When we are living in one day at a time recovery we learn our own ways of shutting off panic. Some of us take a few minutes alone to ourselves. We do this by retreating into a comfortable resting place with something comfortable to either lie, or sit down on. Many of us are not masters of meditation, but we do know how to breathe deeply, hold for a second or so, and then exhale. Some of us listen to guided vocal relaxation recordings. These recordings can be a great help. Some of us simply lie on a bed, breathe deeply, relax, and sometimes even nap. Calmness can be refreshing, relaxing, and healing. We need to tune out the world and shut off the panic. Panic is our minds way of telling our bodies to retreat and find safety. In reality panic feels as if we are being threatened. We leave panic behind when we retreat, breathe deeply, settle in, and relax in a safe comfortable setting. We don’t have to be a meditative guru to stop panic. Retreat, breathe deeply, settle in, and relax. Don’t give up. It takes practice. We are worth it.
