I Think I'm Having a Panic Attack | Guided Breathing , 10 Minute Meditation

Stop, just for a second. Stop trying to fight it. My name is Martin, I've spent 25 years as a paramedic responding to calls like this. And now, as a clinical hypnotherapist, I've helped thousands navigate this exact moment through my podcast, Carming Anxiety. Listen to me, you are safe. Your body is doing exactly what it was designed to do. It's just doing it at the wrong time. You aren't losing control. Your alarm is just stuck on loud. We're going to turn it down together right now. We just need to take the wheel of your breathing. We'll use a very specific pattern to signal to your brain that the fire is out. Try your best to follow along with me. You'll be panting. We'll do two quick We can breath and then the third one, every third breath long and slow.

Ready, with your breathing in and out, in and out. Now in, 2, 3, hold, 2, out, 2, 3, 4. I'm back to however you were. This is your emergency stop.

Ready, panting away if you are and now in 2, 3, hold, 2, out, 2, 3, 4.

And then back to how you are. Imagine my hand on your shoulder as you breathe out and just giving you a gentle squeeze to say, "I'm here. You've got this." Ready?

Let's do that slow controlled one whenever you are ready. Here we go. In, 2, 3, hold, 2, out, 2, 3, 4.

And back. This slow out breath will help offload that carbon dioxide. Let's do it again. Ready?

With me, here we go. In, 2, 3, 4, hold, 2, out, 2, 3, 4, 5. And back to relaxing however you are. This extra slow out breath will help the chemical changes in your blood.

They'll help return them back to normal with every out breath. We're going. Let's do this once more. Ready?

In, 2, 3, 4, hold, 2, out, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

Every third breath. Just hold it, control it. If you can only manage it every four or five, it's still changing. Let's try it one more time with me.

Ready? In, 2, 3, 4, hold, 2, out, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

You're doing brilliantly. We all suffer from them. And in my past, I've had horrendous panic attacks. It's through being a paramedic and coaching others to come down, that I found this to be the most positive and powerful technique.

Now feel your breathing. Yes, it still may be elevated to normal, but every third breath, or even every second if you can now. Just slowly inhale, hold it at the top, and then extend the out breath. This is your power.

Now you might feel a tingling in your fingers, your toes, or around your lips. Maybe your hands feel a bit stiff or claw-like. To a mind in panic, this feels like a medical emergency. For paramedic, it's a sign of respiratory alkalosis.

It's normal. Nothing bad happens. Nothing bad has ever happened. But in the middle of a panic attack, our mind's race.

This slow out breath offloads the carbon dioxide and returns your blood pH back to normal. As you were breathing too fast before we started, your blood pH had shifted. Your calcium levels temporarily dip, causing those nerves to fight pins and needles. It is harmless.

It is a biological byproduct of the fight or fight response. As you continue this slow, steady breathing, the tingling will fade. Your body is just recalibrating. You are okay.

Now, let's transition to a steady natural flow. With every out breath, I want you to feel the weight of your shoulders just dropping a millimeter. Notice how the tension in your jaw dissolves as the air leads your body. And then, allow these wonderful words to sink into the space that we've created.

My body is a masterpiece of survival, and right now, it's returning to peace.

I am the observer of these sensations, not a victim of them.

I have survived every panic attack before this, and I am already through this one.

Focus now, only on the letting go of the breath, inhale naturally, then feel the luxury of the release. And then, once more, in the space that calm within your own thoughts, visualise these words and repeat. My body is a masterpiece of survival, and right now, it is returning to peace.

I am the observer of these sensations, not a victim of them.

I have survived every panic attack before this, and I am already through this one.

Now focus on the rhythmic rise and form, the power, the understanding you have just gained, the release of stress and tension as you focus on the out breath, because you are in control and you are worthy. To help you in the days, weeks or months ahead, when you first feel that knot in your stomach, that rising heat of a future attack, do these three things immediately. One, the cold water shock, splash ice cold water on your face or hold an ice cube, it triggers the mammalian dive reflex, which instantly slows your heart rate. Two, name the beast.

Stay out loud, this is an adrenaline spike, not a heart attack. Labeling the sensation moves the activity from your emotional brain to your logical brain. And three, the five second out breath. Don't worry about the inhale, just blow all the air out for five seconds.

The body must inhale deeply after a full out breath, forcing a reset. You've done incredibly well today. I truly hope this helped. Please share this episode with one person who needs to hear a paramedics voice in the area.

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If you're ready to move past the quick fix and master your mind, come and find me at calming anxiety.fm and enroll in the anxiety circuit breaker course. I'm Martin, you're doing better than you think. Smile often, positivity whenever you can, until your beautiful soul, be kind.