Page 82 - Advance Copy: Todd Kaufman, Author

TODD KAUFMAN
that cortisol, wait him out while keeping you both safe. It’s uncomfortable, but not dangerous, and it will end.
While you are waiting try a little game with him to help re- enforce the fact you are paying attention!
Try this:
“Ok Homer, if you need to release more cortisol, that’s ok, I am here and will keep us safe while you do. Would you like to make my hands tingle now, or maybe my feet? Would it help you to escalate my heart rate? Go ahead, it’s all going to be ok...”
And wait him out. You will find the panic attack is less intense and is shorter.
Homer, as part of your brain, is always looking for the most effective way to do anything. If you continue to acknowledge and support him, he will soon learn not to expend this much energy to achieve his goal, after all you are now working in alignment with his goal to keep you safe!
There is more to why this strategy works, although satisfying Homer’s concerns is unquestionably the better part of preventing your panic attack and minimizing your anxiety. Notice that in this conversation with Homer you are intentionally changing your thoughts, and demanding your brain create new thoughts and discard old thoughts. You are directing your attention away from the FEAR-based thoughts and creating thoughts that get you present and in keep you in the moment. In fact, you are changing your thoughts by choice. This ability is a learned skill, and some might even say it is a primary goal of Mindful Meditation.
Mindful Meditation is the art and skill of choosing your thoughts. Let’s turn our attention to this now because being able to choose your thoughts, and not getting stuck in those ruminations or thought loops that can drag you down, is so important to managing your anxiety and living a happy life.
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