I used to have panic attacks at college

Step in the classroom, sit down, and BOOM, panic and anxiety would set in

I'd immediately get up, leave the class and do deep breathing in the hallway

I believed the classroom was causing the panic

So I stopped going...until

I had enough of the constant need to escape

I was tired of fearing the classroom..

I was tired of fearing "What will people think if they see me having a panic attack?"..

I was tired of running...

One day I told myself "Today, I'm not running anywhere. I don't care how bad it gets. I don't care. Let whatever happen. If I faint, pass out and everyone makes fun of me so be it, but today, I'm not running."

So, I went to class and braced for it

The anxiety came. The panic set in

The instinct to escape went into overdrive

I clenched the desk and didn't move. I began sweating. Eyes darting around the room. Mind ruminating over what other people are thinking.

I accepted the feelings, smiled and said to my panic/anxiety...

"Do what you want. Get as bad as you want. Cause me to pass out. Let's see how far you will take me. Let's see how bad you can make this. Do your thing, but I'm not running. Let's go."

..

And guess what? I calmed down

The anxiety decreased
The panic went away

Everything went back to normal

I left the class feeling great, like I'd just overcome a serious obstacle.

Now, the anxiety didn't go away completely

It showed up again the next class, but so did I

Little by little, the anxiety and panic became smaller and weaker every time I had faced it

Then I realized what had happened

The panic and anxiety went away because I faced it

I didn't become less afraid, I became braver

I didn't remove the feelings of fear, I added courage

When the anxiety provoking thoughts would pop up, with the tools I picked up, I learned how to examine and dismantle them.

I became an architect of my mind

Deeply analyzing my thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes towards life

Rebuilding it from scratch

The biggest lesson I learned from it?

Don't focus on removing your fears. Focus on becoming someone that can face them bravely.

The path to freedom.

Yup, as well as paradoxical intention