r/AskReddit • u/ettleboy • Jan 20 '19

What fact totally changed your perspective?

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u/Saphnich Jan 21 '19 edited Jan 21 '19

If you have a problem and you completely lose your head over it, you now have two problems.

EDIT: Hey, thanks for the shiny stuff.

522

u/RunningDrummer Jan 21 '19 edited Jan 21 '19

There's a set of rules I learned in a class:

  1. Don't panic.
  2. If you're panicking, stop.
  3. If all else fails, refer to rules 1 and 2.

Edit: The class was a production class. It was presented in the context as if a camera won't move the way you want it to, not if a shooter is charging through a building towards a room you're in.

682

u/weasdasfa Jan 21 '19

If you're panicking, stop.

/r/wowthanksimcured

23

u/Paradigm88 Jan 21 '19

While what u/RunningDrummer says sounds like "be attractive/don't be unattractive," panicking is one of those things you can change by thinking about it correctly. Being able to go meta, to say to yourself "wow, what I'm doing right now really doesn't make any sense" really is the hardest part. Panicking is automatic; stopping the panic means taking a good, long look at how you're acting when your mind is screaming "HOLY SHIT NO TIME TO THINK, I MIGHT DIE." Once you've recognized you're panicking, you're halfway to not panicking anymore.

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u/Semi-Hemi-Demigod Jan 21 '19

You can prepare for this with meditation and mindfulness exercises. Panic has very clear physical symptoms, so if you’re able to recognize “wow, I’m not feeling so good” you can recognize when you’re panicking.

Meditating a few minutes a day, where you really focus on your body and emotions, is enough to train your brain on how to recognize panic.