This relaxation to cope with panic script can help you to manage the symptoms experienced during a panic attack, and return to a state of calm.
Before doing this relaxation exercise, please remember the following:
– You can pause or stop this script at any time if you need or want to do so. If you find that your anxiety increases while listening to this script, here are some things you can do:
1) Wait it out. Anxiety will not last forever, and if you are able to endure the anxiety it will eventually decrease.
2) Distract yourself. Doing something else to occupy your mind and take your mind off of the anxiety can help reduce the anxious feelings.
3) Physical activity. When you experience panic or anxiety, your body is ready to fight or flee from danger. Doing something physical like walking, pushups, or jumping jacks will make use of the stress response and help the anxiety symptoms lessen.
Please remember that at any time during this script, you have the choice to wait out the anxiety, distract yourself, or do physical activity with or without continuing to listen to the script. The most important thing you can do right now is to take care of yourself, and that means choosing the response that is most healthy for you at the time.
The relaxation to cope with panic script will begin now.
If you are experiencing a panic attack right now, you probably feel afraid. Even though you are terrified, you are okay. The symptoms you experience are not going to hurt you. They are a normal and natural response that will pass.
However frightening this experience is, it will not last. It cannot last. Your body will not remain in this mode because there is another normal and natural response your body is equipped with to counteract the stress response.
It is called the relaxation response. While you wait for the relaxation response to begin, you might want to do some calm breathing.
You can breathe right now. Even if it does not feel like it, you are getting enough oxygen. Your body knows how much air it needs. Notice that you are able to breathe out, right now, as if you are blowing out a candle. Take a breath in, and then imagine blowing out one small candle with a little puff of air.
Breathe in, slowly…. hold that breath… and now breathe out, slowly. Let out all the air.
Breathe in…. hold…. and out…..
Keep breathing slowly… in…. and out….
Breathe in again, and then hold up one finger in front of you, as if that finger is a candle. Feel the air on your hand as you blow out forcefully through your mouth, blowing out the candle.
You can repeat this if you like. Or if you would rather, just continue your slow, gentle breathing.
Notice how your body naturally controls your breathing. You are getting just the right amount of air.
Continue to breathe naturally, deeply, slowly.
Look around you now at your surroundings. See and hear the environment around you. Notice that there is no real danger at this moment. Even though you may feel afraid right now, this fear will pass because it is not based on anything that is here in this moment.
Look around…. is there anything to fear? Is there anything you can do to make your environment feel more safe? Some people feel more comfortable if they turn a light on, or phone a friend, or read a book… even getting up and moving around a bit sometimes helps people feel more calm…. what works for you?
Maybe none of those things are helpful right now, and that’s okay, because the feeling of anxiety will pass. Even if you do nothing more besides simply wait it out, the anxiety will decrease…. get smaller and smaller….. until it goes away…. leaving you feeling calm.
You don’t need to do anything at all right now…. there is nothing you need to think about or focus on or try to do…. no effort is required really at all…. if you choose to, you can just sit passively….. just noticing your surroundings and noticing your breathing becoming calmer and calmer….
You are okay. Even though you might not feel okay right now…. you are okay.
You might want to center yourself by turning your attention now to your hands. Rub your palms together, warming your hands. Feel the friction between your two hands as you rub them together. Feel your hands warming.
See how much more grounded you feel as you notice the sensation of your hands rubbing together, you hear the swishing sound of your hands rubbing together, and you see the movement of your hands. Allow this action to help you feel centered… grounded… maybe even a bit more calm.
You can relax your hands whenever you want. Feel the feeling of relaxation as you allow your hands to just rest.
Anxiety is a normal and natural process… it is perfectly okay to feel anxious right now, although it can be terrifying. You may notice the feeling passing… you might be a bit less anxious now than you were a couple of minutes ago.
Notice that the state of your mind and body is always changing. Each moment differs from the next, even if only in the smallest ways. Five seconds before this moment, you were not at the same level of tension or relaxation that you are at now. You may have been more calm or less calm, but in some minute way, different. And now… you are feeling different yet… and now….. and now….. each moment passes by quietly, and you are more or less relaxed…. always changing…..
This change is a wonderful fact. It means that you cannot be as anxious moment to moment, and the anxiety cannot stay at one level. Anxiety cannot stay. Feel it slipping away, even further from your mind right now….
You are okay. The way you feel is okay.
If you want to, you can accept the way you are feeling, good or bad, right in this moment. Know that the way you feel is fleeting, changing…. but accept… accept wherever you are at….
If you want to relax right now, you can allow the body’s natural relaxation response to occur. This response will happen, regardless of what you do, to bring your body back to baseline…
You can rest now and just listen to the following affirmations. If you want to repeat them, please do so. You will probably find that you feel more and more relaxed and calm as you repeat or listen to these calming phrases.
Everyone feels anxious from time to time. It’s okay to be anxious.
I accept the way I am feeling right now… whether anxious or calm…. I accept where I am at.
I know that anxiety will pass.
I feel more and more calm, moment by moment.
I am starting to feel more relaxed.
I can relax my body by breathing slowly in…. and out.
I relax my muscles and allow my body to rest.
I can feel myself becoming more calm and relaxed, without any effort at all.
I accept how I feel in this moment, because it’s okay to feel however I am feeling right now.
I will be okay.
I am okay.
I am feeling even more calm than I was a moment ago.
I am feeling quite relaxed.
I can choose to relax even more.
I am calm.
I am relaxed.
Peaceful.
Relaxed.
Relaxed.
Continue to relax for as long as you wish. You can continue to repeat calming affirmations until you are as relaxed as you want to be.
I’ll end this script by counting to 3. When I reach 3, you can continue relaxing, or return to your usual level of alertness.
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