If you're listening to this because you're experiencing panic right now,
You don't need to make it stop.
You don't need to fight it.
For the next few minutes,
I'm simply going to help you change your breathing in a way that can help your body begin to settle.
My name's Alex.
I'm a mental health social worker and DBT therapist,
And I'll guide you through this.
First,
Find a position where your body feels supported.
If you're standing,
You might like to sit down.
If you're sitting,
Just feel the chair underneath you.
And if it feels comfortable,
Place both feet on the floor.
You don't need to take a deep breath in.
When we're panicking,
Big breaths can sometimes make us feel even more lightheaded or uncomfortable.
Instead,
We're going to breathe gently and slowly.
We're going to make our exhale longer than our inhale.
We'll start with a very short count.
Just two seconds counting in.
And four seconds counting out.
Let's begin by breathing out gently.
Now breathing in for two,
One,
Two,
And out,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Again in,
Two,
And out,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Keep following my voice.
Inhale,
One,
Two.
Exhale 2 3 4 Again in for one and two.
And slowly out 2,
3,
4 You don't have to breathe perfectly and you don't have to feel immediately calm.
Your only job right now is to stay with the rhythm.
Inhaling one,
Two,
Three.
Exhaling 1 2 3 4 Imagining on your exhale like you're blowing bubbles through a bubble wand.
That's the sort of feeling we're after.
Inhale 1 2 exhale 1 2 3 4.
Now if that feels manageable,
We can make the exhale even a little longer.
If it doesn't feel comfortable,
Simply stay with two counts in and four counts out,
And imagining yourself blowing bubbles through a bubble wand.
There's no need to force your breathing.
For our next breath,
We'll breathe in for three.
And out for six.
Ready?
Inhaling 1,
2,
3 and exhaling 1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Again in 1 2 3 and out 1 2 3 4 5 6 Keep following my voice in for 1,
2,
3,
Long breath out 1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
When we're panicking,
Our body's alarm system is activated.
And right now,
We're not gonna argue with that alarm.
We're just gonna work directly with your body,
Slowing things down one breath at a time.
Inhaling 1 2 3 exhale 1 2 3 4 5 6 See if you notice some softening a little as you breathe out.
In for 1,
2,
3 Out 1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6 If you notice your mind saying,
I can't do this or something's wrong,
Or I need to get out of here.
You don't have to fight with those thoughts,
Just let them be there,
But you also don't have to act on them.
Simply bring your attention back to your breath.
Brief inhale,
Long exhale.
In 1 2 3 and out 1 2 3 4 5 6 And once more in two,
Three and out two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six You can continue this pattern on your own.
What's important is that your exhale is at least twice as long as your inhale.
And allow yourself to breathe in and then a long exhale as if you're blowing those bubbles through that bubble wand.
And you can repeat this for a minute or two and you can come back to this practice anytime you need to settle your body and your nervous system.
Thank you for practicing with me.
