If you haven't already done so, please take a look at
part 1 of this post dealing with anxiety, fear, and worry.
Part 2 of this post will address something we all deal with on a daily basis: anxiety, fear, and worry. However, some of us experience it (rationally or irrationally) in an entirely different way. You might think you are more impacted by anxiety and fear than most people. If you have ever experienced a panic attack or thought your heart was going to pound out of your chest, you most likely have anxiety troubles. There's good news! You're not alone! You are stronger than you can imagine and I have some tried and true methods that might help you combat your anxiety a little bit better.
Notice I didn't say you'd never experience anxiety or fear again. There will always be times you are more anxious or situations that will trigger a panic attack. However, once you have the proper tools in your arsenal to effectively fight your fears, you should become more comfortable knowing you are strong enough to stop the attacks on your own!
The first step is to know what fear triggers your anxiety. What is your specific fear? What event/place/person/thing triggers your anxiety? Most of you will already know this by heart, but it is important to know exactly what you're afraid of in order to zero in on the solution. For example, one of my big fears is that I will be in a place (car, airplane, movie theater, restaurant, etc.) and vomit in front of the whole world. Yikes. I'm not sure anyone would be fond of that, but that specific fear is what
causes my anxiety. Since my fear is getting 'trapped' and feeling unable to flee if necessary, the thought of that fear causes my anxiety and triggers a panic attack. Clear as mud, right? So, any situation where I may foresee my fear coming true causes my anxiety.
The second and
very important step is to
face that fear. The human response to fear is fight or flight and since we don't really have saber-tooth tigers to run away from anymore, the most common human response is to flee. However, in order to retrain your mind and body to tolerate the fear, you'll need to expose yourself to the situation that causes the anxiety. For instance, let's say you're afraid of snakes. The best way to tackle that fear is to start very, very small. A phrase I like to use is to take 'baby steps' toward your goal. First, talk to others about snakes. Then look at pictures of snakes. Next, go to pet store with snakes there. Then, go and look at snakes in a cage. Next, sit next to a person holding a snake and eventually safely touch the snake. This will probably be
very uncomfortable, but once you see that the likelihood of the snake hurting you is very minimal, you'll start to become more comfortable. Bit by bit, the anxiety will lessen. You will most likely always be on high alert when thinking of or being around snakes, but you'll be less likely to go into full panic mode.
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| Felix and his Bag of Tricks |
Next, be prepared! Always be ready for the unexpected with your own bag of tricks. If you feel like you have your back against the wall with no options, a panic attack is likely to happen. Since my fear involves throwing up, I will put a big Ziploc bag in my purse or pocket when I expect to be in an uncomfortable situation. I also limit food consumption so that when my stomach gets churny, I'm less likely to 'lose' anything if I do get sick (but that's my thing and I'm not telling you not to eat, because that's completely your call). Since getting overheated is another result of my anxiety, I will make sure to pack an iced washcloth in the summertime and wear clothing that allows me to cool off. Even in the winter, I will wear layers that can be peeled down to a tank top if necessary. Even on car rides, I will put my hand or arm next to the window to help me cool off if it's cold outside. I will also tend to sit very close to an exit door or a restroom if possible. I'm always scanning for the easiest route out. You might also keep some small hard candy around in case being anxious results in a drop in blood sugar. I bet you are
so in tune to your surroundings when you become anxious that you'll find numerous ways to use your environment to help you maintain composure. Just do what you need to do in order to ease your mind and that will help reduce the 'what if's' that tangle us up.
Another step is to have a distraction if possible. When my mind gets fully engrossed in the what if's and worrying, it's almost too late. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT let the what if's get control of you! Your brain physically tricks your body into freaking out, causing a body chemistry chain reaction that leads to a full blown panic attack. I've found that having a script in my head helped draw the focus away from the what if's. This sounds silly, but I took a physiological psychology class and memorized the synapse process from a source of pain, like a stubbed toe, to get to the brain. Whenever I was having a moment of panic, I'd quickly take a deep breath and repeat the mentally arduous process to myself over and over. This would give my brain and body a chance to stall out and lessen the anxiety. For those of you who have seen the great movie
French Kiss, try to imagine
your 'stone cottage'...
your happy place that will put your mind at ease. Memorize the order of Presidents, or count numbers divisible by 3, or how to get 4 gallons of water from a 3 gallon and 5 gallon jug (I hate that riddle), or pray your little heart out...
anything that will require you to be engaged in thought in something other than your fear.
Breathe! Breathe! Breathe! I never noticed until I saw a self-help on anxiety that I yawn when anxious. I mean, I yawn every 10 seconds or so until I'm exhausted, but was too engrossed in worry to notice. I literally hold my breath when my anxiety hits. The result is a weak, dizzying effect that can take you to near fainting. Solution: take big, gut filling, breaths for a count of 5 seconds and then breathe out for another 5 seconds. This will help your body expel carbon dioxide build-up and replace it with more oxygen to your brain. It will also lower your heart rate, which will probably be keeping time with
Flight of the Bumble Bee. This is such a simple step, but has saved me many times.
Lastly, tell your friends and family. Yes, they may poke fun at you for a bit, but it takes such a huge weight off your shoulders that you would otherwise be carrying alone. Tell your friends that you're scared of snakes or you'd like to sit at the end of the aisle at the movies. Tell your teacher that you have a severe fear of public speaking and would like to do your speech first. Most of the time, people want to help you if they see you wanting to better yourself or know you're truly scared. After all, what could it hurt?
This post turned out much longer than I originally anticipated, but if you experience anxieties, each of these steps is vitally important. I'm no doctor (obviously), but I have personal experience with panic attacks and anxiety. I have also not taken any medications that effectively combat this. My experiences and my desire to face my fears so they won't control my life have driven me to find the answers.
Please, please, please share your story below and if you need any help, ask!! Know that others will gain so much from your experiences! Would you share your story if you knew it would help one other person stand up to their anxieties? Also, please share this post. No one ever knew I had panic attacks, because I didn't tell anyone for such a long time. You never know who this post might help.
Now, go and chase your dreams!!
Leslie
