best	outcomes	if	you	rein	in	your	fight-or-flight	response	long	enough	for
your	“upstairs	brain”	to	kick	in,	so	you	can	make	an	accurate	risk	assessment.
Here	are	three	quick	and	easy	strategies	for	decreasing	the	physical	agitation
and	arousal—shortness	of	breath,	increased	heart	rate,	sweating,	shaking—
that	accompany	panic	and	anxiety:
1.
	
Take	slow,	deep	breaths,	feeling	your	chest	rising	fully.	Each	time	you
exhale,	make	the	exhalation	a	little	longer	than	the	one	before.
2.
	
If	you’re	too	keyed	up	to	breathe	freely,	count	your	breaths.	Counting
helps	distract	your	brain	from	anxious	thoughts.	Count	1	when	you
inhale,	2	when	you	exhale,	and	so	forth	up	to	20.	Then	start	again	with
1.	Repeat	this	a	few	times;	the	arousal	will	start	to	decrease.
3.
	
If	breathing	doesn’t	work,	place	your	hand	on	your	heart.	Notice	the
speed.	See	if	you	
can
	
slow	it	down	with	your	breathing.	Put	all	your
attention	into	observing	the	beat	…	beat	…	beat	…	of	your	heart.
STRATEGY:	DO	WHAT	YOU	FEAR	(a.k.a.
EXPOSURE)