Our stress reaction also called the fight or flight reaction has been with us as far back as cave man days. Yet, it is one of the most misunderstood issues.
Most people associate it with aggravation, anxiety and distress due to a situation that is going on in the present moment. But, many times fear, panic and anxiety (seems to) come out of the blue. When our body is reacting with anxiety and no stressor can be seen, we add to the stress as we search for the answer to why we are feeling this way. Our mind then creates additional stress because it seems that there must be something terrible wrong with us. People with panic end up in the Emergency Room so many times due to the intensity of their physical reactions. And it’s totally understandable to think there must be something physically wrong when your heart is pounding out of your chest and nothing scary is going on.
In this article I’ll be talking about my client Mary (name changed) as we look at the reasons that the body might be reacting with physical symptoms when there seems to be nothing going on.
Note: It’s important to check with your doctor so you know that all systems are functioning normally. Then we can explore what is causing unwanted reactions in a different way.
Positive Purpose of the Fight or Flight Reaction:
The stress (fight or flight) reaction has a positive purpose. When it responds in the way it was designed, then it is necessary and important for keeping you safe. It can mobilize you so you can take action in a situation where you would need to fight or flee. But, when things are calm and your body is reacting as if there were a big hungry bear coming at you, we need to search deeper to see what the body is trying to do by creating this reaction. What we are looking at today is the stress reaction that seems to come out of the blue.
Fear and worry add a burden to an already stressed body and mind.
When your heart starts to pound for no apparent reason, when the chest get so tight it hurts, when the stomach starts to churn and you are told that there is nothing wrong physically, it causes us to feel out of control. We fear that the terrible feelings will never stop. And our distress is multiplied as our thoughts turn to worry about possible heath conditions. It is normal to feel helpless when you don’t know what is causing your reactions. So let’s look at the hidden triggers that might be causing the body to react in the way it does. It is a big relief to find the triggers and then to release the emotions that are triggering your reactions. Once we uncover the hidden triggers that are causing our reactions it feels so much better, you’ll know you are not crazy and that your feelings are real even though you are told there is nothing physically wrong.
The mind and body are connected. Our thoughts will affect the body and the bodily reactions can effect our thoughts.
Finding the Triggers:
In my 30 years helping people to get free of panic and anxiety I have found that all anxiety and panic has a trigger. Even if you are not aware of it on a conscious level, even if it is so small that you don’t realize you’ve been triggered, I assure you there is a trigger.
Example: Mary told me that she was standing at the sink doing dishes and singing, she was happy. All of a sudden, out of the blue, her heart started to pound and she felt shaky all over. By the time we talked she had been to the emergency room and was told there was nothing physically wrong. She was angry at herself for her fears, and couldn’t believe that there was nothing wrong physically. This added to her distress.
She wasn’t aware of anything happening that could have caused the reaction and even after the doctor told her she was fine, that didn’t take away her worry.
She needed a quick way to find out what was going on. Below are the steps we used to get her started. Of course to get totally free of triggers takes a bit more time and expertise. This is something I do with my clients every day. The beginning steps we did in just 10 minutes and after she knew what was triggering her we were able to use the information to get to the root and clear up the emotions that had been repressed.
Step One:
I asked Mary to take 3 slow, deep breaths.
Changing the breathing pattern is a way of letting the brain know that no more stress chemicals are needed, and it starts to calm the body.
Step Two:
Mary gently closed her eyes and continued to focus on her breath. (Hint: My Pathways for Calm Program shows how to use self-hypnosis to calm the mind and body click here for information)
Step Three:
She began to focus back to the memory. To what else might be going on as she was washing the dishes:
The three things that we usually look for are things that you see, what you hear and any feelings. Yet, when I asked Mary to notice what she was seeing and what sounds were around her – she realized that the was a scent in the air. Immediately the scent reminded her of her grandmother’s roses. And, all of a sudden she began to cry. She hadn’t realized at the time that she was missing her grandmother. These types of thoughts moved so quickly through her mind that it wasn’t until we we focusing back to the memory that she was able to slow things down enough to find them.
Step Four:
As Mary stayed with the memory of her grandmother she realized that her heart was beginning to pound again.
Step Five:
Instead of running away for these feelings I asked Mary to use the following question: What is this heart pounding about? She just stayed curious not trying to find the memory just wondering: and in a few moments she realized that she felt was all alone in the world.
This was a big ‘ahh-haa’ for Mary. Of course her heart was pounding, she was feeling alone. Just knowing that there was a trigger was a big help to her. It was a relief to know that there was a reason for her reactions. As we continued to talk Mary also realized that she had been angry at herself for reacting when “nothing” was going wrong.
NOTES: Identifying the triggers is one step in getting free of anxiety and panic. Healing and releasing stuffed emotions is another important part of clearing up panic and anxiety.
Thoughts Move Very Quickly
At times thoughts can move so quickly through the mind that we are not aware of them. Yet, the fearful thoughts add to the stress we are having.
The mind and body are connected, therefore our thoughts can create physical reactions. Our body does what it is designed to do in a flight or fight situation: It releases chemicals to get the body ready to fight or flee. This is a normal part of the stress reaction, but when we aren’t aware of the triggers, the chemicals rushing through the body create physical symptoms that seem to come out of the blue. This plays havoc on the mind and body.
The first key to getting a handle on the stress reaction is to recognize that it is not the outside event that actually causes anxiety, fear or stress. It is the way we interpret, filter or think about what is going on outside of us that determines the severity of our reactions. No matter the event, you can learn to have control over your reactions.
The Transformation System
Once the symptoms and thoughts are identified, there are many different techniques that can be added to make the changes last: Read Addendum A of Audrey Sussman’s e-book: More Than Stress Management for the list of techniques.
My clients who have experienced my Transformation System to get totally free of Anxiety, Panic and Worry say that it’s like having an automatic guidance system that creates calm, balance and energy in life, no matter the stressors.
Because many of the techniques have a self-hypnotic component it puts the mind into a state of balance where it is easier to make decisions in a calm and focused manner. It is easier to do these the first time with one of our therapists who are trained in these techniques, yet there are many things you can do on your own where you’ll find it is possible to let go of fear and anxiety that have been weighing you down.
Experiment with the following technique:
1. Think about what causes you stress, panic, fear, guilt or anxiety.
2. Write down whatever comes to mind. Keep this list because when you change you will be amazed at where you started.
3. Number the issues or symptoms from most stressful to least.
4. Put a star next to the top 3 stressors, and write them down on a piece of paper.
5. For each of the 3 starred items, write down how it will it be when you are free from the issues.
6. Take some time to really imagine how life is different when these are gone.
7. Start right now by visualizing a new possible future: This is the start to any change.
8. Make note of any negative thoughts the come up when doing this positive future visualization exercise.
NOTE: If you would like detailed tips and exercises, you can get a copy of one of Audrey Sussman’s e-books: More than Stress Management – is a draft edition- the good news is that it’s only $19, and is chock full of ideas and information. When it is edited and ready for publication the cost will be $39. The other ebook is only $2 and also has great beginning information.