Panic Attacks

Until my therapy session this morning, I had no idea the dissociation I’ve been experiencing for most of the last two weeks could be linked to previous traumatic experiences. I’ve only recently opened up to my therapist about trauma from my childhood and teenage years (which I didn’t know “counted” as trauma, but that’s a story for a different day), so I’m still finding new ways to express my feelings and find the source of my mental distress in the present.

While I’ve used grounding techniques for my anxiety and panic attacks in the past, I’ve always had a hard time grounding myself in reality when I dissociate. This difficulty connecting with my body and reality cause me to become even more anxious, which leads to a more intense out-of-body experience.

Thankfully, my therapist gave me some suggestions for incorporating different grounding techniques into my daily routines. We’ll see how these changes go!

Do you experience dissociative episodes? How do you ground yourself when you do?

January was the longest month ever! I would argue that it felt like a year’s worth of anxiety and I’m not joking! 😩

From the sleepless nights, headaches, and other physical symptoms, I would say I’m proud of myself for keeping it together. My favorite coping strategy was watching the TV shows or movies I watched as a child before bed, like "The Wild Thornberrys" and "The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland."

Do you have a favorite coping strategy or technique that helps you? What tips and tricks would you share?

#Anxiety #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #Agoraphobia #SocialAnxiety #PanicDisorder #PanicAttacks #PTSD #ComplexPosttraumaticStressDisorder #GeneralizedAnxietyDisorder #MentalHealth #BipolarDisorder #Depression #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #CheckInWithMe

If you live with anxiety, you’re probably all too familiar with words like heart palpitations, sweaty, hyperventilation, uncontrollable worry, and restlessness being used to describe how anxiety feels. While these terms may ring true for you, they're definitely not as colorful or personal as, say, describing your anxiety using the Mr. Krabs meme or referring to it as an elephant that won't stop whining and following you around.

As our editorial director Ben says, “The more memorable the description is, the more likely it’ll be internalized.” While he uses Taz from “Looney Tunes” to explain his anxiety to himself and others, my anxiety looks more like Piglet from “Winnie-the-Pooh.” I’m a worrier and, especially as a panic attack sets in, I tend to externalize my excessive worrying.

(Do I sometimes identify more with Rabbit these days when I feel like I don’t have control over a situation and my anxiety turns into anger? I sure do, but Piglet has always been one of my favorites, so he’s my go-to. 🐷)

In nontraditional and unscientific terms, what does your anxiety feel like to you? (Don’t worry, you don’t need to find a cartoon character to describe yours!)

#LetsTalkAnxiety #CheckInWithMe #Anxiety #Depression #MentalHealth #PanicAttacks

#PanicDisorder

Panic disorder is when you’ve had at least two panic attacks (you feel terrified and overwhelmed, even though you’re not in any danger) and constantly worry and change your routine to keep from having another one. It’s a type of anxiety disorder.

One in 10 adults in the U.S. have a panic attack each year and they usually begin between the ages of 15 and 25. About a third of people have one in their lifetime. But most of them don’t have panic disorder. Only about 3% of adults have it, and it’s more common in women than in men.

Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder where you regularly have sudden attacks of panic or fear.

Everyone experiences feelings of anxiety and panic at certain times. It's a natural response to stressful or dangerous situations.

But someone with panic disorder has feelings of anxiety, stress and panic regularly and at any time, often for no apparent reason.

You can refer to this:

resiliens.com/resilify/program/cbt-for-panic-disorder