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How meditation can help with panic attacks before a performance

November 8, 2019
Lucy Hardy
General

If you are someone that suffers with anxiety or panic attacks, you’ll be aware of how debilitating this can be. If it’s not managed, it can prevent you from living your life to the fullest, or even holding down your job or social life.

Finding ways to manage and reduce anxiety and panic attacks is essential to help you overcome the problem and not let it rule your life! This article will look at how meditation can help to significantly reduce anxiety and the likelihood of a panic attack occurring, so that you can embrace your life and work without any limitations.

A shift in mindset can be a powerful tool

Pole dancing can be anxiety inducing for some, especially if you are just starting out or not yet fully confident in your ability. A shift in mindset can be a powerful tool to help manage anxiety. Pole dancing should be seen as an empowering art and profession. It helps you keep fit, increase your self esteem, and celebrate your body no matter what your shape and size.

It can be seen as an opportunity to connect with yourself and come further into your body, which helps to make you feel more grounded and confident in life. Even something as simple as wearing your favourite clothes when pole dancing, that are both comfortable and look good, will help to boost your self-esteem and confidence and give you that extra spring in your step.

Meditation helps you feel more calm and relaxed

Viewing pole dancing as a positive and empowering thing and going in with the right mindset is half the battle. Learning how to become more calm and relaxed will help significantly too. Research has shown that not only does regular meditation practice help to make you feel much more calm and relaxed in the short and long term, it also triggers changes in your brain that actively help to combat anxiety and depression.

Meditation changes your brain

One of the reasons why anxiety and panic attacks occur is because the brains fear centre, also known as the amygdala, is being over stimulated in depressed or anxious individuals. This unnecessarily triggers the fight or flight response, as a result of threats and panic that only exist in your mind, rather than any real physical danger. This is what initiates the spiral of panic that can quickly escalate and get out of control.

Breaking the connection between brain regions associated with anxiety

The amygdala is triggered by the medial prefrontal cortex, which is also shown to be hyperactive in depressed and anxious individuals. This is the part of the brain that processes thoughts and feelings about yourself, which is why it is often referred to as the ‘me centre’. Excessive worry, concerns and negative thoughts about oneself causes this brain region to become overstimulated. When this happens, the me centre triggers the fear centre, which in turn can lead to excessive anxiety, depression and even panic attacks.

Positive results after just 2 months

Research shows that just 8 weeks of daily meditation practice is enough to start initiating these changes in your brain and reaping the many benefits of meditation. You will feel more calm, relaxed, composed and positive, and with that, much more equipped to deal with the challenges of everyday life.

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Lucy Hardy

Lucy Hardy is a freelance writer and editor. After spending over a decade working to improve the mental health of people suffering PTSD she took a step back to spend more time with her family and dogs.