Learn to OBSERVE rather than ‘react’ to the panic
4. Test Pilot mode
It can help reduce Misinterpretation and Catastrophisation if you describe (to yourself) how you feel as if you were an outside impartial OBSERVER.
Imagine you were a TEST PILOT reporting your feelings and experience to ‘ground control’.
Do it in a ‘factual’ rather than ‘emotional’ way. So for example instead of worriedly saying “These thoughts are scary…what is wrong with me… will I NEVER get better ..am I going insane etc etc”
DESCRIBE the feelings without further ‘interpretation’
ie. “These thoughts are scary”,
“I feel a tightness in my stomach”
“I feel VERY uneasy – it is coming in waves.. etc etc”
This will help you feel more in charge of the situation. It also means you aren’t trying to block the feelings but nor are you ‘catastrophising’ them.
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