Anxiety and panic attacks

[Eribendaj]

Hi there. I just got here and would to hear some advice to fight my every day anxiety and panic attacks. I feel I can't be normal anymore and thi k constantly about it. I feel a lot of pain when it strikes me and it doesn't seem to stop.

[pandaeyes1]

I’m sorry to hear that you have to experience that. Do you know what triggers these anxieties and panic attacks? Sometimes journaling can be helpful. I usually can’t do it during the event itself, but afterwards, I’ll journal about it and try to piece things together.

[Eribendaj in reply to pandaeyes1]

I don't really know what triggers them but I know that my first panic attack was triggered by too much pressure and trying to make everybody happy. But now that I've let go of the burden I still get anxiety and panic attacks.

[Mrsmoomoo in reply to Eribendaj]

Im sorry you are going through these terrible things. Im brand new here but I have found a lot of support here and I have a list of things I find helpful. Grounding, deep belly breathes, repeating to myself that I'm safe, and in control of my mind. After an attack I journal everything I can so I can try to find the triggers. I have an emotional support dog, live on essential oils, yoga and meditation everyday! Learn as much as you can about anxiety and panic attacks, you will find a ton of support here and you can message me anytime! Love and light!

[Danland]

I understand how u feel I have been doing better but the same feelings are starting to come back. Your not alone

[Hidden]

As hard as it is to control anxiety, I try to steer my mind off to things that makes me happy. Like hobbies and other things that would take my mind off what's causing my anxiety.

[ChesterArthur21]

Hi, Eribendaj. Sorry to hear you are experiencing anxiety and panic attacks. I'm in the same boat more or less, and know what it's like. What I do to cope: 1) when I start to experience anxiety, I try to distance myself from my feelings of anxiety. In other words, instead of thinking "I am feeling anxious," I think "Chesterarthur21 is feeling anxious." That leads to a calmer line of inquiry -- "So why is Chesterarthur21 feeling anxious?" "Is Chesterarthur's anxiety based in reality? (Is he really under imminent danger or is it a overreaction based on past experiences?)" 2) I try to apply Occam's razor which "simply states that of any given set of explanations for an event occurring, the simplest one is most likely the correct one." (Example, if you live on the top floor, there is ice on the roof and you are awoken by a popping sound early in the morning before sunrise, do you assume the ice expanded due to the cold and popped or that there are thieves on the roof ready to come barging into your apartment? You have to assume a lot more in the second scenario (why the thieves would target your apartment, how the thieves got on the roof, how they are going to swing down to your apartment from the roof, etc.), and thus it would be more logical to assume the ice simply expanded and popped. Yes, sometimes thieves can come in on a freezing morning. Note the words 'most likely.' 3) Be nice to myself. Yes, I got anxious/had a panic attack. So? Did anybody notice? Probably not. Will anybody criticize me? Whoever does is a jerk. Pay him/her no heed. Sometimes what is worse than the anxiety/panic attack is the self-criticism and the shame of having those feelings, thereby starting a vicious cycle. Hope this helps!

[Eribendaj]

Thank you Chester for the advice. I truly appreciate it and I will try it when the next attack hits me. Hope it will work for me as well.