Do Not Panic

06 July 2007.

“Do not panic”

Speaking from several experiences as a fighter pilot, I feel even on the ground, in normal life, when you get into a situation that demands calmness and you panic! tell yourself " Do not panic."

When in distress this is the very first thought that should emerge from your brain.
To you.
So, go ahead…and train.
Get it ingrained.
As it helps.
A lot.

Half the battle is won,once you assertively tell your self. “Do not panic.”
Whatever be the situation.
Calmness gets restored.

The brain and its thinking machinery tend to get jumbled up when they find themselves in unusual circumstances.
When they get presented with situations that is not arranged in a logical way they are used too.
All logical thinking comes to a grinding halt.
And you tend to panic!
Don't.
You need to sustain logical thinking coupled to quick reactions to over come a disaster /emergency.
Thoughts precede action don’t they?
Hence, this command from you to your brain…makes it hold ground.
Stops it from going haywire.
Calmness gets restored bye the bye.
Makes the brain remain functional under adverse situations too.
When you say these magical words " Do not panic":
You get to regain control,and are back in the drivers seat…for may not be the usual calm drive, but a jerky murky one.
All said and done you get to getting the hold back on the situation on hand.
A deep breath if not few of them, also help, in remaining calm and cool.
Deep breathing under adverse circumstances is indeed a rejuvenating effort.
Once you are in control and not panicking,get down to conscious,regular deep breathing.
All your senses will get a good supply of oxygen and will work better.

As Combat Pilots, we are trained and mentored, to work through emergencies.
Any emergency that we would have in the air, has the potential of getting disastrous if as a pilot one panics.
Hence when we get to tape up the emergencies we also make it a habit to utter these words " Do not panic " right at the very beginning of any emergency related procedure.

Since having stopped fighter flying decades ago, I have forgotten almost all the emergency procedures, but this beginning line "do not panic" has been deeply embedded in my consciousness.

With my feet firmly placed on "Terra Firma" ever since I hung up my Gloves..." Do not panic" has helped me on several occasions when I have been in tight corners.
So also has deep breathing as a sequential effort, after uttering " Do not panic"
Keeping the eyes closed for a few seconds ..if the situation permits...once you are back in command along with deep breathing, helps you normalise the situation quickly.

Lets take a very small but a common example,when matters could get worse if one panics... i.e. when you have a power outage, all of a sudden, and you are ensconced in darkness...do you panic?
No you don't...not any longer.
You know that either the UPS will take over or the Captive Power will.
If the two don't...you will have to light a candle/Lamp.
Don't you get up an light a lamp/candle? if neither happens?

The frequency of this action being staged in day to day life,used to be more in the yester years when power outages were so common.
UPS and Captive Power generators were luxuries, then.
No more.

But, the sequence of events and actions that need to take place to dispel darkness,are so well taped up...to this generation too.
They don't panic too.
They act and react calmly to this situation as and when it happens.

Had you panicked ...instead...you would create a chaotic situation.
Over a period of time our body, systems, react calmly to this situation now a days... as the sequence of what to do next, will happen, are so well known, to the mind.

Similarly,it is possible to train the mind to get over exigencies when they happen.
Provided that procedure is known to you.
And you have been over that procedure again and again and acted accordingly.

Since, we do not have all the procedures well written for all the emergencies that do happen in day today life...at least the first line, of those should have been written and learnt as a procedure, it should get well taped up, too.
" Do not Panic"
As...well begun is half done.

Axee
Alias
Arun Pilot