Aware's national survey revealed that 60% of people surveyed experience depression and 80% of those surveyed experience anxiety. Stpatricks.ie states that roughly 1 in 9 people will experience an anxiety disorder in their lifetime.
For me, I started to develop physical anxiety symptoms in 2020 and immediately thought it was a medical issue, and went to A&E. Some of the symptoms I would (and still do) experience are:
- shortness of breath
- tight chest
- chest pains
- dizziness
- blurry vision
- nausea
- numb hands and arms
- pins and needles
- sweating/ sweaty palms
- feeling of dread/doom
- headaches
- tingling sensations
- hyperventilation
- tight throat
These symptoms would then be joined by very unwelcome panic attacks. They could last for minutes to hours and were so awful and extremely scary. Anxiety and panic attacks stopped me from living my life.. I had to take time off work, I couldn't drive, I hated leaving my house or being too far away from a hospital or defibrillator.
It took awhile to come to terms with what I was experiencing, I didn't fully believe it was anxiety and panic attacks but rather something more sinister and dangerous. As I researched anxiety and panic disorder more and listened to other peoples experiences with it, I noticed similarities and I just wanted constant reassurance.
Some remedies I tried were:
- acupuncture
- yoga
- cognitive behavioural therapy
- therapy
- craniosacral therapy
- breath work
- meditation
- cbd oil
- magnesium
- chamomile tea
- journalling
- shakti mat acupressure
- no caffeine
While they all have their place and there's still many of them I still do now, I believe the best thing for my anxiety was accepting that my symptoms were from anxiety and that panic attacks couldn't kill me. I reminded myself that I had many panic attacks before and I survived them all. I had survived 100% of my symptoms and 100% of my attacks, I would say this to myself as I felt a symptom or an attack coming on.
No matter how many times people told me this before, I didn't believe them and even would get annoyed at how they were downplaying what I was feeling. I had ECG's, MRI's, multiple doctors and hospitals visits and still thought there's something they must be missing. It was when I got Covid (after being absolutely terrified of getting it), that I realised something that I thought was detrimental happened and.. I survived! This was a real turning point for me, I realised that not all my thoughts and fears were true.
Instead of fighting anxiety and panic when I felt it coming, I just told myself, I have felt this before and I was fine then, I will be fine now, anxiety can't hurt me, I have survived 100% of my worst days.
I found the best techniques to calm my mind and body during a panic attack were:
- Sitting/lying on the ground
- Childs pose (helps regulate the nervous system)
- Deep breaths, exhaling longer than you inhale
- Using your hands: painting, colouring, doing your nails
- Sipping cold water
- Talking to someone or ringing them
- Alternate nostril breathing
- 5,4,3,2,1 method (Name 5 things you see, 4 things you hear, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you can smell, 1 thing you can taste.. I think)
- Say the alphabet backwards