Navigating Anxiety Attacks: Understanding Thought and Reconnecting with Calm
Anxiety attacks can feel overwhelming, consuming, and completely out of control. When they strike, it’s common to feel as though the world is closing in, the heart races, the breath becomes shallow, and an intense wave of fear washes over us.
Many people who experience anxiety attacks worry about when the next one will hit, which can create a cycle of fear and avoidance. However, through the understanding of the Three Principles—Mind, Thought, and Consciousness—we learn that anxiety attacks are not something we need to fear or avoid. They are intense experiences of thought, and by seeing them for what they are, we can begin to navigate these moments with more calm and clarity.
What Are Anxiety Attacks?
Anxiety attacks, also known as panic attacks, are episodes of intense fear or discomfort that can feel overwhelming, both physically and emotionally. Symptoms often include a racing heart, sweating, shortness of breath, trembling, dizziness, or a sense of impending doom. These episodes can come on suddenly, seemingly without a clear trigger, leaving many feeling helpless or frightened.
What makes anxiety attacks particularly challenging is the feeling of losing control—the mind spirals with catastrophic thoughts, and the body responds with a surge of adrenaline. But while these episodes may feel uncontrollable in the moment, they are actually the result of thought and perception. The Three Principles teach us that anxiety attacks, like all feelings, are created from within, by our thoughts in the moment.
Thought and Anxiety Attacks
At the heart of every anxiety attack is a buildup of anxious thoughts. When we become caught up in these thoughts, our emotional and physical responses intensify. Thoughts like, “Something is wrong,” “I’m in danger,” or “I can’t handle this,” create a heightened state of anxiety, triggering the body’s fight-or-flight response. This physiological reaction amplifies the symptoms of an anxiety attack—racing heart, shortness of breath, and overwhelming fear. The more we focus on these thoughts, the more real and powerful the anxiety feels.
But here’s where the understanding of the Three Principles offers hope: anxiety is simply a product of thought. The anxious feelings we experience are not caused by external circumstances but by our thinking in the moment. As our thoughts shift and pass, so too does the anxiety. By recognizing that our experience of anxiety is created by thought, we begin to stop fearing the anxiety attack itself. We no longer need to brace ourselves for these moments, knowing that, like all thoughts, they are temporary.
Just because we’re experiencing anxious thoughts now doesn’t mean we always will. By seeing anxiety as the product of thought, we start to experience more freedom from its grip. This insight helps us understand that the intensity of the attack will naturally subside as our thoughts calm down.
Why Do Anxiety Attacks Feel So Powerful?
Anxiety attacks can feel so powerful because, in the moment, the thoughts fueling the attack seem real and urgent. When we’re in the midst of an attack, the body’s physical responses reinforce the belief that something is terribly wrong. But what’s important to remember is that the body’s response is being driven by the thoughts we are entertaining in that moment—thoughts that are not necessarily reflective of reality.
The more we focus on these anxious thoughts, the more intense the attack feels. But once we understand that the anxiety is being created by thought, we can begin to loosen its hold. This doesn’t mean the feelings will disappear immediately, but it does mean that we no longer need to be afraid of the sensations or the thoughts. They are simply passing experiences.
Consciousness: Gaining Awareness During an Attack
One of the most valuable tools in navigating anxiety attacks is consciousness—the ability to be aware of our thoughts and emotions without becoming completely swept away by them. Consciousness allows us to step back and observe our thinking, even in moments of intense anxiety. Instead of getting lost in the fear or trying to escape the feelings, we can acknowledge that we are having anxious thoughts and recognize them for what they are—temporary ideas created by the mind.
By expanding our awareness, we create space between ourselves and the anxiety attack. This space gives us the ability to see that the attack is a state of mind, not a reflection of reality. Just because we feel fearful or panicked doesn’t mean we are in danger. Consciousness helps us remain grounded in the midst of the experience, allowing us to observe the anxious thoughts without reacting to them.
Imagine being in the eye of a storm—everything around you is chaotic and turbulent, but in the center, there is a sense of calm. Consciousness allows us to stay in that calm center, even as the storm of anxious thoughts swirls around us. The more we cultivate this awareness, the more we are able to move through anxiety attacks with greater ease.
Mind: Trusting in the Calm Beneath the Anxiety
Beneath the anxious thoughts and sensations is the constant, unchanging wisdom of Mind. Mind is the deeper intelligence that guides all of life, and it remains steady and calm, even when we are caught up in anxious thinking. This deeper intelligence is always available to guide us, even during moments of heightened anxiety.
When we trust in the wisdom of Mind, we stop trying to control or escape the anxiety. Instead, we allow the anxious thoughts to pass naturally, knowing that they are temporary and that the calm of Mind is always present beneath the surface. This trust helps us navigate anxiety attacks with more confidence, knowing that they will eventually pass, just as all thoughts do.
It’s important to remember that we don’t need to fight anxiety or try to make it go away. The more we resist or try to manage the anxiety, the more we feed it. But when we let go of the need to control it and trust in the natural intelligence of Mind, we reconnect with the calm that is always available to us. This calm may not eliminate the anxiety immediately, but it gives us the strength to navigate it without fear.
Practical Ways to Navigate Anxiety Attacks
While understanding the role of thought and consciousness is crucial, there are also practical ways to navigate anxiety attacks with greater ease:
Pause and Acknowledge: When an anxiety attack begins, take a moment to pause and acknowledge that you are experiencing anxious thoughts. Remind yourself that the feelings are temporary and will pass.
Let Go of Control: Instead of trying to stop the anxiety, allow it to be there without resistance. Trust that, like all thoughts, it will pass naturally.
Reconnect with Mind: Trust in the deeper calm of Mind. Even in the midst of intense anxiety, this inner wisdom is available to guide you.
Don’t Judge the Experience: Avoid labeling the anxiety attack as "bad" or something that needs to be fixed. See it as a temporary experience created by thought, and know that it will subside.
Conclusion
Anxiety attacks are intense experiences of thought, but by gaining awareness of our thinking and reconnecting with the deeper calm of Mind, we can navigate them with more ease and confidence. Trusting in the transient nature of thought helps us move through anxiety attacks without fear or resistance. The more we understand that these experiences are temporary and thought-created, the less power they have over us, and the more we can reconnect with our natural state of calm.
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