Anxiety Attacks and Coping

Hello Again, it's been a while.

(Mainly because I'm in the middle of Finals, but also because anxiety exists)

I'm sure, if you are reading this, then you might have experienced an anxiety attack, or know someone who has. If not, let's talk about what an anxiety attack might feel like, and try to imagine having one...

Your chest tightens up

Your heart is racing so fast, you think it might kill you

You can't move

or

You can't sit still

You can feel everything or nothing

Your hands are shaking

Your mind is going faster than the legal speed limit

You are literally panicking and you can't gain back control over yourself.

Welcome to what some might call an anxiety attack. Take a chill pill (literally...you might want to see a doctor for your anxiety, if you haven't already).

Anyways, I recently experienced my own version of a panic attack, and I realized that I had some really crappy coping mechanisms. So I decided, after several drafts, this post would be about coping your way through an anxiety attack.

Let's get started!

One way I discovered, was crocheting. Yes, I know how random this sounds and that you have to have everything already prepared for this to be able to work. But during my anxiety attack, when I couldn't keep my hands still or stop my mind from racing, I realized (among my thousands of thoughts) that I had a bag of yarn and crocheting needles. So I went and grabbed it, and I started crocheting...let me just say, it might not have helped my thoughts calm down 100%, but it did slow them and it also gave my hands something to do (other than shake uncontrollably).

Two: read a book. I know, how will you be able to concentrate. Well, by concentrating on trying to concentrate enough to read the book, you might find that your mind slows down and you are actually able to...you guessed it...concentrate!

Three: yoga/breathing techniques. Take a deep breath, maybe follow the 7-4-8 technique: breath in for seven seconds, hold your breath for four seconds, and then release for eight seconds. Repeat, repeat, repeat as much as possible. I found that this helped me a lot, especially when I was working in a really stressful environment (I use to work the Crisis unit at a Psych Hospital, try to imagine the stress).

Four: remember the good times, or think about a specific memory that you might consider to be your "happy place". Having a happy place is crucial in self care, anxiety, depression, pretty much in everything. If you don't have one, I suggest you figure one out stat. It could be anything; I wont go into detail, but mine is based in a dream that I once had that really brought me peace during an extremely hard and confusing time. Like I said, it could be literally anything!

Well, I'm off to finish my last class of the semester. I hope that this helps you as much as it has helped me. Always remember that you are not alone in this world, in your pain, your struggles and your hardships. If you have any questions, comment below or email me directly on the "contact" page.

let my self care journey be the light in your life, and in the darkness of your anxiety.

Happy Holidays,

Mell W.