Wednesday, July 8, 2015

When Anxiety Strikes

When Anxiety Strikes

When anxiety strikes, it can be overwhelming and debilitating. An attack can last a few hours, a few days and in some cases even longer. I have personally experienced some form of anxiety for weeks at a time. It’s exhausting…and recently I found myself consumed by the pounding heart-beat, the irrational thoughts and the overwhelming need to run far-far away. Anxiety had struck.

Currently anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health issues in the U.S. and studies report that one out of five people are suffering from anxiety. That means several of you (besides me) that are reading this blog, may be impacted by the effects of anxiety…right now.

Tons of research has been done by doctors and scientists as to why or what causes the variety of anxiety. When anxiety strikes, it can be GAD (general anxiety disorder), OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), panic attacks, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) or social anxiety. Years ago I was diagnosed with GAD (general anxiety disorder), which at the time I was grateful to finally have a label or a reason why I felt so emotionally shitty, all the time. But when the “coolness” wore off, I was even more depressed about being labeled with a mental disorder.  

Anyone who has suffered from an anxiety attack can probably relate to the following…when anxiety strikes, I have described it as a black hole with no beginning, no end…it is a free-falling emotional spin-out in total blackness. For me, it was hard to recognize the “trigger” points, especially when the best advise the doctor had, was to reduce my stress…what?!?!! How does a person who is always stressed and who actually operates better under stress, reduce their stress??? As a high-type A personality, stress is what I thrive on!

So what can be done when anxiety strikes? If you want to do your own research online, you will find plenty of great articles with easy and relevant suggestions to help reduce the effects of anxiety. These are a few of tips I have found helpful for me…

Alternative medicine: I am a big fan of non-traditional or alternative medicine. At one point I was prescribed 100mg of Zoloft to control my anxiety. When it wasn’t working and I felt more like a zombie than a real person, I quit cold turkey. Now I don’t suggest this route, as it was pretty physically brutal and completely against medical recommendation. But I was on a mission to find a better, healthy alternative. Here are a few that I love…

Lavender has a natural calming benefit.  A few drops on a cotton swab or over my heart chakra helps me calm down and remember to breath. I have even put lavender oil on my pillow case before bed at night.

A piece of clear quartz crystal is soothing and grounding. I like to hold a piece in my hand and rub it back and forth, across the palm of my hand and fingers. Quartz is known as the “master healer” which provides protection and helps clear away negativity.

Chamomile is another great choice for slowing down the racing thoughts and calming the mind. Chamomile soaps are great for baths and if you like tea, there are plenty of options available.

Eat comfort foods:  I know that some of you may disagree with me on this idea, however there is something wonderful about losing yourself in a food that brings you comfort. And I am not talking about the cliche "pint of ice cream"…I mean your favorite recipe that your Grandmother gave you or a special dish that reminders you of a happier time. The very word “comfort” is exactly what it should bring you. When anxiety strikes, it is far from comfortable so fill your insides with something that makes you feel good. On an additional note, I am also a big fan of taking vitamins. A good multi-vitamin and a B complex can go a long way when anxiety strikes. Take some time to research what is a good vitamin for you. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive bottle on the shelf either. I personally love the multi-vitamin for women from Hi-Health.

Drink plenty of water: while a bottle of wine might sound far better than a bottle of water in the midst of an anxiety attack, alcohol actually adds to the problem (insert sad face here). I know, I love my wine too, but I am also a big advocate of staying hydrated with water (not soda or juice)…we are supposed to take in at least sixty-four fluid ounces of water per day. Yikes! That seems like a lot of water, right? Staying hydrated keeps our skin looking young, helps our organs operate properly and some studies have found that water can change our emotional outlook. I was given a set of Water Affirmations which are coasters for my desk. Each of them have a beautiful image with a word like “healthy” or “peace” and every day when I am sitting at my desk, I put my glass on top of the card. Call me crazy, but I do notice a difference in the way the water tastes and how I feel drinking it. 

Mix things up with fresh squeezed lemon slices, sprigs of mint or spices like ginger and cinnamon, which has been known to help with healthy blood-flow of the heart. I love to slice a cucumber and add it to my water. I have a beautiful hand-blown glass pitcher which is perfect for “spa water” as I call it. An hour in the refrigerator and it is amazing! The water tastes refreshing and makes me feel like I am spending the afternoon at the spa – and who doesn’t love a day at the spa??

If you feel like crying, let it out: you don’t really need to know why you are having an anxiety attack when it is happening, and trying to avoid the process is only going to prolong the agony. Sometimes crying is a part of what we need to experience when anxiety strikes. Instead of trying to choke back the tears, let them out! A good cry…and when I say a good cry, I mean the kind of cry that leaves you limp and reaching for a box of tissue to wipe away the snot…can be cathartic, both emotionally and physically. Some of you reading this are probably rolling your eyes right now…as a recovery control freak, I get it. We don’t like to cry and we will do anything within our power to avoid feeling vulnerably enough to cry. My mother taught me that crying meant weakness. But this is not my mother’s blog and I am here to give you permission to cry…let it out and then let it go.

Separate fact from fiction: I learned this technique from one of my favorite therapists, Judy. She taught me how to step back and identify what was fact or real in the situation and what was fiction or non-fact. It’s not easy to do at first but with practice and a commitment it can be done. In the past, when I felt an anxiety attack coming on due to a specific circumstance or situation, and I applied this tool, I was able to shift from an emotional spin-out to a calm, rational state-of-mind. Most of, or well, wait…all of what we feel in our bodies is directly related to the emotion we attach to the thought. If we can identify what is real, tangle facts verses the made-up shit in our head, then we can change the outcome or in other words, eliminate the anxiety attack.

GET UP! I know, I know…this is a hard one; even I cringe a little as I type this. But it has been documented that physical activity helps reduce anxiety. Now that doesn’t mean you need to buy a new pair of running shoes but what it does mean is GET UP...out of bed, off the sofa and move your body. Take a shower…do your make-up…put on your favorite pair of jeans…leave the house. Wallowing in your emotional hell is not the answer. Go for a walk…pull some weeds…listen to heavy metal really loud…whatever it is, just GET UP!!!!

Stop judging yourself: I think I saved all the reaalllyyy hard ones for last! This is another one that kicks my own ass too. Judging is one of the first things we are taught as a small child, so it’s really hard to wrap our brains around this one. But just like we want to stop judging others, or want others to stop judging us…we also need to stop judging ourselves. If you feel like crap, it’s okay. It doesn’t mean that you are going to feel like crap every day for the rest of your life. If you make a mistake, it doesn’t mean you are a bad person, it means you are human (and I type this with my finger pointed at myself!). Be kind to yourself and trust the flow of life. Everything is always happening for the highest good…always.

Don’t hide – talk about it: I am guilty of this one and actually used to pride myself of how well I could hide my anxiety and depression. “Never let them see you sweat” was a personal mantra…while I was deeply suffering in a silent emotional prison cell, a part of me was desperate for someone to wrap their arms around me, and tell me everything was going to be okay. But that is pretty hard to do when no one knows what you are going through. I get it, it’s embarrassing to come clean with our emotional baggage…especially if you are like me and the whole world believes you have everything in check.

Medical studies have found that physical contact with another human can help when anxiety strikes. So there is something to be said for needing a hug…I will be the first to tell you that your friends and family want to help you. They want to be there for you; they do not want to see you suffer in silence. The more you talk about what you are feeling, the less power it has over you…the truth will set you free. Emotional pain is like a cancer that literally starts to eat us from the inside out, and sometimes that is exactly what an anxiety attack can feel like. I know it is easier, or so we think to hide in bed when anxiety strikes but in reality, what we really need is a great big bear hug from someone who loves us…everything really is going to be okay.

Sending you much love,


Sarah Michelle 
Success Coach . Trainer . Author . Speaker
Author of Tales of Fried Bologna: A Journey to Forgiveness
www.SarahMichelleBliss.com

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