It is often observed that many people’s top ranking fear is not death but having to speak in public. The joke is that these people would rather be lying in the casket at the funeral than giving the eulogy. Public speaking for people who suffer from panic attacks or general anxiety often becomes a major source of worry weeks or even months before the speaking event is to occur.

These speaking engagements do not necessarily have to be the traditional “on a podium” events but can be as simple as an office meeting where the individual is expected to express an opinion or give verbal feedback. The fear of public speaking and panic attacks in this case centers on having an attack while speaking. The individual fears being incapacitated by the anxiety and hence unable to complete what he or she is saying. The person imagines fleeing the spotlight and having to make all kinds of excuses later for their undignified departure out the office window…

This differs slightly from the majority of people who fear public speaking because their fear tends to revolve around going blank while speaking or feeling uncomfortable under the spotlight of their peers. The jitters or nerves of speaking in public are of course a problem for this group as well‚ but they are unfamiliar with that debilitating threat which is the panic attack‚ as they most likely have not experienced one before.

Public Speaking and Panic Attacks
So how should a person with an anxiety issue tackle public speaking?

Stage one is accepting that all these bizarre and quite frankly unnerving sensations are not going to go away overnight. In fact‚ you are not even going to concern yourself with getting rid of them for your next talk. When they arrive during a speech/meeting‚ you are going to approach them in a new manner. What we need to do is build your confidence back to where it used to be before any of these sensations ever occurred. This time you will approach it in a unique‚ empowering manner‚ allowing you to feel your confidence again. It is said that most of the top speakers are riddled with anxiety before speaking‚ but they somehow use this nervousness to enhance their speech. I am going to show you exactly how to do this‚ although I know that right now if you suffer from public speaking and panic attacks you may find it difficult to believe you can ever overcome it.

My first point is this and it is important. The average healthy person can experience an extreme array of anxiety and very uncomfortable sensations while giving a speech and is in no danger of ever losing control‚ or even appearing slightly anxious to the audience. No matter how tough it gets‚ you will always finish your piece‚ even if at the outset it feels very uncomfortable to go on. You will not become incapacitated in any way.

The real breakthrough for if you suffer from public speaking and panic attacks happens when you fully believe that you are not in danger and that the sensations will pass.

“I realize you (the anxiety) hold no threat over me.”

What keeps a panic attack coming again and again is the fear of the fear — the fear that the next one will really knock your socks off and you feel you were lucky to have made it past the last one unscathed. As they were so unnerving and scary‚ it is your confidence that has been damaged by previous anxiety episodes. Once you fully understand you are not under any threat‚ then you can have a new response to the anxiety as it arises while speaking.

Defeating public speaking and panic attacks…

There is always a turning point when a person moves from general anxiety into a panic attack‚ and that happens with public speaking when you think to yourself:

“I won’t be able to handle this in front of these people.”

That split second of self–doubt leads to a rush of adrenaline‚ and the extreme anxiety arrives in a wave like format. If‚ however‚ when you feel the initial anxiety and you react with confidence that this is not a threat to you‚ you will move out of the anxiety rapidly.

Using this new approach is a powerful ally because it means it is okay to feel scared and feel the anxiety when speaking — that is fine; you are going to feel it and move with and through the sensations in your body and out the other side. Because he or she is feeling very anxious‚ often before the talk has begun‚ that person may feel they have already let themselves down. Now‚ you can relax on that point. It is perfectly natural to feel the anxiety. Take for example the worst of the sensations you have ever experienced in this situation — be it general unease to loss of breath. You will have an initial automatic reaction that says:

“Danger… I’m going to have an episode of anxiety here and I really can’t afford that to happen.”

At this point most people react to that idea and confirm it must be true because of all of the unusual feelings they are experiencing. This is where your thinking can lead you down a train of thought that creates a cycle of anxiety that produces a negative impact on your overall presenting skills.

So let that initial “oh dear‚ not now” thought pass by‚ and follow it up immediately with the attitude of:

“There you are — I’ve been wondering when you would arrive. I’ve been expecting you to show up — by the way‚ I am not in the least threatened by any of the strange sensations you are creating — I am completely safe here.”

Public Speaking and Panic Attacks

The key to controlling your fear of public speaking and panic attacks is that instead of pushing the emotional energy and excitement down into your stomach‚ you are moving out through it. Your body is in a slightly excited state‚ exactly as it should be while giving a speech‚ so release that energy in your self–expression. Push it out through your presentation not down into your stomach. You push it out by expressing yourself more forcefully. In this way you turn the anxiety to your advantage by using it to deliver a speech where you come across more alive‚ energetic and in the present moment.

When you notice the anxiety drop as it does when you willingly move into it. Fire a quick thought off when you get a momentary break (as I am sure you have between pieces)‚ asking it for “more”. You want more of its intense feelings as you are interested in them and are absolutely not threatened by them.

It seems like a lot of things to be thinking about while talking to a group of people‚ but it is not really. You’d be amazed how many different non–related thoughts you can have while speaking. This approach is about adopting a new attitude of confidence to what you might have deemed a serious threat up until now. This tactic will truly help you with fear of public speaking and panic attacks you have associated with them.

If your predominant fear of the speaking engagement is driven by a feeling of being trapped‚ then I would suggest factoring in some mental releases that can be prepared before the event. For example‚ some meetings/speeches allow for you to turn the attention back to the room to get feedback etc. from the group.

If possible‚ you might want to prepare such opportunities in your own mind before the engagements. This is not to say you have to ever use them‚ but people in this situation often remark that just having small opportunities where attention can be diverted for the briefest of moments can make the task seem less daunting. It my even be something as simple as having people introduce themselves or opening the floor to questions. I realize these diversions are not always possible and depend on the situation‚ but anything you can factor in that makes you feel less trapped or under the spotlight is worth the effort and can help alleviate fear of public speaking and panic attacks.

I hope you have found this public speaking and panic attacks page helpful. Please give it some careful consideration and you will realize it contains the truth.

For more indept, step by step methods of curing panic attacks, CLICK HERE:http://wendellselfhelp.blogspot.com
Enjoy,
Wendell

panic attacks self help information No Comments July 22nd, 2011

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That is not only sad, it is dangerous because continually suffering with panic attacks can lead to anxiety disorder (the constant fear of having another anxiety attack). When this happens all life decisions are ruled by the fear of suffering yet another attack.

Needless to say, this can damage your lifestyle, friendships, love-life and even threaten job performance.

This results of panic attacks are that the sufferer will often withdraw from normal everyday activities, such as:

* Planning holidays or travel.

* Leaving your home, or being alone.

* Making appointments or socializing with people, for fear that you might have to excuse yourself half way through.

* Giving a speech or presentation, for fear of having a panic attack.

Common Symptoms Of A Panic Attack

If you are unsure whether you, or someone you love is suffering with a panic attack, then here are some common symptoms that you should look for:

* A Racing Heart

* Chest Pain

* Palpitations

* Difficulty breathing

* Headaches

* Sweats

* Bowel Troubles

* Nausea

* General Fatigue

* Dizziness

* Insomnia

* Butterflies in the Stomach

* Difficulty Swallowing

* Constant Fear Of Impending Doom

* Depression

* Agoraphobia

* Sudden Panic

* Irritability

* Social Nervousness

* Feelings Like You Are Going Crazy Or Losing Control

* Feeling Alone And Out Of Place

* Believing That There Is No Hope Of Normality

* Social Phobia

* Disturbing Dreams And Thoughts

This is not a complete list but any combination of the symptoms mentioned there should very well point to panic attack as the cause. If you are suffering with these symptoms you should take action to get your attacks under control before they increase in frequency.

Immediate Action You Can Take To Help Panic Attacks

Many people have found it helpful to learn what can exacerbate anxiety and lead to panic attacks. Simple items such as food can amplify anxiety, or make a panic attack much more probable.

Foods like:

1 Processed Foods (lunch meats, chips, packaged snacks)

2 Caffeine (in coffee, tea, chocolate)

3 Energy Drinks (Red Bull, Monster, Rockstar etc.)

4 Sugar (in the form of sucrose, glucose, corn syrup)

The Truth About Alcohol And Panic Attacks

Though having a stiff drink may seem like an obvious way to “calm the nerves,” you need to understand that alcohol dehydrates the body and this causes the body to feel tired and fatigued. It also reduces blood sugar levels and causes vitamin depletion as well.

Even though you may feel relaxed, after it wears off, anxiety may actually get worse.

This article was presented by Panic Defence, the UK’s leading name in combating panic and anxiety. If you would like a free download with easy and effective tips to end panic, visit www.panichandbook.com now.

For full information on Panic attacks self help click here

panic attacks self help information No Comments November 9th, 2009

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This article is presented by Panic Defence, the UK’s leading name in combating panic and anxiety. Click here to end panic quickly and effectively.

You’re short of breath. You’re heart won’t stop racing, you’re unbelievably tense, and you feel like you can’t breathe. What is wrong with you? Why do you feel this way? What is a “Panic Attack”? A panic attack occurs when the body gets overloaded with stress. It cannot handle the anxiety it is being put under, and so then it manifests itself into what is termed a “Panic Attack”.

Learning to cope with the panic attacks, can be very difficult in the beginning. You must learn to keep your fears from getting worse and out of control if nothing else. Realize that you are in complete control of the given situation. There are some steps you can take to prepare right now, before you have your next attack. These steps can make dealing with the next occurrence significantly easier.

Try to think about the most relaxing and peaceful place you have ever been. Try to remember with every sense of your body the way it made you feel. Capture that feeling in your minds eye and tell yourself to allow your body to feel that way right now. Keep up these visuals while inhaling and exhaling deep breaths. Soon you will begin to feel the stress and anxiety leave you as it is replaced by a relaxed and calm feeling.

This article was presented by Panic Defence, the UK’s leading name in combating panic and anxiety. 

For full information on Panic attacks self help click here

panic attacks self help information No Comments November 6th, 2009

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1. Thinking You Have No Control Of Your Feelings

It’s an easy enough assumption to make as the panic attacks seem to come from out of nowhere but the real problem is not that first flash of panic but the fact that you are terrified of the feelings. If you can take that fear out and not be scared of HOWEVER you are feeling they simply do not happen, ever again. To solve this problem you need to learn EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques). This simple technique will take your fear on any topic down to zero, very fast. It is a method which utilises tapping on the meridian points while saying out loud a statement of how you are feeling. You take a reading before and after so you can quickly verify your results which gives you confidence to continue.

2. Confusing The Feelings Of Physical Exertion With Panic

This is a big one and what stops most panic attack sufferers from getting excited or involved with anything. The symptoms of panic attacks are caused by an increase of adrenaline so any feelings that are similar instantly make you think you are about to have an attack. At one point I couldn’t bear to watch game shows as the anticipation was just too much for me. Once you add even more adrenaline to the mix and increase your heartbeat by even a millisecond you start to freak out again. The solution to this one is quite simple. Recognise this is what is happening and say to yourself, it’s ok, I’m just feeling the symptoms of physical exertion/excitement, I am not panicking. And it’s a good opening statement to get down to zero using EFT. You can use something like – Even though the feelings of physical exertion make me feel like I’m going to panic…

3. Ignoring Advice To Take A Deep Breath

Your chest is clenched tight, you can’t breath, and some well meaning person is saying, take a deep breath now. And all you can think is, are you mad, why would I want my head spinning even more? The thing is that hyperventilation causes the exact same symptoms as panic. When you can’t breath you are breathing from your chest, in essence overbreathing, and a few deep breaths from your abdomen will stop this almost instantly. The trick is to practise when you are feeling relatively ok and feel safe, so when you start to feel uncomfortable you can take a single deep breath, really feeling your abdomen pushing out, which will quickly rebalance your blood oxygen levels and let you breath easily again.

4. Making It All About Your Panic Attacks

It’s easy, I know, if you are suffering from panic and anxiety to let it completely overtake your life. After all, every little thing you do must be planned and your feelings taken into account which turns every activity into a major event. Make today the last day this happens. Take time to project your interest and attention onto something else, maybe a hobby you used to like doing, reading a book you have been meaning to get round to, constructing the Taj Mahal out of matchsticks, whatever you once spent hours being immersed in without a second thought. Make a special effort to acquire the materials needed to direct your attention away from yourself. Phone some friends and resist the temptation to talk about yourself. Genuinely engaging with others has a profoundly healing effect on you and those around you who may be feeling neglected while you have been busy coping with your own feelings. Do one thing today that has nothing to do with your panic.

5. Being Too Hard On Yourself

People who suffer from panic attacks constantly berate themselves for being weak and wimpy and this is just not the case. You are managing to manifest some major psychosomatic symptoms and that’s powerful reality creation. Just think what you could do if your conscious and unconscious minds were working together, wow! Be kind to yourself, even forgive yourself for what is happening right now and know that you have the strength to do something about this. And remember, while you are recovering do not push yourself or feel you have to do everything you are asked to prove yourself. Your biggest strength lies in being able to say NO loudly and without guilt.

This article was presented by Panic Defence, the UK’s leading name in combating panic and anxiety.

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panic attacks self help information No Comments November 5th, 2009

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When you are in the throes of a panic attack, the situation can be very scary.

In fact, if you have never experienced this before, you may wonder if you are having a heart attack or going to die. Panic attacks can be extremely difficult to deal with, even when you do completely understand what is happening.  When you visit a doctor about the symptoms they love to prescribe drugs for the problem.

You can, however, learn how to overcome panic attacks without the use of dangerous medications. There are ways to manage and reduce your symptoms.

The first step is to also learn how to recognize triggers and head them off before you experience a full blown attack.

First, you really need to recognize the symptoms of a panic attack. This could include excessive sweating, nausea, very fast heart rate, cramping, chest pains and hyperventilating.

That’s just a short list and it’s possible that you also have other symptoms as well. The first thing to do is track what your own symptoms are so that you can better manage. Then you can take steps on how to overcome panic attacks.

Also, don’t feel embarrassed if you initially think that your symptoms are something more serious. If you do suspect you are in the throes of a heart attack, only to discover you have a panic disorder, take it as a learning experience. You will have received a proper diagnosis and will be able to move on from there.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help.There are several things that will probably be an option for you in seeking treatment.

First, there are medications available for managing the symptoms. However, you can actually become dependent on pharmaceutical drugs, so only use them as a temporary or emergency measure.

Many believe that better alternatives on how to overcome panic attacks include herbs, relaxation techniques and cognitive behavior therapy.

The latter actually helps you break down why you are reacting to stressors the way you are and reprogram yourself to respond in a more healthy way.

Many people also get relief from talk or group therapy.

Herbs that have been known to help include St. John’s Wort, Valerian root and even homeopathic preparations. Use caution with herbal use because of many undocumented side-effects and unpredictable reactions to prescription medications you may be taking.

When you experience a panic attack, your body feels out of control. You feel afraid, shaky and unsure. It can be an absolutely debilitating condition.

However, you can learn how to overcome panic attacks. Don’t be afraid to seek help.

Explore your treatment options with your doctor or health provider. Ask you physician if he/she will support you first trying natural remedies before moving to medications, except for short term or emergency treatment.

You can gain relief through natural techniques and therapy. Perhaps even through herbal supplements, if your doctor approves. By understanding your condition, you can obtain lasting relief when you learn how to overcome panic attacks with a method or technique that works for you.

This article was presented by Panic Defence, the UK’s leading name in combating panic and anxiety. If you would like a free download with easy and effective tips to end panic, visit www.panichandbook.com now.

For full information on Panic attacks self help click here

panic attacks self help information No Comments November 5th, 2009