After training, we were told about four methods of warning and preventing panic. Air, water, earth, and fire.
All this was told by a psychologist who had been on the front lines himself, and the effectiveness of these methods had been tested by real people.
Air is the normalization of breathing. Usually, in a pre-panic or panic state, a person begins to breathe rapidly, inhale deeply, and exhale quickly and sharply. Therefore, in order to normalize, you need to try to exhale slowly.
The guys who were on the front lines say that the following method helped them: inhale as much air as possible and, as you exhale, shout everything you think about the Russians who came to our land. By the time you finish shouting, you will have exhaled slowly 🙂
Water – you just need to drink some water. If there is no water, you need to stimulate your saliva production. They say that when your mouth is very dry, it is a sign that you are already in a state of panic. You can stimulate saliva production by chewing on something, such as a piece of your clothing.
Earth – you need to ground yourself. I don’t remember the essence of the exercise very well. I think you need to sit down, wrap your arms around your knees, tense up, and then relax.
Fire – you need to start the thinking process. For example, you can do this by remembering or looking at what you have in each pocket. Or you can start describing everything around you, such as the people, what they are wearing, etc.
We were told that humans have large frontal lobes, which are responsible for creative thinking. And there is a small almond-shaped body. It is responsible for emotions of fear. Panic sets in when the frontal lobes shut down and the almond-shaped part of the brain takes control. Therefore, it is important to restore the frontal lobes’ control over the brain.
Most of all, I liked the moment when someone said that in the trenches he tried to protect one of his comrades. To which the instructor said (I don’t remember the exact words) the mother effect. That is, when you think about someone else, you switch your focus. The essence of panic is thoughts about yourself, about protecting yourself. By thinking about others, you can protect yourself from panic.
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