend his book!! the best I've come across

[@asifqabil]

thank you dr carbonell.i have suffered for 10 years, this is by far the best and most useful techniques.many many thanx and carry on with what youre doing

[@BrettCrain]

Thank you for your helpful information. I've been using the techniques outlined on your website and they are certainly working for me. I had convinced myself over the years, along with developing phobias, that there was a chemical imbalance in my brain; I'm now able to see what I'm going through much more clearly and am learning how to better respond to the panic attacks. Thank You and keep up the good work!

[@davecarbonell]

Glad you liked it. Thanks for writing.

[@Savageboi506]

For me it's usually in the morning, I just start thinking about how I could throw up or have a panic attack. If I have heartburn or are feeling full or I'm hungry it gets worse, because my stomach or throat don't feel completely normal and I associate that with the possibility of vomiting. Even if those feelings are absent, I start focusing on my throat and my epiglottis specifically and start worrying that I won't be able to breathe, or again will throw up and my throat is indicating that.

[@DavidPT40]

I read Dr. Carbonell's book. I have found it necessary to re-desensitize myself to situations. Like the good Dr says in the book, it's not easy. But it is definitely worth it.

[@davecarbonell]

And once you've committed it to memory, it keeps working automatically for you, helping you find a useful response. Thanks for writing.

[@chris-jt9ox]

The best advice and help I seen yet

[@MakeMarcAMillion]

Conceptually I get it. I've gotten 4 of the major books recommended. Dr. Carbonell's workbook, Hope and Help for your nerves, When Panic Attacks, and Panic Away. I know through and through that it is FEAR that keeps the panic alive and not danger. Knowing this has kept me out of the hospital (now) but has not removed the fear. I try to "float" through my activities like Dr. Weekes says but it doesn't work for me and I feel so hopeless like I can never be cured, honestly.

[@peace8096]

MakeMarcAMillion Hey. How are you now? Its been five years.

[@alejandrocanales8326]

did you ever recover?

[@MultiFreddy34]

MakeMarcAMillion I totally get what you're saying. Because I basically feel the same. I've found some comfort in these books, but never a cure sadly.

[@mirr1984]

What psychologists like David Carbonell tell you is correct: it is the method to overcoming agoraphobia, panic disorder and anxiety in general, however they always tend to leave an important aspect out of their methods -- Frequency and length! In order to overcome an anxiety disorder you need to perform exposure therapy at least once a day (frequency); and to maximize its affect, you need to stay in the exposured enviroment for at least two hours (length). A lot of people with agoraphobia dread exposure so much that they tend to convince themselves they've done enough exposure for one day when in reality they've only dipped their toe into hot water. I'm guilty of this myself and spent years wondering why exposure therapy wasn't working for me. Or deep down I kind of knew I was slacking, but facing exposure was too taxing to bare. This is why you would make exposure therapy a gradient -- small steps! A good analogy of someone slacking is those who don't want to go into a supermarket: they tend to rush in, focusing on exactly what item(s) they want, head straight for that aisle, grab the item and head for the nearest checkout; and if they can get away with it they will use a self service checkout to avoid queues and interacting with people. After they get out of the shop they will tell themselves: 'That's my exposure therapy done for the day'. Sound familiar? 1. You need to exposure yourself to something you genuinely fear. You know this by simply asking yourself: what is it I really don't want to do. And you'll know this because you'll always pick something easier that you "feel you can handle". That means that you're not really scared of it. That it's draw more from inconvenience than fear. 2. You need to VOLUNTARILLY exposure yourself to that environment. This means that you're conscious of your decision to enter that environment of your own free will. By doing this it will use a different coping mechanism in your brain which is more centered around curiousity and learning rather than survival. That way your brain will start to recondition itself away from feeling anxious. 3. You need to perform this task daily. At least once a day, if not twice. The more you do it, the faster and more efficiently it works. Exposure therapy isn't about removing anxiety, it's about becoming braver. It's impossible to remove anxiety because it's part of human biology -- it's what keeps us alive! What happens in exposure is we become braver. Once you overcome something difficult you will get a dopamine rush and the serotonin in your brain starts to function properly again. All of a sudden you will feel like taking on another challenge. This is when the ball starts to roll and you should seize that opportunity. The reason for this is because agoraphobia isn't a fear of places or people or things, it's a fear of having a panic attack in those places. You don't fear a bus, you fear having a panic attack on a bus where it might be difficult to escape, especially without drawing attention to yourself. 4. Stay in the place or situation for at least two hours if possible. The reason for this has two sides: firstly because it takes about two hours for your anxiety levels to return to normal. Now this might sound daunting but the reality is, the majority of your anxiety will drop in the first twenty to thirty minutes. If you look at that graph depicting the state of anxiety then you will notice a sharp drop in the first thirty minutes; however, it takes approximately two hours for it to fully normalize. And secondly, to allow your mind some time to condition itself to the environment so it doesn't maintain participatory anxiety in the future. Remember, you have to perform this numerous times in order for it to work.

[@judithgomez2815]

@@mirr1984 this is a totally awesome explanation. Thank you soooo much for taking the time to write it. May I ask how you are doing? I have a teen daughter who is doing so bad with her anxiety. She tells me she feels its 24/7. It is painful just to hear her say this. She says the she lives in fear 24/7. Lately I found her crying because she says she feels she’ll never heal from this. And because she says she is feeling soo angry and she doesn’t know why. She says she doesn’t want to feel like this but she can’t control it. I can’t even talk to her because anything I say irritates her. I don’t even know what else to do. Do you have any other recommendations? Thank you so much! 🙏

[@michellesmith5994]

Your book changed my life thank you!

[@ClixCFC]

Same

[@ivannovoselac3518]

Are you recovered?

[@ClixCFC]

@@ivannovoselac3518 me no still 3 months in

[@ivannovoselac3518]

@@ClixCFC is it getting better?

[@ClixCFC]

@@ivannovoselac3518 yes

[@itsmeashli1987]

Thank you! Your video and website has helped me tremendously!

[@abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz3010]

We are a species that has the capacity to becomes afraid even when we are in no danger, only by thinking scary things, or hearing or seeing scary things. Wow. Pretty good explanation.

[@EricLancheres]

Thanks Dave, your help is appreciated!

[@dnn8350]

@davecarbonell What about when the discomfort potentially IS a danger - for example, experiencing extreme fear in a high mountain situation, when cool judgement is a prerequisite for safety?

[@cleosdoc]

Thank u for all u do!😊

[@WhiteSugarFive]

But, I can accept that it's discomfort, but it doesn't eliminate the fear. I can accept that it's not real, but I still have the fear. It's as if I am not fearing, that it's flowing through me to make me fear. I fear that if I keep fearing what ever it is that I'm fearing that in the end I'll end up manifesting to make it become reality.

[@davecarbonell]

Thanks for the compliment!

[@GaryEdge88]

@WhiteSugarFive You must work on the accepting the physical feeling of fear. Instead of saying to yourself, Oh no I am having a panic attack, say to yourself, Just a physical feeling, i know scary, but it's just a "feeling". Rather adding second fear (fear of the first flash of fear) accept your fear and it will gradually pass. Purchase Hope and Help For Your Nerves by Dr. Claire Weekes.

[@emsgotcurls8D]

thanks so much :-)

[@abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz3010]

I have a question: what if I ask myself "is it danger or is it discomfort?" but I respond to myself "it is discomfort" and then I have another thought that says "but what if it IS danger, this time?" and so on and so on? How do you I end this ocd-ish loop?

[@davecarbonell]

Once you recognize that you're in this loop - and you can recognize it by the repetition of the same "what if?" question - then, rather than opposing it or trying to end it, just notice you're in that loop, remind yourself that you're just having another "what if?" thought, and practice acceptance of having that thought as you go on about your business. Don't argue with it, that just keeps it coming!

[@abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz3010]

@@davecarbonell hey David, thank you very much for your detailed answer :) it will be very useful, especially in this covid times

[@davecarbonell]

@@abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz3010 Also check out the material on my website, including this piece about coronavirus anxiety: www.anxietycoach.com/coronavirus-anxiety.html

[@MisterrrGonzalez]

"and we chew on some nachos" my fav part... thanks for your videos

[@MakeMarcAMillion]

I have the exact same problem.

[@pretheeshgpresannan4172]

wait for the discomfort to leave first before we leave , probably how brain unlearns bullshit. 🤔

[@WhiteSugarFive]

@GaryEdge88 But, I don't have panic attacks, and I never have had one. It's all mental.