Page 77 - Advance Copy: Todd Kaufman, Author

HOW TO MANAGE ANXIETY & END PANIC ATTACKS
Before you close this book and start screaming, “What the hell do you want?” to your anxiety (this is actually not a good idea), please know that this discovery precipitated the technique that over 98 percent of my clients find successful.
It’s time to begin unfolding the details. It’s not tricky, and it’s wildly successful.
Are you ready?
Anthropomorphization
Anthropomorphization is a big word that simply means to at- tribute human form or traits to things that are not human. Me calling my amygdala control center “Homer” is an example.
In clinical therapeutic speak, it is not unlike the practice of Externalization used in Narrative and other forms of therapy. Externalization is when one is encouraged to talk about an event in which they were involved, or a feeling they have, in the third person. It helps us separate ourselves from a perceived character trait – like perhaps anger. Instead of saying, “I am an angry person,” we can reframe the anger and say, “When that happens, the angry part of me shows up, and I want to find a different response next time.” It helps us understand that there is no correct or incorrect way of perceiving reality, and also helps us make different choices to enable us to get differing outcomes that are more pleasing.
Since we want to cause a different response to our triggers or the things that seem to cause us anxiety or panic, when we name our control release centre, we are able to stop perceiving ourselves as a person with anxiety or panic. Instead, we are a person who has yet to figure out how to get along with the character making the decisions in our control centre.
So there you have it: There is most likely nothing wrong with you – you just have yet to learn how to get along with your Homer! Remember: Ending panic attacks and managing anxiety is simply a learned skill.
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