On March 9th we celebrate National Panic Day, but do not have a panic attack. Today is not about that, but acknowledging how stressful modern life has become and how to find better ways to cope with this chaos.
A panic attack is defined as irrational behavior caused by sudden stress or anxiety. People who suffer from panic attacks have little to no control over how their body reacts to this extreme moment of stress. This is why panic attacks frequently occur in public places often resulting in injuries or even death.
This informal holiday is not about building up more fear and anxiety but about better understanding those who suffer from panic attacks and finding ways to cope with stress and anxiety. It is also about understanding that you’re not alone, that most people today live under constant stress, this being perhaps the worst health pandemic the world has ever known.
How Panic Attacks actually work
Panic is an irrational response to a stress stimulus. Stress is a result of the negative beliefs that run our software in the background. The first step in overcoming stress is observing our thoughts. The easiest way to do this is by meditating. The purpose of meditation is to allow you to pay attention to your thoughts so that you can understand what are the thoughts that cause your stress, and thus, your pain and suffering. Keep prompting yourself that a panic attack is momentary, and it will pass.
In this world, we all have two main layers: our ego and our higher selves (who we really are). The ego is our facet into this world, our persona, without which we could not experience life. And this is the reason we incarnate, to experience the truth about who we are. So far so good.
Most people are unaware of this and believe that the “rational” voice in their heads is who they are, and believe every word it says. This voice is the rumbling voice of the ego, who lives in constant fear of not being enough, not having enough, not doing enough. Our true self knows we are eternal spirits and life is just a fleeting split second.
Panic is a fear response from the ego.
The natural human state of 'being' is love, trust, and hope. With every passing second, we have the opportunity to choose again who we want to be and how we want to live. Love and fear are the two ends of the same rope. Choose wisely!