Think about how you talk to yourself when you’re worried about panic attacks. Do you blame yourself for feeling anxious, or avoiding things that other people have no problem with? Do you call yourself names? Or do you recognize that you’re human, and we all face challenges sometimes?
For many of us, self-criticism and negative self-talk are constant companions. You might tell yourself it’s “tough love.” You’re hard on yourself because you want to be better. But it doesn’t work that way. Instead of inspiring self-improvement, people who are critical of themselves are actually more likely to be anxious and depressed. Not exactly motivating.
And when it leads to panic attacks, it can be a vicious cycle. Feeling embarrassed about your symptoms can lead to shame and criticism. And shame and criticism lead to more anxiety and more symptoms.
So, what should you do? Try these 3 steps to shift your self-talk:
- Listen. Pay attention to the chatter in your head.
- Catch. Stop when you hear yourself being self-critical.
- Correct. Pause, and imagine you were talking to someone you care about who’s not you. What would you say to them?
Changing negative self-talk is one way of practicing self-compassion. It takes practice. But over time it can help you to be happier, healthier, and more resilient when dealing with hard things.
Another way to practice self-compassion is to accept that mental health symptoms like panic attacks are not your fault. They’re treatable symptoms of a health condition.
If you’re dealing with these issues, Freespira can reduce or stop panic attacks in just 28 days. It is FDA-cleared and costs nothing out-of-pocket for eligible for some health plan members and their dependents. And it only requires a one-month commitment to achieve life-changing results.
Curious? Use our online screening tool to see if your symptoms are a match for Freespira.
