Anxieties

I am not a doctor. I am not a psychologist. I’m not involved in any research. But I’m a person that has struggled with anxiety attacks. Not on paper, but in real life.

A few years ago, I started to have anxiety attacks, which initially were caused by a medication that was prescribed to me (an anti-depressive to be clear). (Now I am aware that the medication was just one of the factors for my anxieties, but it kicked it off).

The first time I felt a severe attack, my whole body shook, my teeth shivered, I was no longer in control of my body and mind and I started to get really scared. I was sweating, my heart hurt (I thought I was suffering a heart attack), I could not breath well, my stomach hurt, and so did the rest of my body. It got so bad in fact, that my husband drove me to the ER while my neighbor friend watched our sleeping boys (it happened in the evening, just before falling asleep). When I arrived at the ER, they did numerous tests and told me that I am experiencing what is referred to as an anxiety attack.
From then on, I had anxiety attacks on a daily basis (or multiple times a day) for about one or two months and becoming one every few days for another month or two, before it slowed down. I refused to take medication because medication is what got me “into this mess” to begin with. I knew that I had to find a solution for me without meds. It was not easy, but it was worth it, and I did it!

My friend introduced me to her mother, who has suffered anxiety attacks many years in her life, a woman that has learned to deal with hers. A gorgeous woman that has life under control, I was in disbelief that she could have any “mental issues” like mine. But she did, she used to. And knowing that she is “normal” now, gave me great hope. She was willing to share with me some of her ways to cope with her anxiety.

I found many ways that have helped me cope with my anxiety attacks without using any medication and I feel the need to share those with the world.

I appreciate modern medicine, but I think that most people can cope with their anxiety on a natural way; but I also KNOW that some CANNOT DO IT WITHOUT MEDICATION. If you cannot live your life without medication, then for goodness sake, please, take them!
All I want is for people to be aware that there is an alternative way to drugs for dealing with anxiety:

-The first few times when I started to talk about my anxiety, it about caused another one. Do it anyway. TALK ABOUT IT. Learn about it. Don’t ignore it. YOU WILL GET BETTER!

-For the first few years, I had what I call an “emergency pill” in my bag. It’s a relaxer that’s not required to be taken on a daily basis, only “as needed”. I took it ONCE, the night after the ER, but have never taken it since then. Yet, it helped me to know that I’d have something IN CASE. It just simply EASED MY MIND.

-Know that anxiety attacks are common. I meet people all over, in all ages, in all different life situations that experience them. (You might even be surprised to learn about people like your siblings having the same issues. Thanks Martin for your help and your pointers!! ;)

-Accept the fact that you will have an attack every once in a blue moon.
Don’t be afraid of them. My BIGGEST fear, after having my first anxiety attack, was to experience another one. I was so worried, that I literally started to spook myself out. I was telling myself that I was going to have another attack – and voila, another attack happened.
Have the right attitude, let go of your fear!

-The average anxiety attack spikes at 10 minutes, though they often feel much longer because the winding down can take a long time. Knowing that, you can tell yourself: I’m having an anxiety attack, it’s going to get a little worse, my heart will start to pound faster, I feel uneasy, here comes the feeling of going crazy… – but it will not last much longer.
And, you will start to know the feeling when your anxiety spikes and when your body starts to calm down.
You will learn fast, how to be able to have shorter anxiety attacks. You will learn to recover from them faster and faster.

-Learn to identify your anxiety. Learn to know when you are starting to feel them coming on. That will be your key to get a hold of your emotions before they get out of control.

-Know what CAUSES your attacks and find solutions to lower your fears. I used to think that there was no reason for me having an attack. I really thought that I just simply had them… until I started to realize that I had anxiety attacks for a subconscious reason. Once you find out what “scares you right out of your pants”, you will be able to find small ways to diminish the root of your fears. And be aware, this takes a lot of time and is one of the hardest things (for me) to identify.

-Exercise. I don’t run, I don’t go on massive bike rides. But I exercise. I go on walks and on slow bike rides. Sometimes I simply work in the garden. I free my soul when I stroll through nature… Exercise is HUGE!

-Drink water. Not soda, not tea, not coffee. Maybe one of those a day won’t hurt you, but the more water you drink, the less likely it is for your body to have an anxiety attack. Your body needs water! Your digestion needs water (read up on digestion and anxiety – they actually are very closely related). By the way, caffeine can trigger my anxiety, so I rarely drink anything with caffeine in it. If I drink a coke, it’s usually a caffeine free one.
   

-Breath. Everyone breathes, of course we do – but we don’t always breathe deep enough. Having learned to breathe on a more intense level has taken much of my anxiety away. I have learned that when I start to feel uneasy, I should breathe deeply, inhale, EXHALE… you know the drill. (Really, make sure you exhale!)

-Fake a smile. This one sounds ridiculous, but it works wonders: If you just fake a smile for a few minutes, your body will release endorphins.

-Eat better. Eat healthy. Simply like that. A burger every so often won’t hurt you, but I can guarantee you that with healthy diet, you are going to be much more successful to conquer your anxiety. Having a healthy body will level out your mood swings. Make sure you have enough vitamins in your diet. And don’t skip meals!

-Sleep enough. That one is tricky for me, because I started a milder form of insomnia when I had my anxieties. I don't remember what I did to finally fall asleep, I just remember laying awake in my bed until I "passed out", trying to sooth myself with claming thoughts. Once I realized how to talk myself into relaxing more, I had an easier time sleeping. The first month or two I laid awake for hours before fianlly sleeping every night.

-Believe it will get better. Positive thinking is crucial.
I believe in God and Jesus Christ. My faith has helped me tremendous to deal with my fears and with my anxiety attacks. I have learned to let go of many things because I remember reading “fear not, I am with you…” and Psalm 143:7 “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
I knew and I had faith that he will help me with my anxiety.
I know that not everyone believes in God. But HAVE FAITH ANYWAY! Know that you will get better. Know that you are not “crazy”. You are not “psycho”. You are simply going through changes in your body and mind. You may go through terrible feelings of loneliness, of fears, of tragedy – but you will not be in this lurch for the rest of your life! 

-Slow down, you might be moving too fast.

 There are things you can change – change them if you need to. There are things you cannot change. Simply accept them. Try to. Learn to.

I hope that this might help someone, anyone with anxiety. And just know that you are not alone.

Xoxo, Lydia