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Chapter 4 · For the first wave
Calm the panic
Four steps for the moment fear arrives. Move through them in order — and remember a panic sensation is your alarm firing, not the same thing as danger.
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Name it
“This is panic. It feels dangerous, but it is not proof of danger.”
Say it, out loud or in your head. Naming the experience creates a small gap between you and the fear — you’re now observing the panic instead of being inside it.
The 30-second rule: when safe and realistic, stay 30 seconds longer than your first urge to escape. This teaches your brain that panic can rise and fall without you running away.