If you’ve ever experienced a panic attack or anxiety attack, you know how overwhelming and terrifying it can feel. Panic can hit like a wave, leaving you feeling like you’re completely out of control. There are so many misconceptions about panic attacks and high anxiety—what they are, what they mean, and most importantly, how to deal with them. Today, we’re going to break down some of the biggest myths surrounding panic attacks and anxiety, and I’ll share real, evidence-based strategies that can help you stop letting them control your life. No quick fixes or surface-level coping skills here—just real, actionable tools grounded in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Let’s dive in!

Here’s a little preview of what we’ll cover:

• 3 myths about panic attacks you might be believing
• How to transform your relationship with panic
• How to break the cycle you’re in

Myth #1: Panic Attacks Are Dangerous 

One of the most common fears is that panic attacks are dangerous and that they might be a sign of a medical emergency. This is understandable—panic attacks often come with intense symptoms like a racing heart, tight chest, or a sense of losing control. Many people even end up in the emergency room, thinking they’re having a heart attack. But the truth is, panic attacks are not dangerous.

Your body is designed to handle these surges of adrenaline. While they feel intense, these symptoms are not a sign that something is wrong with you. Panic attacks, while uncomfortable, can’t physically harm you. Once you understand that, it becomes easier to shift your response to panic when it arises.

Myth #2: Panic Means Something Is Wrong With You 

Another big misconception is that having panic attacks means something is broken or wrong with you. But that’s just not true. Panic is a natural response when your body’s fight-or-flight system gets activated, even when there’s no real danger. It’s like your body goes into overdrive unnecessarily.

The goal here isn’t to eliminate anxiety or panic entirely—it’s about changing your relationship with those sensations. Through ERP and ACT, you can teach your brain that those sensations don’t need to be feared. There’s nothing wrong with you for having panic attacks; it’s simply about retraining your brain to respond differently when they happen.

Myth #3: You Need to Calm Down as Quickly as Possible 

So many people believe that the key to managing a panic attack is to calm down as quickly as possible, using ice packs, distractions, breathing exercises, or grounding techniques. But here’s the problem: when you urgently try to calm down, you’re telling your brain that panic is dangerous and something to be avoided. Why else would you try to get rid of it so fast?

Instead of rushing to calm down, ERP and ACT teach you to lean into the discomfort. This is exactly what I go through in detail inside my OCD and Anxiety Recovery Blueprint. You stop trying to escape the sensations and instead allow them to be there. It’s counterintuitive, but over time, this approach retrains your brain to stop seeing panic as something dangerous. And guess what? When you stop reacting to panic with fear and urgency, the attacks become less frequent and intense.

How to Work Through Panic Without Relying on Old Coping Skills

So, how do you work through panic without falling back on avoidance, distraction, or those old coping skills? That’s where ERP and ACT come in. ERP involves gradually exposing yourself to the sensations or situations that trigger panic, but instead of engaging in safety behaviors (like distraction or calming down), you resist the urge. Over time, your brain learns that panic, while uncomfortable, is not something you need to fear or avoid.

ACT takes this a step further by helping you practice acceptance of your anxiety. You learn to allow the sensations to be there, trusting that they will pass on their own. The goal isn’t to “fix” your anxiety—it’s to learn to sit with it, knowing that you don’t need to do anything about it.

Transforming Your Relationship With Panic

I’ve worked with so many people who felt trapped by their panic attacks. They would do anything to avoid those sensations, leaving situations or desperately trying to calm down. However, once they started using strategies from ERP and ACT, their entire relationship with panic changed. They stopped running from their triggers, and allowed the anxiety to be there, and over time, their panic attacks became less frequent and intense. The key is learning that you don’t have to avoid or fix your panic—you can face it, and it will pass.

Two Resources to Help You Break the Cycle

If you’re struggling with panic attacks, high anxiety, or feeling stuck in your thoughts, I have two resources that can help you start making real changes today.

First, check out my Rise Above Panic podcast guide. It’s a private, 10-episode podcast that takes you step-by-step through what you need to do to start facing your panic and anxiety head-on. It’s not about surface-level fixes; it’s about transforming how you understand and react to panic. You can grab it here for only $27.

Next, for OCD Awareness Week (starting October 13th, 2024), I’m offering a free masterclass called Stop the Spiral. This class is all about mental compulsions, overanalyzing, and worry—those sneaky habits that keep you stuck in the anxiety spiral. In this 60-minute masterclass, you’ll learn how mental compulsions fuel anxiety and panic, and I’ll give you practical tools to stop the spiral before it starts. Head here to sign up and claim your spot.

It’s completely free, and even if you’re catching this after OCD Awareness Week, the link will still be available for you!

Final Thoughts on Learning to Face Anxiety

Panic attacks and high anxiety can feel overwhelming, but they are not dangerous, and you don’t have to fear them. By changing how you respond to panic, through strategies like ERP and ACT, you can break the cycle of fear and avoidance. Panic doesn’t have to control your life. You’ve got this!

Keep doing all the hard things. Bye for now.

👏 Unlock your free 40-minute video on “5 Must-Know Strategies for Handling Anxiety and Intrusive Thoughts”: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jennaoverbaughlpc.com/strategies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🧠 Start your transformation today with the Mental Compulsion Mini Course referenced in this episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jennaoverbaughlpc.com/mental-compulsions⁠

💪 Ready to conquer OCD/anxiety? Explore The OCD and Anxiety Recovery Blueprint – with or without a therapist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jennaoverbaughlpc.com/blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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