Experiencing panic is something that encompasses all of the senses. It can lead to a complete unfamiliarity with one’s own surroundings, even when someone is in their own home. The mind begins to seek danger everywhere and will reconstruct a reality that is entirely populated with these dangers regardless of whether they are actually present. Panic episodes are entirely debilitating and can create the purest form of fear imaginable. Naturally, finding a grounding technique is important. Using music may be a way for someone to begin to reconcile their panic and regain some much-needed clarity in the situation.
Catchy is Good
Using a song brings with it several advantages. The first and most important is that it creates a single focal point for someone experiencing panic to hone in on. During a panic attack, it can seem that the entire world around someone is unidentifiable. They can be seeing and hearing things without really processing what they are, all leading to feelings of confusion and fear. Music creates a point where someone can focus and use it as a springboard to recontextualize things at a time rather than to process everything at once. In this way, a panicked person can begin to reconstruct their reality.
Use the Tempo
Music can accomplish this by continually adhering to a few commonalities. First and foremost, it is predictable, especially when using a favorite song that someone has heard before. It sets a tone of familiarity and brings with it a clear beginning, end, and a chorus that can be latched onto as one searches for something to once again ground them. It also creates a soothing, metronomic effect with the tempo of the beats. While feeling hectic, confused, and fearful, the mind and body can become desperate to reestablish any kind of stability. A familiar song checks some key boxes in bringing someone into a moment of clarity. Such a song provides a sense of familiarity, which helps to mitigate surprises and correct mistaken connotations. It sets up its own tempo that can then be used to match up with their own heartbeat or breathing. Music can have an enormous influence on how people perceive their environments, and such power can be utilized even in dire circumstances.
Anxiety and panic can dictate much of how someone sees the world around them. Contact The Guest House today if you or a loved one is experiencing panic as a result of mental health or trauma. With a caring staff ready to create a program for those suffering from panic, trauma, addiction, and all co-occurring disorders, The Guest House is prepared to instill the necessary grounding techniques and coping mechanisms for you to set your own pathway to a successful recovery. Call today at 1-855-483-7800.