Distraction to the Rescue
How often have you felt that dread of a panic attack coming on and believed that there might be little you could do to thwart it? Researchers at Emory University were looking at the biology of dread and found, to their surprise, that the brain actually has a mechanism for dealing with this.
"Extreme dreaders," in other words people who really focused on the experience of the dreaded attack or shock that they might receive, had more active "attention-to-pain brain areas" than other people. These more stimulated and focused areas were contributing to their feelings of dread because this biological anticipation was like gasoline on fire. The researchers called this "a pain of the mind." So, it seems that the body works against our attempts to calm ourselves during periods of panic if we are one of these extreme dreaders. But what can be done about it?
Gregory S. Bems, the lead author of the article which appeared in the journal Science, believes that diverting your attention away from the dread through distraction can be just what is needed. So, next time you're anticipating something dreadful or when a panic comes on, find a distraction that fits into your needs.
Related Topics: Dr. Farrell's Anxiety & Panic Disorders Message Board, War's Toll: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Technorati Tags: panic disorders, panic attack, anxiety
"Extreme dreaders," in other words people who really focused on the experience of the dreaded attack or shock that they might receive, had more active "attention-to-pain brain areas" than other people. These more stimulated and focused areas were contributing to their feelings of dread because this biological anticipation was like gasoline on fire. The researchers called this "a pain of the mind." So, it seems that the body works against our attempts to calm ourselves during periods of panic if we are one of these extreme dreaders. But what can be done about it?
Gregory S. Bems, the lead author of the article which appeared in the journal Science, believes that diverting your attention away from the dread through distraction can be just what is needed. So, next time you're anticipating something dreadful or when a panic comes on, find a distraction that fits into your needs.
Related Topics: Dr. Farrell's Anxiety & Panic Disorders Message Board, War's Toll: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Technorati Tags: panic disorders, panic attack, anxiety
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