If you experience panic attacks, you’ve likely developed small habits that help you feel safer. You might carry water everywhere. Sit near exits. Keep medication in your bag “just in case.”Avoid caffeine. Bring someone with you.Distract yourself constantly. These strategies make sense. Panic feels intense and frightening. Of course you would want to prevent it. The problem is not the behaviour itself. It’s what the behaviour teaches your brain. What Are Safety Behaviours? Safety behaviours...

If you’ve experienced panic attacks, it makes sense that you’d want to avoid anything that might trigger another one. Panic feels intense, uncomfortable, and frightening. Avoidance can feel protective. In the short term, it often brings relief. In the long term, it keeps panic going. What Does Avoidance Look Like? Avoidance can be obvious, like staying away from crowded places, public transport, driving on highways, elevators, or flying. It can also be subtle: Sitting near exits Carrying...

When panic attacks happen, the physical sensations can feel overwhelming. A racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, or tightness in the chest can quickly trigger fear and make panic feel uncontrollable. It’s natural to want to avoid these sensations or try to make them stop as fast as possible. However, avoiding panic sensations can actually keep the cycle going. Why Avoidance Keeps Panic Alive Panic is often maintained by three key patterns: catastrophic thinking, close monitoring of...