I know this is a little personal, but my dad has leukemia. Once I found out, I had a panic attack. I did recently have one the other day. Hooray! So much "fun"!
All I would like is maybe a few tips on how to calm myself down. I really need it!
Thank you if you comment.
All I would like is maybe a few tips on how to calm myself down. I really need it!
Thank you if you comment.
Stop. Breathe. Take a deep breath. Count to five as you breath in exhale and count to five as you do. Now look around.
Name five things you can see.
Name four things you can touch.
Name three things you can feel.
Name two things you can smell.
Name one thing you can taste.
Repeat.
Name five things you can see.
Name four things you can touch.
Name three things you can feel.
Name two things you can smell.
Name one thing you can taste.
Repeat.
I'm so sorry to hear that. Meditation may help you. There are different ways to meditate, but one way is to focus on your breath.
A lot of people can't do this automatically, and need a process of steps to help. This is the trick that I was taught (below):
FOCUS ON BREATH
Step 1: Place one finger on the outside of your nostril and press it down, closing it, during your breath in. This slows down the breath as it comes in and also draws your attention to your breath.
Step 2: Then, you lift your finger off of your nostril and breathe OUT through BOTH nostrils.
Then, repeat that process......press down and breathe IN through only ONE nostril....let go and breathe out through both nostrils. And repeat, on and on.
It's kind of like when people pinch their nose to go under water, but it's only doing it on one nostril, and only during the breath in. Then you let go for the breath out, and repeat that.
FREEDOM FROM THOUGHT
After you have been able to focus your attention on the sound and feeling of your breath going in and out of your body (which is a constant that's always there, so it's an easy point to focus on), then you can also pay attention to your thoughts. Observe whether you're having any thoughts while focusing on your breath and what those thoughts are. One you can observe those thoughts, you also have the power to decide not to think any thoughts. And that's meditation.
Although lots of people think that "meditation" means "thinking." And that is one definition of the word "meditate."
But this kind of meditation is the opposite of thinking.
Meditation is the absence of thought. The act of deciding not to let thoughts pop up into your mind. The act of "watching" your mind for any thoughts that pop up (they will pop up, because we're so used to having a lot of random thoughts constantly). When they do pop up, you don't get mad at yourself or judge yourself for not being able to keep your mind clear. Because that judgement of yourself is, itself, a thought. Instead, you just observe the thought, imparially, and watch it float away, then you "watch" your mind to keep new thoughts from popping up.
You're kind of this state of awareness but without that constant chatter our brains are always doing without us even being conscious of it. If that makes sense. It's not easy to do at first but it gets easier the more you do it.
OTHER WAYS YOU CAN MEDITATE
Other ways to mediate are by focusing on your body (like by contacting and relaxing your muscles in a certain order)...they have videos on YouTube that can walk you through that.
Some people focus on a mandala, a beautiful photo, or a visual image in their mind of a place that is their favorite place to be (such as imagining themselves at a certain sandbar on the beach and visualizing how the cool waves would feel lapping up over their feet, how the hot sun feels on their back, how the waves sound, birds, wind, etc).
Some ballet dancers say that the focus on their body during their dancing practice is a form of meditation (because it's not thought). It's focusing on the present moment and focusing on the five senses. Anxiety a lot of the time comes from focusing on the future or the past, so focusing on the present moment, finding a way to do that, can help with anxiety. "There is no anxiety in the present moment," they say.
COMMENT
I also think the post above great -- the 5,4,3,2,1 exercise -- because that's focusing on the present moment and your senses, not on your mind, so that probably would put you into a meditative state right there.
I don't know if you're religious, but here's a link to some scriptures for anxiety. Who knows, they might help.
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/15-bible-verses-calm-anxious-mind.amp
FINAL THOUGHTS
Now with all that being said, I have never been through what you're going through, so I don't know if it would work for your situation. Theory is one thing, practice is another. But I just offer everything, and maybe something in here will help you. I hope you find deep peace and I hope the best for you and your dad. ((((hugs))))
A lot of people can't do this automatically, and need a process of steps to help. This is the trick that I was taught (below):
FOCUS ON BREATH
Step 1: Place one finger on the outside of your nostril and press it down, closing it, during your breath in. This slows down the breath as it comes in and also draws your attention to your breath.
Step 2: Then, you lift your finger off of your nostril and breathe OUT through BOTH nostrils.
Then, repeat that process......press down and breathe IN through only ONE nostril....let go and breathe out through both nostrils. And repeat, on and on.
It's kind of like when people pinch their nose to go under water, but it's only doing it on one nostril, and only during the breath in. Then you let go for the breath out, and repeat that.
FREEDOM FROM THOUGHT
After you have been able to focus your attention on the sound and feeling of your breath going in and out of your body (which is a constant that's always there, so it's an easy point to focus on), then you can also pay attention to your thoughts. Observe whether you're having any thoughts while focusing on your breath and what those thoughts are. One you can observe those thoughts, you also have the power to decide not to think any thoughts. And that's meditation.
Although lots of people think that "meditation" means "thinking." And that is one definition of the word "meditate."
But this kind of meditation is the opposite of thinking.
Meditation is the absence of thought. The act of deciding not to let thoughts pop up into your mind. The act of "watching" your mind for any thoughts that pop up (they will pop up, because we're so used to having a lot of random thoughts constantly). When they do pop up, you don't get mad at yourself or judge yourself for not being able to keep your mind clear. Because that judgement of yourself is, itself, a thought. Instead, you just observe the thought, imparially, and watch it float away, then you "watch" your mind to keep new thoughts from popping up.
You're kind of this state of awareness but without that constant chatter our brains are always doing without us even being conscious of it. If that makes sense. It's not easy to do at first but it gets easier the more you do it.
OTHER WAYS YOU CAN MEDITATE
Other ways to mediate are by focusing on your body (like by contacting and relaxing your muscles in a certain order)...they have videos on YouTube that can walk you through that.
Some people focus on a mandala, a beautiful photo, or a visual image in their mind of a place that is their favorite place to be (such as imagining themselves at a certain sandbar on the beach and visualizing how the cool waves would feel lapping up over their feet, how the hot sun feels on their back, how the waves sound, birds, wind, etc).
Some ballet dancers say that the focus on their body during their dancing practice is a form of meditation (because it's not thought). It's focusing on the present moment and focusing on the five senses. Anxiety a lot of the time comes from focusing on the future or the past, so focusing on the present moment, finding a way to do that, can help with anxiety. "There is no anxiety in the present moment," they say.
COMMENT
I also think the post above great -- the 5,4,3,2,1 exercise -- because that's focusing on the present moment and your senses, not on your mind, so that probably would put you into a meditative state right there.
I don't know if you're religious, but here's a link to some scriptures for anxiety. Who knows, they might help.
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/15-bible-verses-calm-anxious-mind.amp
FINAL THOUGHTS
Now with all that being said, I have never been through what you're going through, so I don't know if it would work for your situation. Theory is one thing, practice is another. But I just offer everything, and maybe something in here will help you. I hope you find deep peace and I hope the best for you and your dad. ((((hugs))))
Thanks to both of you! I'll be sure to try both of your ideas when I have another one. 
AGirlWithManyNames wrote:
Thanks to both of you! I'll be sure to try both of your ideas when I have another one.
Welcome...anytime.
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