First published 9 November 2023

Another month, another episode of Therapists in Conversation!

This month the title was Don’t Panic (living with anxiety and panic attacks). 

We had a couple new people join us and I think we all really highlighted the benefits of looking at things from different perspectives and the benefits of seeking help or support. 

But, if you don’t have a spare 45 mins (there is always the option to speed us up on YouTube too 😉) below the pic you will find my take on Anxiety, Panic attacks and some simple things you can do to help you find balance when it’s all getting to be a bit much.

So, anxiety and panic attacks – not the most fun of topics but… there is a really high chance either you have experienced one or both of these, or you know someone who has.

Anxiety is a pretty normal reaction to stress, but it can also be caused by a few other things – like caffeine, drugs and some medical conditions.  It can feel like all the worries are flooding your system at the same time sprinkled liberally with nervousness and a sense of unease and discomfort.

This can then trigger a panic attack – and if you have never had one before (and maybe even if you have) they can be terrifying – I can almost feel like you are having a heart attack.  If this is you – please do seek help and support (link to my calendar is below!)

If you are stuck in this loop of ok, anxious, panic then perhaps something needs to change?  If you want to work through what’s going on with you that triggers this loop then do reach out to me.

Alternatively, if what you experience is mild or new to you, here’s a few things you can do to help you calm down when you spot your symptoms:

• Breathe! While that sounds obvious, when we are thinking hard or in this loop, we typically tend to hold our breath.
• Focus on your senses.  What can you see, what do you hear, can you smell anything? What about taste and feel?  This can help ground you and bring you back to the present.
• Challenge yourself.  Ask if the thoughts are real – and if your answer is yes, find the proof.  Are you actually catastrophising or playing the worst case what if game?
• Move! Stand up, take a few steps in any direction or shake out your arms and legs – or better yet go for a walk!
• Sleep!  Make sure you are getting enough sleep, and if needed (or you just feel like it) – embrace the nap!
• Reduce caffeine and alcohol – there is a chance the ‘symptoms’ are all due to caffeine and alcohol, so pay attention to how much you consume and the affect it has on you.
• Have a blether.  For the non Scots that’s a conversation!  Find someone you trust who you know only wants the best for you and have a talk with them.
• Count out of order – count to 10 but do it all out of order – you can’t go into panic states if you are totally focused on counting out of order.
• Give yourself Permission to feel ok and not get stuck in the deep recesses of anxiety.  It’s ok to let it go.

And, if you want to go for something a bit quirky and totally out of the box – how about trying any of the following – and if you do try them, you need to let me know what happens:

• If your heart is racing like a really fast thing, imagine that you have a wee heavy metal drummer performing a drum solo, ask him to keep it short!
• If you’re feeling short of breath, pretend that you are a balloon and you’re slowly deflating (a lot of the problem is that we haven’t fully emptied our lungs so there isn’t enough space for a new breath).
• If you’re feeling dizzy, imagine that you’re at a play park and you are on a roundabout and you have the control to put your foot on the ground to slow you down whenever you want.
• If you’re trembling like a leaf on a tree, imagine that you’re a really intuitive dancer and you’re just feeling the rhythm.

At the end of the day – the best thing you can do is work out what triggers an attack/episode, do whatever you can to deal with or avoid your triggers until you can get some help to work through them, and then do what works for you to get to the other side where you feel like yourself again.  I will say that this might take a lot of trial and error to get there.

If you are fortunate enough to not experience the distress of anxiety and panic attacks, if you are able, reach out to any friends or connections you have that do experience these challenges and just be present for them and have a chat – be that supporter… or give them my number 😉

Until next week, be kind to yourself!