Why panic attacks happen in all the places you wish they wouldn’t!

This week, Lucy is joined by Matt Christofaro - a Thrive Programme Coach based in America, who previously struggled with frequent panic attacks—especially in important work meetings and interviews. In this episode, Matt explains the underlying thinking styles and beliefs that were causing him to create such big emotions and also how he overcame it – what he needed to know and then do to rid himself of panic for good. 

Despite how they feel, panic attacks don’t ‘happen to’ you. They are your response ‘to’ an event, situation, thought, feeling, urge, sensation. It is the work meeting, viewed through your own unique set of filters (your beliefs and thinking styles) that creates your experience of it — including whether or not you panic in certain situations. The key is understanding that panic isn’t some external force ‘attacking’ you (even though the name makes it sound that way)—you create it by how you respond ‘to’ the situation. 

What you'll year in this podcast:

• Why panic attacks feel random — but aren’t.
• Why some people stay calm under pressure while others spiral into panic.
• The common thinking styles and beliefs that create panic.
• Why trying to avoid the feelings actually keeps them alive.
• How your brain mistakes discomfort for danger.
• The simple mindset shift that stops panic from escalating.
• Top tips for the next time you’re panicking.

Key takeaway:

Panic isn’t something that happens ‘to’ you — it’s an emotional overreaction to a perceived threat. Whilst you may not be able to control the situation, you absolutely can control the way you think and feel about it. 

You don’t panic about making a cup of tea. Why? Because you feel powerful and skillful in that area of your life. You only create panic, stress and worry about situations you think in a powerless way about. It’s a thinking problem, rather than a work meeting problem. 

Panic attacks feel unpredictable, but they’re not. Once you understand what’s really happening, you can break the cycle and take back control just like Matt and all the other people who have overcome panic attacks for good.