What If You Actually Wanted a Panic Attack? (Stay With Me...)
You’ve probably had that moment after a panic attack — heart racing, mind replaying everything, scanning for clues about what caused it.
Was it the caffeine? The lack of sleep? Maybe I’m coming down with something?
Your brain starts its investigation. And soon you are spiraling down the anxiety rabbit hole.
But here’s the trap: the more you monitor and try to prevent panic, the more your body stays on alert — waiting for the next wave.
That constant threat monitoring becomes its own kind of panic.
What if the real shift isn’t about prevention at all? What if you actually wanted it?
I know that sounds backwards….but stay with me.
When You Dare Panic to Show Up
Think about what happens when you stop trying to push something away and, instead, lean toward it.
What if you said, “Go ahead, anxiety. Give me your best shot.”
That single moment of daring can change everything.
Because you’re no longer acting like someone under threat — you’re calling panic’s bluff.
Because panic sounds convincing.
It tells you you’re in danger, that something terrible is about to happen, that your body (or mind) is spinning out of control.
But how many times has panic made those promises and not delivered?
How many times has it said, “You’re going to lose it,” only for you to still be going about your daily life and still in one piece?
The Wizard Behind the Curtain
Panic loves to act like the Great and Powerful Oz — with its loud and scary voice, flashing lights, and terrifying predictions.
But if you’ve ever seen The Wizard of Oz, you know how that story ends.
Dorothy (well to be fair, Toto did it first) finally pulls back the curtain, and what’s behind it?… a nervous man frantically pushing buttons, trying to look big and scary.
That’s anxiety. It yells, “You’re in danger!” and you start believing it — until you call its bluff. Until you stop running and say, “Go ahead. Show me what you’ve got.”
That’s when you realize the truth: there was never a real wizard.
Just your nervous system trying (and failing) to protect you with bad (or maybe they are pretty good) special effects.
Anxiety Is Full of It
Anxiety convinces you of all the worst possibilities, but its track record is terrible.
It swears your heart racing means a heart attack….but has it? It insists you’ll lose control — but have you?
It tells you the panic will never end — but did it?
When you start meeting those sensations with defiance and willingness instead of fear, the power dynamic flips.
You go from “Oh no, it’s happening” to “Oh good, there it is. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
You might even add a little humor:
“Nice try, anxiety. You said the same thing yesterday, give it to me again.”
How to Stand Up to the Bully
I’m not here to promise that you can intimidate panic into leaving, but you can stop letting it run the show.
When you stop hiding, you stop feeding it.
Try this mindset next time you get scared of your panic or anxiety sensations:
Heart racing? “Good — prove how strong you are.”
Stomach tight? “Bring it. I can handle discomfort.”
Thoughts spinning? “Say what you want, I’m still here.”
It’s not about liking the sensations — it’s about seeing through them.
Every time you practice that courage, you feel stronger. You start to expect the challenge — and you might even learn it’s not as bad as the Powerful Oz made it seem.
That’s how panic and anxiety lose their power
Not because it disappears, but because it no longer stops you.
The Freedom That Follows
When you stop trying to control panic, you start getting your life back.
You show up to the things you used to avoid. You stop spending your days on “what if” patrol. And you finally realize that taking back your life starts with shifting how you think about anxiety in the first place.
If you’re ready to stop letting the anxiety boss you around and start calling its bluff, we can help.
👉 Schedule your free 15-minute phone consultation to get started with one of our therapists.