Panic Facts & 2 Simple Tips, A FREE "How to Relax" Video & A Free Mini-Course
You'd be surprised how often I get emails from people about being EXTREMELY NERVOUS and asking me if this is normal, or how they can control this..
Some of the stories I read describe how some individuals actually have Panic Attacks just before scrubbing in...
Does any of the following sound familiar to you?
You fear you might stop breathing because your chest feels tight!
You feel nervous and afraid you might lose control!
You struggle with anxious thoughts that will not stop!
You feel uncomfortable scrubbed in with a mask on your face!
You are nervous and on edge in normal situations!
You have a racing heart with tingle sensations!
You have hot flashes followed by waves of anxiety!
You have obsessive worries and unwanted thoughts!
You thought you were having a heart attack only to be told later it was anxiety!
WELL, if any of those anxiety or nerve type fears do sound familiar, just sit back, take a deep breath & relax!
YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!
Nervous tension or panic type anxiety is very common in the operating room.
There was a time early in my career where I'd be so nervous that I would just kind of make this crazy sounding humming noise to myself.
The funny thing is, I thought I was the only one who could hear it.
That is until one day when I was scrubbed in on a simple little appendectomy & this general surgeon stopped what he was doing during the case and gave me a "death stare".
I just looked at him and wondered what his problem was....AND of course he only made me even more nervous by giving that "death stare".
Well, the next time he asked me for an instrument (btw, I was still humming to myself) I suddenly heard what I thought was the wrath of the 'ol mighty YELLING at me to PASS THE *&$#^&%*& instruments without the humming.
PHEW, not only was I totally embarrassed, but I started sweating through my scrubs, my hands got all sweaty, & I felt flush in my face...
I couldn't believe the room could hear me making this little humming sound that was actually a simple reaction to my own nerves....
Needless to say, I stopped humming!
Eventually, over time, my nerves settled down & I developed other ways to keep my anxiety in check.
Listen, being nervous in the operating room is COMPLETELY NORMAL until or unless it gets out of control.
The same philosophy applies to being in the lab at school too.
On a personal note, the sad thing for me was that it took me time, hard knocks, experience, and a lot of verbal abuse in surgery before I developed a skin thick enough to actually avoid the nervous anxiety.
So, what's my point in all of this?
Well, not only would I like to reassure you that the anxiety, nervousness, or panic type feelings you may be experiencing are completely normal, there are also a couple of very simple things you can do to overcome this.
TOP Two Tips to prevent Panic, Anxiety, or Nervousness in Surgery!
1) Deep Breathing
Before you scrub in, or as you are preparing your room in the O.R. or the lab, take a couple of nice deep slow breaths to calm your body.
Not only will the extra oxygen in your system energize your brain, you will feel a natural calmness come over your body.
WARNING -- do not take quick short breaths in a rapid time-frame as this may make you hyperventilate and possibly even faint.
2) Visualize
Now this may sound like something you'd hear on a mountain top yoga studio somewhere in the Northern Rockie's, but visualization is extremely powerful!
Visualize yourself being calm & confident
Visualize yourself "kickin butt" on your case.
Did you know top athletes, millionaires, executives, actors, etc, visualize how they will perform before an event, meeting, or stage presentation.
Even as an educator, I'd visualize myself teaching my students in a calm & confident manor.
Trust me, try it, it works.
Now there are all kinds of other tips & techniques you can use for immediate anxiety relief.
AND just to prove it to you, I recently discovered a resource that promotes "A Natural Technique To Stop Panic Attacks and General Anxiety Fast!"
This free resource describes how these issues are all too common but the truth is you do not have to ever suffer from another panic attack or anxiety feeling again.
They will show you "The Most Powerful Technique For Eliminating Anxiety And Panic Attacks Without The Use of Medication"