When Panic Attacks

Key Concepts and Strategies

In "When Panic Attacks," David Burns masterfully reveals the inner architecture of anxiety, inviting the reader on a journey through the labyrinths of their own mind. The author suggests letting go of the habitual fear of panic, seeing it not as an enemy but as a message to be deciphered and understood. At the heart of his approach is cognitive-behavioral therapy, where thoughts become keys to freedom from anxious chains. With the finesse of an artist, Burns shows how distorted beliefs and automatic reactions fuel anxiety, while mindful reconsideration and gentle doubt in one’s own thoughts can break this vicious cycle. He offers a whole arsenal of strategies: from keeping thought journals to paradoxical techniques, where fear is met face to face with attentive and compassionate observation. Through exercises, dialogues, and metaphors, the author teaches the reader not to avoid panic but to engage in dialogue with it, gradually taming the inner beast of anxiety and reclaiming the freedom to be oneself.