| This is the second part of this article. You will find | | | | NOT about to die. You are NOT about to go insane. |
| part 1 in the same article directory that you found | | | | Many spiritual seekers use their emotions and feelings |
| this one. | | | | a lot, but here you need to use your logical thinking. |
| I will now go deeper into a very good way to deal | | | | CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) |
| with anxiety and the fear of dying or going insane. | | | | In CBT you will first learn that the fear, anxiety or |
| The technique I'm going to describe is used in CBT | | | | panic you feel are natural reactions to the defense |
| (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). | | | | mechanism triggered by your body in these situations |
| Spiritual pressure | | | | because of fear. Next you will learn to recognize |
| Many people on a spiritual path will say that they | | | | these bodily reactions so that the next time you feel |
| don't have any problems with anxiety because they | | | | for example that your heart starts thumping, you |
| are not depressed. They feel happy and strong. You | | | | know this is the first sign of anxiety. You know there |
| can have a happy life and be in a good mood most | | | | is nothing wrong with you, and that this is normal. |
| of the time and still get anxiety attacks that you | | | | You will also know that the next step in the chain of |
| might think are "spiritual experiences". Spiritual people | | | | reactions is your fear of the thumping. The fear |
| often feel very happy if their meditation goes well | | | | comes like you expected and you know that now |
| and get in a bad mood if they had a bad meditation | | | | your adrenaline will increase. You feel the adrenaline |
| session, struggling with calming down the thoughts. | | | | increase just like you have been taught that it will. |
| This is one of the most stressful things although you | | | | You will know what is happening in the body and gain |
| may not feel that. Check if any sensations in this list | | | | a slight sense of control. You will also learn that after |
| applies to you: | | | | a while the nervous system will start dealing with this |
| Symptoms | | | | fight and flight mode that you are in and calm you |
| Thumping heart. | | | | down again, so you will be aware that the scary |
| Sweating and trembling. | | | | state you are in will soon go away. |
| Hot flushes or chills. | | | | The psychologist will give you some "homework" to |
| Feeling short of breath, sometimes with choking | | | | do. He or she will tell you to plan a time of day, and a |
| sensations. | | | | place when you will do something that you know will |
| Chest pains or pressure. | | | | trigger your fear (anxiety), like in my case I couldn't |
| Feeling sick (nauseous). | | | | watch doctor series on TV when they operated on |
| Feeling dizzy or faint. | | | | people. So that was my homework. I was aware of |
| Fear of dying or going crazy. | | | | what would happen and subjected myself to it time |
| Feelings of unreality, or being detached from yourself | | | | after time. What will happen is that you gain a feeling |
| like life is a dream. | | | | that you know what will happen, gain a sense of |
| Exaggerated interpretations lead to fear and panic | | | | control and learn that nothing dangerous is going to |
| These sensations are a sign of anxiety.You might | | | | happen. After a while the fear of the anxiety itself |
| think that the thumping heart is a sign that something | | | | will decrease. It will feel incredibly rewarding after |
| is wrong with it, that the pressure you feel over | | | | facing these situations and getting through them. You |
| your chest is a sign that you are choking or that the | | | | will feel brave, proud and happy afterwards. The |
| chest pain is a heart attack. You might have a feeling | | | | anxiety attacks now starts getting shorter and less |
| of unreality and fear that you are going insane. Of | | | | dramatic. You keep practice and keep experiencing |
| course you should first check with a doctor, but | | | | less and less anxiety. |
| almost always the fact is that your fear of the | | | | After a point you almost WANT the anxiety to |
| symptoms you are experiencing amplifies it even | | | | happen so that you can feel that rewarding feeling of |
| more. Fear increases the blood pressure and the | | | | being in control of the situation and the joy it brings |
| adrenaline level. The body goes into the "fight or | | | | afterwards. This is the greatest enemy to the |
| flight" mode. | | | | anxiety. As soon as you feel the anxiety coming you |
| The fight or flight mode is a biological response to | | | | will think "oh yes finally!" and it will go away |
| moments of danger or acute stress. What happens | | | | immediately. You will be no fun for the anxiety |
| when you feel the symptoms and you get so scared | | | | anymore. |
| you think you're actually dying or going insane is that | | | | When fear starts to let go of you, an incredible |
| the body will think so too! Death is the biggest | | | | sense of freedom will start growing and you will |
| danger to the physical body so to fight this "life | | | | realize how fear is the cause of holding you back in |
| threatening" situation it starts pumping out adrenaline, | | | | your life. For me this was life changing on a deep |
| increase the blood flow to the muscles and pretty | | | | level and it got reflected in the external level. You will |
| much get you ready to fight for your life. This is | | | | start making decisions that you wouldn't dare before, |
| called the "fight or flight" mode. | | | | you may start acting differently to other people by |
| Use your logic | | | | not being afraid of being honest and your heart will |
| After you have checked with a doctor and know | | | | thank you. You may get a completely different life. I |
| there is nothing wrong with you, you will start to see | | | | did. |
| that your reactions are greatly exaggerated. You are | | | | |