Panicking--what do?!

The other day, I had a panic-filled hour or two. It wasn't a traditional panic attack--with the sweating and the heart palpitations and the feeling like I'm going crazy or going to die--this was a much more mild panic. That lasted forever. Ugh.

So how did I pull through this? Well, I'm not quite an expert at this whole thing yet, but I do have some tricks.

1. Realize that this is just a feeling. I'm not dying, I'm not in danger, I'm just overreacting to something (probably having been cooped up in the house for a couple weeks too long and not having much to show for it).
2. Fat lot of good that did. What's next?
3. Take long, slow, deep breaths.
4. Oh crap, that didn't work. Now what?
5. What do the experts say? Some say exercise...ugh, that sounds awful. Others say to distract yourself...okay...god this is uncomfortable...let's try to...I don't know...edit more of my book! That sounds like a good idea. 
6. Oh god, this still isn't working. I can't even concentrate, I'm so panicked. And finally, the (somewhat terrible) solution to many problems (that surprisingly works):
7. Take a nap.

Yeah, I took a nap. It took some time for my adrenaline to stop pumping, but there just is something about laying down in a really comfy bed with a fan blasting cool air in my face while petting my fluffy Pomeranian that calms me down from a 6 to a nap. 

I don't know why it works, and it really is only a temporary solution until I can finally master myself, but when I'm in a pinch, I take a nap. It's much better than, say, running around screaming until I throw myself into a full-fledged panic attack. I just wish I still had a prescription to Klonopin. Oh well.

Anyway, I hope you guys have a better week than I've been having.

~ML