panic attacks

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panic attacks
By chris

I know the feeling. I had to excuse myself from my last interview to go to the bathroom!! (Oddly, I was offered the job!)
Perhaps you can better prepare yourself for interviews by "play acting" them out. This was
an idea presented in a stress managemnt class I took. Check out an earlier post fron 6/5/01, posted by "help" entitled "List of interview questions and answers". Cathy Brand responded with a list of sites that give example interview questions. Go through these on your own, then have a friend or family member play act interviews with you. Perhaps a fellow teacher?
Remember, when put

"on the spot" and you can't think, you always have the right to ask to "think about that one for awhile, Can we come back to it later?" Take a deep breath and pause before answering questions. It'll give you a chance to get your mind together, get calmed down. As a teacher, you know that we should give students thinking time, before expecting an answer from them. Be sure to give YOURSELF that thinking time.

Try relaxation techniques like deep breathing (in through the nose, down to the diaphram..hold for 1-2 seconds, and slowly blow out through the mouth), or progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) where you tighten a muscle, hold it for a few seconds, then s-l-o-w-l-y release it. Start at the extremities and work in (toes & feet to calf, then thigh, etc.)

People doing the interviews know that they are stressful & scarey. They were on the other side of that table at one time, too!

Good luck & hang in there!