The reason that I'm writing this post is to help others, to let them know that opening up about it is a good thing and that you don't have to bottle things up.
Easier said than done I know! I always bottle up my problems and I'm always there to make sure everyone else is ok before thinking of my own health. I've suffered with extreme anxiety and panic attacks since I were about 18 (I'm now 22), but they have been a lot worse over the last couple of years.
For those of you that don't know what a panic attack or anxiety is:
Anxiety is a feeling of unease. The feeling of unease can range from mild to severe, and can include feelings of worry and fear. A panic attack occurs when your body experiences a rush of intense psychological (mental) and physical symptoms. You may feel an overwhelming sense of fear, apprehension and anxiety. As well as these feelings, you may also experience physical symptoms. They make your body feel as though you are in danger. The attacks themselves usually last a couple of hours for me that's including the build up and the after affects, but yours could be totally different to mine as mine change all the time too. Most of the time they last between 5-20 minutes. I don't think I've had any that are the same so don't brand them with what I may list.
When my anxiety is bad it usually makes me feel faint, sick, scared, nervous, upset, stressed and drained. Then when I'm having an attack it makes me feel like I can't breathe (some say that your mind thinks you're having a heart attack) and your heart beats really fast, you feel as though your going to pass out, have hot and cold sweats and at it's worst you feel like you're dying. I won't go into any personal details as to what triggers mine or what could of caused it. The way my attacks come out could be very different to how yours may be if you suffer from it. If you suffer from them on more than one occasion, get to know your panic attacks or what may trigger them. You'll find ways of reducing them, making you feel better and coming out of that zone that you can be stuck in for a lengthy period of time.
All I would say and recommend is please don't go through it on your own, it's not nice to go through things without talking to anyone and feeling like you can't confide in someone. I went to the doctors with mine as it took me along time to tell my family and friends about what I were going through as it's hard for them to understand how you feel. What I've found is that no one can sympathise with you enough until they have been through something similar themselves. I find it hard to open up to my loved one's about how I feel and how it affects my life. Sometimes you just sit there and wish that you could just be normal... but what is normal?
When I've got bad anxiety or I've come around from a panic attack there's a few things that help me.
- Making a list of everything that's bothering you at the moment in time. Whatever it is that you're feeling it's not going to feel that way forever. You just have to keep reminding yourself of this.
- Talk to someone.. whether it be a doctor, friend, family member etc. Don't go through anything alone.
- Have a big pamper night... I usually pop on a Face mask, light some candles, have a hot bubble bath, read one of my favourite Paige Toon books (currently on Pictures Of Lily) or treat myself to a spot of shopping online.
- Make plans with your friends or family, get yourself out of the house. It is hard to push yourself but you will feel so much better when you've done it.
- Set yourself some little goals to help you get back into your daily routine.
- Tell yourself that you CAN do it :)
- Keeping things positive!
This is very personal for me to talk about and to openly admit that I suffer from an anxiety disorder. I just hope that anyone reading this that also suffers doesn't feel like they're going through it alone and that it affects a lot of us. One in three people usually go through something similar once in their lifetime. I will always be supportive of people that suffer with anything like this and just want to say a big thank you to anyone that's been there for me through my worst days, I don't know what I'd have done without you xxx
Just keep going :)
