Skip to main content

Anxiety Turned Up To The Max

 


 A guide to understanding anxiety and panic attacks, symptoms and treatment, based on my experiences.



If you don't feel in the mood to read you can just sit back, press play and watch the video instead. 




I have suffered with an anxiety disorder nearly all of my life, it started as a young child, in fact I was so young when it started that I can't remember life without it. Now then, when I start to talk about anxiety people who haven't suffered with an anxiety disorder do not always understand the severity of it, as occasional anxiety is a normal part of life which most of us have experienced. Everyone feels anxious now and then. Feeling anxious about challenging events and situations or feeling threatened is common and totally normal. I am not talking about occasional anxiety today, I am talking about high anxiety when the beast takes hold of you and pulls you down mentally and physically.

Instead of just writing a generic blog post about anxiety and how to manage it, I have decided to include my personal experience as I really want to highlight how debilitating anxiety can be. Oh before I start writing about one of my experiences with anxiety I must add that if you are no stranger to anxiety please know that you are not alone. 1 in 13 globally suffers from anxiety. The WHO reports that anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorders worldwide. 

Ok so here goes....One of my experiences. Please note it may be triggering to those who suffer with anxiety and panic attacks.

"I can't believe I am feeling this way AGAIN, what is happening to me? what is wrong? I have only just opened my eyes and my heart is beating so fast, too fast. I am sweating and I am oh so tired, I went to bed feeling like this and wake up just the same. Am I going mad? or is something really bad going to happen today? I am panicking and I can't stop, I am finding it harder to breathe and I know a panic attack is looming. So I start pacing up and down the room as I can't sit still. I can't go out today it's all too much, something bad is going to happen I know it. I can't do this I just can't. I have had enough! Please stop, please stop this, it is crushing my airways and my chest feels so tight it feels as if someone's standing on it..........Help!"

So as you can see I experience lots of different symptoms when suffering from anxiety and panic attacks. I do not always suffer to this severity, I just wanted to highlight how severe it can be.

Anxiety and panic attack symptoms:
Excessive worrying
Feeling agitated
Restlessness
Fatigue
Difficulty concentrating
Irritability
Tense muscles
Trouble falling or staying asleep
Avoiding social situations
Irrational fears
Panic attacks produce an intense, overwhelming sensation of fear. This extreme fear is typically accompanied by rapid heartbeat, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath, chest tightness, nausea and fear of dying or losing control.

I am not going to sit here and lie and say I have completely recovered from anxiety and panic attacks because I haven't. I am in recovery  but I still suffer with anxiety on a daily basis.  Anxiety still plays a big part in my life but it doesn't always rule my life, yes that's right anxiety doesn't have to rule your life there are ways to help stop the beast from pulling you down.

9 Ways to stop anxiety ruling your life.

Identify your triggers: It is really important to identify your triggers. You can do this by keeping a diary/journal, talking to someone or reflect on past experiences. Once you have identified  your triggers which may be stress, insomnia or a panic disorder to name but a few you can learn to manage them by using some of these coping strategies listed below.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - CBT: This type of therapy can help you understand the cause of the problem and bring greater awareness . CBT specifically teaches you how to cope with your fears by uncovering the underlying cause of your worries. It enables you to see worrying situations in a new way and develop tools for dealing with them more effectively.

Stay connected and communicate: Talking to someone you trust can really alleviate anxiety. If you find it hard to talk to someone you know then you may be interested in calling a helpline. If you live in the UK and Republic of Ireland Samaritans provide support 24/7.  If you live else where in the world take a look at national website search by country Befrienders

Practice mindful living: Mindfulness exercises are about living in the present moment to reduce stress and anxiety, by spending more time present to ourselves and our surroundings. 

Keep yourself distracted:  Do something that will take your mind off your anxiety. You may find doing something to keep yourself distracted really helps such as baking, watching films, listening to music, playing games plus lots more. Keeping yourself distracted will stop you from focusing too much on your worries, and prevent your anxiety from taking over your thoughts. Please note: When keeping yourself distracted be careful not to use it as avoidance as this could worsen your anxiety in the long run.


Physical activity: Regular exercise alleviates chronic anxiety and may reduce the frequency and severity of panic attacks. It doesn't have to be aerobic exercise it can be going for a walk at a slightly faster pace than usual, housework particularly hoovering and chores which make you build up a sweat. 

Good sleep hygiene: A good sleep routine is very important. Lack of sleep or not being able to achieve the right quota of sleep one needs for a prolonged period of time (or for some just a few nights of restless sleep) can effect our body, mind and soul. Sleep is an important aid to our wellbeing.

A balanced diet: Eating nutritious foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and healthy fats remains a good recommendation for those who struggle with anxiety. Avoiding processed foods and foods high in sugar means the body experiences fewer highs and lows of blood sugar, which helps to further reduce feelings of anxiety.

Medication: If your anxiety is severe enough that it is impacting your life you may benefit from medication. If you feel that medication may be beneficial please talk to your doctor or mental health team. 

If you feel you are experiencing anxiety on the majority of days professional advice should be sought.









Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Staying Balanced In My Emotionally Unbalanced World

If you struggle with balancing your emotions or indeed live with emotional dysregulation then you may find this post of some interest. Please note some people may find this post triggering. If you don’t feel in the mood to read you can just sit back, press play and watch the video instead. Many people who suffer from a mental health disorder can suffer from emotional dysregulation issues for many different reasons. It is said this symptom is not exclusive to Emotional Unstable Personality Disorder also known as Borderline Personality Disorder, many people who live with mental illness can suffer from this. This post covers what emotional dysregulation is, my experiences and how I cope with it. Please remember that we are all different and unique, some people may relate and other’s may not, so please do not use my post as a diagnostic tool. What is Emotional Dysregulation? Emotional Dysregulation refers to a person who finds it difficult to control or regulate their emotions to int...
Post a Comment
Read more

Bipolar Type 2 Vs BPD / EUPD

It is easy to confuse Bipolar Disorder 2 with Borderline Personality Disorder -BPD (often known as Emotional Unstable Personality Disorder) as they are very similar. Differentiating between the two can be difficult even psychiatrists can find this tricky. However although they are very similar they are also very different too, and have different treatments.  Bipolar 2 disorder is characterised by extreme mood swings. These can range from highs (hypomania) to extreme lows (depression). Episodes of hypomania and depression often last for several weeks or months. Hypomania: Elevated mood, decreased need for  sleep (feels rested after only a couple of hours sleep), inflated self-esteem, racing thoughts, impulsivity, more talkative than normal or pressure to keep talking, distractibility. Depression: Fatigue, sleeping to much or to little, loss of interest, hopeless outlook, changes in appetite (eating too much or not enough),  suicidal ideation and...
4 comments
Read more

Q & A

Five most common questions answered. If you don't feel in the mood to read you can just sit back, press play and watch the video instead. Lets talk about everything mental health related by getting back to basics. What is mental health? Some people call mental health emotional health or wellbeing. Mental health is a level of psychological wellbeing which can vary over the years, and with the ups and down's of life. We all need to look after our mental health as it is just important to our wellbeing as our physical health is. Poor mental health can effect anyone. WHO (World Health Organisation) says: "mental health is a state of well-being in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community, it is not just the absence of mental disorder". What is mental health illness? People who have a mental health illness can exp...
1 comment
Read more

Situational Depression Vs Clinical Depression

Depression is becoming more and more understood due to many factors such as the rise of people being affected by it or by knowing loved ones, family and friends who have had to battle with these symptoms, campaigns challenging the stigma and people openly talking about their illness. When hearing the word depression many people associate it with a clinical diagnosis such as bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder etc. Depression does not only affect people who have a clinical diagnosis. Situational depression can affect people who do not live with a clinical mental health illness too. Dr. Gronley Say's; Typically major stressors in life will bring on situational depression such as a divorce, death of a loved one, loss of a job, the economy or any factors that will negatively affect your life. Situational depression is always accompanied by traumatic events or stressful situations and will typically be short lived or continue with the presence of these events. SD can be...
Post a Comment
Read more