Impermanence

Everything in our world is constantly changing whether we like it or not. We can be married to someone for years and still have totally different feelings about them on a daily basis. Seasons change in the blink of an eye, and even our climate is changing (most unfortunately).

So with the knowledge that things in our lives are ever changing, why do we, as anxiety sufferers tend to believe that we are going to be permanently stuck in a state of panic or worry when our symptoms impose themselves on us? We feel that this particular panic attack is going to be the “big one”, that it’s the one that is going to make us crazy and we’re going to spend the rest of our lives in this state in a padded room.

The answer is because we are bewildered and terrified of the symptoms that are being thrown at us by our minds. The dizziness, the hyperventilating….you know the drill. How many panic attacks have you had that haven’t put you over the edge? The recovery from a panic attack can feel exhausting but the fact is that you’re still here and you’re still powering through. A panic attack cannot hurt you. It’s a misinterpretation from the fight or flight response. It’s a misfire.

The truth of the matter is that these panic attacks and your anxiety don’t define you. The depth of your suffering may sometimes feel infinite, but there is ALWAYS an end to it. Your body wants to keep you safe. It wants homeostasis. You are safe and you are loved.

Lucas Renshaw

Certified RIC/CBT Coach