We all experience anxiety at some point in our lives, the severity can depend on how we manage it. If it is left to it’s ‘own’ devices and constantly put down to ‘a funny turn’ or ‘just one of those things’, before you know it, it has taken over your life.
Apart from the debilitating physical aspects of a panic attack, it eats away at your confidence. Every day chores become the hardest things to complete in the whole wide world. You start to dodge your friends because you simply can’t be around people and worse still, you start to dodge your family because you don’t want them to see you like this – why – because it makes you feel like you have let them down.
I can hear many of you that have never experienced a panic attack who are reading this saying, “I’d deal with it if it happened to me!” Unfortunately the Flight or Fight Response bows to no-one and you literally have no warning when it’s going to kick in.
A feeling of dread starts to grow within you, something is feeding the anxiety, not necessarily something that you are aware of. It grows and a jumble of thoughts enter your head, your eyes become over sensitive – everything seems to be growing brighter, colours more vivid, your senses heighten and you become very aware of all that is around you, it begins to feel like you are trapped, losing control of the situation, you don’t want people looking at you, they can’t see you like this, you need to get outside or get away, NOW. You rush to your safety zone away from the trigger situation, but whats this.. the panic hasn’t weakened, now you can’t get enough air in your lungs, you’re shaking from deep inside your stomach, you can’t keep still, you start to sweat, your heart is banging in your throat and ears, you can’t think straight, you want to run – you NEED to run away but where to? Where can you go? You are trapped…
An unknown amount of time passes… you notice the feeling of absolute dread is finally lifting, it’s going to be ok – YOU are going to be OK. Now, do you agree this isn’t a funny turn?
Anxiety can manifest itself in numerous ways, ways that can be hidden from onlookers, and ways that take you over completely and you feel your control has been compromised. It’s ok to ask for help. This is a very real problem.
On the outside Anxiety can make you do or crave many things, things that may give you short term relief, but you will always come back full circle and have another panic attack as your confidence get’s eaten up by the quietly consistent anxiety. Whatever is your choice of poison, it’s not a ‘buffer’ or ‘crutch’ that you need, it’s support and strength to get you through this period of anxiety in your life. Regardless of how bad it gets, how dark it gets – there is always a light at the end of that long lonely tunnel that is anxiety.
I have helped countless people overcome their anxieties and this has allowed them to lead a perfectly normal life again. You will probably never forget how it made you feel, however you will gain strength from the experience no matter how long it lasted and you will learn from it. You will gradually rebuild your confidence again and even find new confidence and a new zest for life.
You are never alone when you have my number, call me, let’s talk.