How to Avoid Panicking

In the beginning stuff happened and now we exist, and from that moment until now - people have been panicking. Some people panic about little stuff, others panic about big stuff, and some people don't seem to panic at all.

If you're reading this article then either you panic, or you live or work with people who panic.

I've come to realize that people panic for several reasons:

- Fear

- Anxiety

- Stress

I know all about panic. I'm a panic monger. I thrive on panic and seem to find every opportunity to panic. I grew up in a house where the slightest mishap could cause wide scale panic and mayhem. I've been conditioned to panic in the following situations:

- Late bills

- Unfinished house chores

- Misplaced paperwork

- Everyday mishaps

What I've learned, however, is that very few things are actually worth panicking over. I think I finally understood this when my credit card was stolen and the thief charged up a hefty sum. This was one of those cases where panic might have been warranted. But knowing that I panic far too often I chose not to panic, and the situation was quickly resolved and virtually painless.

I also work with people who panic. Every tiny problem becomes a reason to panic, when in fact what's really happening is the people panicking are simply overwhelmed by the sheer number of problems they have to deal with. It doesn't help that the boss panics because he has hundreds of problems to deal with as well. So what you end up with is an office full of people panicking.

I've often felt like posting a sign that says: "Relax, Henny Penny, the sky isn't falling. You're simply overwhelmed."

Instead, I wrote this little article for myself, and others, who sometimes need a reminder that not everything is worth freaking out over. Or to use an old adage: "Why make mountains out of mole hills?"

Why Panicking is A Bad Thing

There are a lot of reasons panicking is a bad thing. I'd thought I'd list a few.

You make poor decisions while panicking. Poor decisions not only affect you, but others as well. I heard of one lady who shaved her cat in a panic for fear of getting fleas in her house. Imagine how the cat felt. I imagine he panicked as well. Aside from this, have you ever noticed that in horror films the people who panic are always the first to die? It's because they make bad decisions like, "Let's split up" or they are unable to start the car because they can't get the key in the ignition.

You make people who aren't panicking panic. Panic is contagious.

Panicking over illness or disease will make you, or the people around you, feel terrible.

People who don't like to panic won't want to hang out with you because they'll label you a panic monger.

Panicking can make you pass out or throw up. Both of which can be embarrassing in public.

Panic can cause you to make mistakes.

Panic can be counterproductive.

Panic can actually cause accidents. So you can see how much more miserable you can make yourself and others by panicking over every little stress trigger that comes your way. By panicking you are only hurting yourself both mentally and physically, and it's not solving the problem.

The Serious Stuff: The Rules of Anti-Panic

Yes, there are rules that can help you stave off panic. I came up with these rules after sitting down and evaluating numerous instances where I flipped out over minor stuff.

Rule #1: Step back and assess the situation.

Rule # 2 : Fix the problems you can fix.

Rule #3 : Don't dwell on all of your problems at once. Pick one problem, fix it, and move on to the next.

Rule #4 : Pick and choose which things you'll panic about.

Rule #5: Try to remain calm while those around you panic.

Rule #6: Breathe.

Rule #7: Don't make any decisions while you're panicking.

Rule #8: Know what situations throw you into a panic and plan accordingly. Rule #1: Step back and assess the situation.

Ask yourself the following questions:

Did the world end?

Did anyone die?

If you answered yes to either of these - feel free to panic. If you're reading this, chances are the world didn't end. Even if it had, you wouldn't care because you'd no longer exist, right? So if the answer to both of these questions is no, then things are going pretty good.

Now ask yourself the next question:

Did anyone get hurt? If the answer is yes, call for help. Then, on reflection of the situation, consider how lucky you are that no one died. If the answer is no, move on to the next question.

Can the problem be rectified? There are only three reasons the answer to this question could be "no".

The first is that it's possible this situation is someone else's problem, in which case you shouldn't be worrying about it. You can't control other people.

The second is that someone got hurt or died, or the situation is a natural disaster (i.e. hurricane, tornado, tsunami, lightening, fire, flood ... you get the point).

The third is that the situation is something beyond your control(disease, nuclear bomb, etc...).

Note that in all three of these instances, these are situations you have no control over. Learn to recognize the things you can control vs. the things you can't control. Make lists if it helps.

In all other instances - the answer to, "Can the problem be rectified?" is likely YES.

This leads us to rule number two.

Rule # 2: Fix the problems you can fix.

This means you have to take responsibility for the problem and make it go away. Some problems can be fixed easily, while others will take some work. No one likes a hard problem, but they do come up. Do the best you can.

I've found that usually when people panic over a little problem, it's because they have another 20 + little problems (and maybe one or two big ones) converging on them all at once. This makes us feel overwhelmed, anxious, stressed, and naturally we panic.

Rule #3: Don't dwell on all of your problems at once. Pick one problem, fix it, and move on to the next.

If you dwell on all of your problems at once you become overwhelmed, which causes stress and ultimately panic.

I believe this is a natural law. In the case of multiple problems you have to learn to prioritize the problems from biggest to smallest.

Once again, make lists if it helps. Write up the pros and cons of each problem if you have time. If all of the problems seem equal, pick the one that's bugging you the most and start there.

Rule #4: Pick and choose which things you'll panic about.

Unfortunately, the problem is not going anywhere. Don't panic about things that are fairly unimportant and can be put off. Not everything is of equal importance.

When some people panic it's due to a situation wherein they have self-imposed an impossible deadline on a task that isn't as important as they may think it is.

For example, a person might assume getting the laundry done before the in-laws arrive is important because they're worried what their in-laws will think of their housekeeping efforts. In reality - who cares? It's doubtful a stack of laundry is the end of the world. If it is, you might consider re-evaluating your priorities. Having a clean house 24/7 is a fine goal, until it begins impacting your health in a negative way via stress induced panic.

Once again, make a list of your problems and "toss" the ones that are dependent on self-imposed deadlines or that really aren't problems at all.

Unfortunately the paperwork, laundry, vacuuming, etc... isn't going anywhere. It will keep until you have more time to deal with it.

Finally, don't panic over things you cannot control. Global warming, poor political leadership, war, and other such things are out of your control. But you can do things to help yourself and the issues in situations like this. If the political climate has you in a panic, join a political group to raise awareness, or write to your representative about the issues bothering you. If you're freaked out about global warming, buy a hybrid car, recycle, and do your best to conserve the energy you use. Remember that the only person you can control is you. All you can do is control how the situation affects you and what you chose to do about it.

Rule #5: Try to remain calm while those around you panic.

We will panic if those around us are panicking. Try not to. Panicking is actually counterproductive to solving the issue causing the panic.

One of the most effective methods that I've found to dealing with infectious panic is to slow down and breathe. This will help you clear your mind and look at the situation from an unbiased viewpoint. Then you can act and fix the problems causing the panic one at a time.

Rule #6: Breathe

It sounds cliché, but breathing can help, especially if you're prone to panic attacks. One thing I've noticed about people who panic is they don't breathe right. They take shallow breaths or may even hold their breath when stress strikes. This decreases the flow of oxygen to your brain, which in turn can make you do dumb things.

If you feel light headed when you panic, stay away from heavy machinery, paper shredders, anything you could hurt yourself on, and for all our sakes, please don't drive.

Consider starting a meditation practice or taking a yoga class to learn how to manage your stress. Both meditation and yoga can help you learn to breathe correctly and both promote mental and physical health benefits as well. Those benefits include better memory, relaxation, and flexibility.

Rule #7: Don't make any decisions while you're panicking.

You could inadvertently make things worse by choosing the wrong person for the job, the wrong tool, the wrong words, and so on.

Remember, bad decisions like, "Let's split up so the monster can't kill all of us" can actually cause people to die.

Rule #8: Know what situations throw you into a panic and plan accordingly.

While you can't plan for all situations, especially those outside your control, you can plan your time better, be more organized, and better anticipate how to control a panic situation when it arises.

Lists work great here, too. For example, if you know your bills throw you into a panic, choose certain days of the month to deal with them. If talking to new people, or certain people, freaks you out, rehearse your introduction or talking points before you meet with them or before a social event where meeting new people is inevitable.

The Final Word

You can control what you panic about. By observing yourself, learning your triggers and coming up with a plan, you can better learn to help yourself stave off panic. With enough awareness and practice, you'll be cool as a cucumber the next time a panic situation arises.