Julie: yes

Robin: but u KNOW if u HAD to watch it 100 times

u WOULD get fed up
it COULDN'T scare u as much
no way

Julie: yes

Robin: its human nature

Julie: yes

Robin: i know u have faced panic many times over the years
but it was like a new experience each time

Julie: yes

Robin: because u didn't know what it was then

Julie: exactly

Robin: now it is different

Julie: yes

Robin: u know what it is

and when u repeat it
u see it is the same old thing each time
so u WILL get used to it

Julie: yes

Robin: even if it is slow

Julie: yes

Robin: i know u don't REALLY feel too bad right now

i know its just very unpleasant
and irritating
an underlying uneasiness
that u wish would hurry up and go away
lol

Julie: another thing... when i have cough or cold, or acidity .. when i am physically
low.. i get panic attack easily .. so fear more..

Robin: of course - because u fear that

Julie: especially in PMS.

Robin: and that's GREAT

Julie: ok

Robin: i want you to panic as OFTEN as u can

Julie: ok

Robin: how else do you practice

Julie: :-)

Robin: bring it on

Julie: ok
i was thinking today that i will get used to stress and that will lead to heart attack..
etc.
hey - i wrote that word!.

Robin: lol
heart attack
heart attack
heart attack
heart attack

Julie: today mother was reading an autobiography .. in the morning.. and read a
description of a heart attack and SHE got into panic.
Robin: lol
you couldn't have one if u tried

Julie: then she came to meet me.. but when she saw i got into panic.. she felt
uneasy and wanted to come back immediately to her house.. just could not stay
there for a minute

Robin: the big joke is that people with panic disorder live longer than most people

Julie: lol

Robin: because they are so health conscious

lol
seriously
and they avoid all trouble

Julie: lol

Robin: so they live till they are 99

and even THEN they think they’re just about to die
lol

Julie: lol

Robin: keep noticing you ARE trying to 'make it go away'

THAT is the stirring
if it stays for days so what
its just fight of flight sensations
just feels scary nothing else

Julie: yes.
DIALOGUE number 3
In this dialogue I basically take Julie through the ‘self talk’ so that she can see
how it can be implemented during panic

Julie: i never could have thought i would go in panic right now

Robin: ok - don't worry - this is exposure practice anyway

Julie: yes

Robin: I WANT you to panic - lol

Julie: lol

Robin: seriously
u haven't lost the fear yet

Julie: no

Robin: but the more you panic and get through it

with practice
u will get SO used to it

Julie: yes

Robin: i know its horrible

but soon enough you WILL be through this one
and u will be more confident
this is how it goes
as long as there is a bit of fear left u can panic
but its still ok

Julie: yes
Robin: its just panic - just adrenaline
no danger whatsoever

Julie: yes

Robin: so - back to beginning

Julie: ok

Robin: let go all over

smile
drop shoulders
LET PANIC HAPPEN
its ok
its just movement in your body
sensations
feels terrible but isn't real danger
tell your body its ok
smile with your body - feel your feet on the ground
become aware of the room
listen to sounds
no need to keep checking in on the panic
let it do as it will
its just adrenaline

you have just been on edge last few days due to anticipatory anxiety
this keeps adrenaline alive
and it can get triggered very easily
and then u feel weird
that's all
just weird feelings
YOU are ok
remember - no matter how bad it can feel
its just adrenaline
and it comes in waves
one minute you feel ok
next u feel weird again
that's adrenaline surges
ride it out
surf the surges

u will be great
i KNOW now u are on other side of it all now
this is additional necessary practice
so that you lose your fear completely

let it do its worst

remember to smile

Julie: I can feel the fear lifting - still feel anxiety but not in panic

Robin: that’s a good point to remember - that you can feel anxiety but you don’t have
to feel panic - once you remind yourself of the truth about the symptoms you won’t
see any reason to ‘panic’

Julie: yes - I think I can just let these feelings be as they are - can breath a bit now

Robin: and remember that even if you were still IN panic you would still actually be
in no danger. Of course it’s a relief to feel less panic but you don’t NEED to rely on
feeling ‘calm’ - you are ok no matter what

Julie: yes - that gives me more of a feeling of strength

thank you :-)
DIALOGUE number 4
In this dialogue Julie had decided to do an exposure exercise that was high on
her fear hierarchy - it was too much too soon and she had a panic attack and is
still in an anxious state with her mind catastrophising about the experience.

Julie: i went to bus stand. i went to ticket window. could not stand in the line..
thought i would sit .. but could not.. then i went to railway station.. its just next gate
to bus. i took tea at stall and sat on bench. and the whole end passage of anna karen-
ina kept coming to my mind. .. i felt so much panic.. i tried to think of script .. of the
end scene.. but just could not.... just felt i want to end this .. i felt i should die.. and
then panicked so much.. immediately called mother.. told her to be at phone.. thought
i would die before getting into taxi.

Robin: ok..
u just tried too much too soon
It’s ok - u need to follow me RIGHT NOW

Julie: I hate this .. i can’t even go on a simple journey. i hate this so much.

Robin: ok - right now it will help if you catch your mind catastrophising
it is stirring adrenaline
lets get u settled first
then u can talk
this is all PERFECTLY ok
u just did too much at wrong time
and u have just had strong panic
and u feel like its all worse
'setback'

Julie: i don't want to be alive being a vegetable.

Robin: its OK - STOP - catch it

are u going to listen
or write a script

Julie: yes - ok
Robin: ok - CATCH yourself ADDING to your fear with your thoughts
u are doing EXACTLY that

Julie: yes

Robin: NOTHING is happening except that

it STILL is just adrenaline

Julie: yes

Robin: u have had this many times in past and nothing came of it except fear
u just FEEL scared
nothing else

Julie: yes

Robin: there is no 'actual' danger

but it sure FEELS horrible
u just have to go over it gently again

Julie: yes. i hate it. wouldn't mind if i was blind or crippled. this is too bad.

Robin: Catch the mind catastrophising

get back with me

Julie: yes

Robin: relax stomach

breath from stomach
I want u to feel your stomach rise and fall
gently
breathe out longer than in
as u breathe out let go TOWARDS it all

Julie: yes
Robin: let shoulders fall
feel your feet on the ground
go limp
imagine u are pinnochio with strings cut
half smile:-)

Julie: yes

Robin: BREATHE easy

Julie: yes

Robin: stop stirring the pond

all is ok

Julie: yes

Robin: doesn't matter that this has happened - its very normal - its ok
its just adrenaline causing some very weird feelings in your body
just lots of movement all stirred up
but that's all
so again
relax stomach

Julie: ok

Robin: feel it rise and fall

observe it
breath out gently and long
half smile
shoulders drop
feel ground
feel yourself in room
all is ok
its ok to feel panic

Julie: i felt so relaxed when i crossed the bridge and came near home.
Robin: yes - that's because u stopped stirring with mind
same as now
just practice
it will all settle
even if u didn't practice it will settle
cant last forever
adrenaline has a limit each time
so relax stomach
breathe gently
watch stomach rise and fall

Julie: feel such a fake writing this script without knowing fearlessness or freedom. i
am not going to write anything anymore.

Robin: STOP :-)

STOP :-)
STOP :-)
back to me

Julie: yes

Robin: let go towards it all

YOU are stirring the adrenaline
nothing else
just yourself

Julie: sorry

Robin: just remove the stick

stop stirring
its good for u to see the stirring in action

Julie: i am so sorry. have given you nothing but trouble last two months. .. ok

Robin: that is stirring again