Thursday, June 25, 2015

How I Deal With Anxiety and Panic Attacks



Before I begin this post, I am well aware that this is a very sensitive topic. And if you don't deal with anxiety then please be open minded about this post, and think of it as an opportunity to understand something a friend might be going through. But, if you are like me and you do deal with anxiety, then I hope I have helped you in some way.
And just know that this is a VERY personal topic for me, and all I want is to help people who have to deal with this. I even feel a bit panicky writing this, but if it helped just one person, then this was completely worth it, and I'm glad that I could help.

 Symptoms of a Panic Attack 
Some people get anxiety attacks, but others, like myself get a full on panic attack, which is different.  I tend to get both anxiety and panic attacks.  I'm not trying to put anxiety or panic on a scale, because both are scary as crap, and that's that. But here are symptoms of a panic attack.
  • Stomach sickness, because your digestive system literally starts shutting down.
  • Pins and needles, some people have gotten those.
  • I feel light headed at times.
  • Hyperventilation.
  • Adrenaline, because of the adrenaline some people think that they're going to have a heart attack, but let me assure you, that is not going to happen.
  • Hot flashes or cold flashes.
  • Nausea.
  • Sweating.
  • Chest pains, this happens because your heart is pumping a lot of blood while under adrenaline. 
  • I feel like I'm being intensely smothered or feeling extremely claustrophobic.
  • Trembling
When you start to have a panic attack, your "fight or flight" system kicks in. Your body basically thinks that its in some form of danger, even if you're perfectly fine. People with anxiety tend to have a much weaker empathetic nervous system. And at the very bottom of this post I will link some of the videos that explain the anatomy of a panic attack much better and in a lot more detail.

My Personal Experience with Anxiety
 What I think developed my anxiety, is the transition of middle school to high school. I've always hated change, I love routine, but in my mind I thought that sort of change was exceedingly drastic. Other people that I know of, didn't really have an issue like I did, (lucky them.) I was always a bit of an anxious child, but I think that the switch is the thing that set off my anxiety to a whole other level and made it an actual issue.
I remember at the beginning of the school year, I thought that I was going to fail all my classes and that I was going to be the worst student ever. I also thought that my peers were going to be star students who would never have any problems, they would always get good grades, never have a missing assignment, or have any troubles with taking tests.  I remember I would be super apprehensive in the halls and I would just straight up panic, with all the people and I still am sometimes. = During tests, I would plant so much pressure onto myself to the point that school wasn't really fun anymore. I would always be overwhelmed and I felt like a robot. At that point, school felt like something I had to do.  I didn't enjoy learning as I did before. Sometimes, I couldn't even be in the classroom without feeling like I was being watched or judged.  Over the course of the school year I eventually adapted to the new environment and coped with my anxiety.
Then more recently, this was more of a full on panic attack. Anyways, for Halloween my sister and a friend went to one of those haunted attractions and, in the car ride there I was so excited, as it was my first time. We get there and I payed for my ticket. The second I walked into the "haunted house" I HAD to get out as soon as possible. We walked into the second room and adrenaline was rushing through my veins, I felt very claustrophobic, I thought people were going to attack me, I couldn't breathe, so I left and my friend and sister went back in (I told them to) while I waited outside. While I was outside trying to breathe. They then told me to go into another haunted house because I payed my money for it, but I told them I didn't want to. I quote "why are you so scared? It's all fake and it's not too scary." So they go into another attraction, but they had a security guard watch me to make sure that I was okay. So I wander a little to my right and I see this cozy little fire pit and I talk with some people and there comes a creepy killer clown and I'm BEYOND TERRIFIED of clowns. I told him to go away but he kept coming closer. At this point, the other kids were urging him to "come get me". As I was running away I almost fell into the fire five times and all the other kids were completely shocked of my reaction. Then I had to run away in order to regulate my breathing. So the whole night was a giant anxiety attack (three whole hours) with little sprits of panic.

My Tips For Coping/Dealing with Anxiety
  1. If I start to feel a panic attack coming on then, I always try to take myself out of the situation. I get water, fresh air, somewhere quiet, or I like to go in an open space and spread out my arms and look up and tell myself,"you are not trapped and you are not being smothered, you are perfectly alright". People look at you a little odd, but that's okay.
  2. Light gentle exercise. I find that it distracts me, I'm not quite as anxious, and it puts my mind in a good place. I like to do simple yoga sequences. You can do it in your own living room, even if you Youtube some cheesy yoga videos.
  3. I get enough sleep. Sleep is good for your all around health, but I find that if I don't get enough sleep I have a particular anxious day.
  4. Have a calming playlist ready: this way if I'm ever feeling anxious I could block it out, listen to the music, think about the lyrics, and flashback to happy memories.
  5. When you're panicking, I know this is the last thing that you would think about, but it is quite important, think about your breathing. If you're breathing fast then, it makes your blood pump quicker through your body, which causes adrenaline. Breathing fast can also cause pins and needles, so try to regulate your breathing.
  6. Find ways to distract yourself from your anxiety. I use school work or baking to distract myself. And if I'm ever feeling anxious in class, I think, 'no, I'm going to focus on what my teacher is saying, as it is quite important,' just try to bat it out. Remember that at school you are not trapped, you have the complete right to walk out and get a drink of water and have a breather.
  7. Try to think happy thoughts about your surroundings. Like, "Oh wow, that lady looks lovely today," those kind of put my mind in a good place.

I hope this post benefitted you in some way. Having a panic attack is not fun, they are so terrible I wouldn't even wish one upon my worst enemy, not that I really have an enemies to wish one on.

Videos I found to be Helpful

 Zoella
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sjuk3WMZByo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-iNOFD27G4

KathleenLights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDLjktRxJK4


Helpful Resources

With Samaritans.org, you can email them what's bothering you, in case you feel like you can't talk to your family or friends about it, and its completely confidential, and within 30 days the email is deleted permanently from the server, this way nobody can ever recover it. On the website, there is more information about how they work. They will email back pretty fast. Sorry this was pretty much the only helpful source I could find...
Just know that you are not alone, their are other people in this world who deals with Anxiety, Panic Disorder, Depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, etc.  You are not alone. There is somebody somewhere out there going through the same sort of situation. :)

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