The DOGgone Truth

The DOGgone Truth

The DOGgone Truth. . .   Do you ever wonder what people are saying about you? I mean your close friends. Are they always 100% truthful? You’d like to think so. Personally, I can’t be around people or call anyone a true friend if I don’t think they are. But...
Running on Empty

Running on Empty

I can honestly say this has NEVER happened to me in my entire driving career which has spanned . . . .achhum,  a few decades. I was always taught to fill the tank when it gets to half a tank (thanks dad).  But yesterday as I was tooling around town...

In the Presence of a Service Dog

“Oh My God he’s so cute”- “Look Madge it’s a Seeing Eye Dog”- Those are just some of the things I hear as I walk thru a public place with my Service Dog Milo.  It’s been quite an education getting used to having him with me. And some of the things I hear and see people do would fill up a book I’m sure. I have to say 85% of the time we get nothing but kindness from the public, but it saddens me when the other 15% don’t behave well.   So from a handler of  a Service Dog I thought I would try to educate the public a little. Not all Service Dogs are “Seeing Eye Dogs”.    Service dogs  are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. They come in many shapes and sizes and can be trained for many different purposes.  They can...
Get off the couch and Play your Panic Attacks Away

Get off the couch and Play your Panic Attacks Away

Remember the last time your energetic doggie stared at you, just begging for some Frisbee action? It was about 5 minutes ago right!  Bet you couldn’t  ignore those pleading eyes, so instead of vegging on the couch, you got up and played a tug-o-war  with your best bud. No doubt,...
Enter Milo

Enter Milo

  This delicious face, is Milo. 8 weeks old- March 4th 2012 (ok i’m really late in starting the posts). . . but i was so over joyed and busy there was just no time. So let me try and catch up.   I had thought about Milo for years-...
Rescue 911

Rescue 911

I’m watching the rescue of the miners, well,  I was but it’s hard to watch. For the past two months when I think about them trapped underground like that I find that i can’t breath. My sister reminds me that i’m not trapped down there, but I feel for these...

Walk thru the Panic

Posted by unwrapping panic at 1/27/2012 8:49 AM | Add Comment Walk thru the Panic- that’s what the “experts” say you have to do to overcome the attacks. Ten years ago when someone told me to do that, I couldn’t even wrap my head around that thought. Today, as i was in one of my favorite stores- (no not in a mall- still trying to concur those) i could feel my palpitations starting, as i stood on line to pay for a pair of jeans i needed.  My first instinct was of course to run- leave- get out.  But of course all the hard work I’ve gone thru with therapy would tell me to stay and “walk thru the fear” so  i stayed in line. I hated it. I could have dumped the jeans in a minute, but I had to stay there as sweat was pouring down my face...

Well, the nominations for the 84th annual Academy Awards were announced this morning,with

“The Artist,” “The Descendants,” “The Help,” “Moneyball,” “Hugo,” “War Horse,” “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,” “The Tree of Life” and “Midnight in Paris.” all in line for a possible Oscar. But have you seen any of these movies yet?  I haven’t- because even now, 10 years into my struggle with Panic Disorder going to the movies is not a fun enjoyable treat. To someone with severe panic attacks the movie theater presents so many obstacles. Feeling trapped in a dark environment with no windows and no way out. Too many people in one place, the feeling that you can’t breath and you have to be quiet and you don’t want to make a scene (no pun intended). For many with panic attacks the extreme loud sound system can be a trigger as well. People with panic disorder often have a sensitivity to noise- mostly because there is so much noise going on inside our heads telling us danger danger-

How do you overcome that- well- watching movies at home of course is an easier experience, but teaming up with a  good support person can also help. Upon entering the lobby (thru the ticket takers)- notice where all the exit doors are, so once you pick an aisle seat- if you want to leave the theater you know the easiest way out. When the feelings of panic start coming on self talk is recommended but doesn’t often help. Breathing techniques learned by therapy are also very instrumental in regulating the severity of the attack. The support person should help you refocus your scary thought patterns and help you get involved in the movie. Sit on an aisle close to the ramp to leave the theater- and you would have already become familiar with where the exit door once you are out of the theater, so you have a game plan which is extremely helpful.

Would love to hear your experiences with panic attacks and movie theaters.

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