Anxiety and Panic Attacks — Eat Your Heart Out. I Am Ready For You!
Answered: Can Anything Really Provide Anxiety Relief?
I stand in front of you trying to hide my sweaty, shaking hands. My heart is pounding. I feel as though my body has increased 100 degrees. I can feel the hot red flush moving from my chest up past my shirt collar. My stomach is churning.
Soon, everyone will be able to see the anxiety I am trying to hold in.
Then, someone will ask if I am alright.
I will have to pretend I am fine… Or will I say I am not feeling well and disappear into the toilet until this has passed…? What will they think of me then?
How Common is Anxiety?
When anxiety flares in the body, it is uncomfortable, to say the least. The last thing we want is for other people to be able to see how anxious we have become. Sometimes, it is hard to even understand why we are suddenly so anxious. Some people know their triggers and seem ready to deal with them. Sometimes, it just seems to come in waves — crashing like a tsunami. No matter what part of the ‘anxiety’ boat you are in, I am in it with you.
One in seven people have experienced anxiety¹.
You may not be able to see it in the person at the grocery check-out, or the mailman delivering your letters, but it is there.
Understanding Anxiety
One of the first steps I took in dealing with anxiety was trying to understand it². Where does it come from? Why do some people suffer awful anxiety while others seem to cruise through life?
Anxiety and the Brain
Anxiety is essential for survival however when it starts interfering with our wellbeing, it must be dealt with. Anxiety can be traced to a small kidney-shaped part of the brain called the amygdala. This tiny powerhouse is one of the oldest parts of the brain and works hard to automate our response to life-threatening and stressful events (fearful stimuli)³.
For example, as we cross a busy road, the amygdala floods the brain with adrenaline and hormones. As this occurs, our body becomes more responsive to our environment.
- We move faster thanks to an increase in blood pressure and blood moving through our muscles.
- Our pupils dilate to improve vision — and much more.
If we were superheroes, it would be like activating our superpowers before saving the world. The only problem is, sometimes the amygdala activates when we do not really need it. This is the amygdala hijack — and it sucks! For example, the amygdala hijack is renowned for happening before (or during) a presentation at work, first dates and going to big events surrounded by people we don’t know.
Amygdala Hijack
Understanding that anxiety is built-in to human beings as a survival mechanism is the first step to finding relief⁴. The next step is to start building up the strength of the frontal lobe in the brain. Imagine a hierarchy where the frontal lobe is right at the top and the amygdala is at the bottom.
During an anxiety attack, the amygdala pushes itself to the top of the hierarchy. It over-rides rational thought, planning and decision-making abilities. But! We humans are pretty amazing. We can turn off auto-pilot and take back the controls.
The process I go through when an amygdala hijack is happening (or about to happen) is below.
Relief From Anxiety
- During an anxiety attack, I first acknowledge what is happening and take a note of how my body feels.
- What can I feel? Where do I feel it?
- What thoughts are going through my mind?
- What can I smell?
- What can I see?
- What can I touch with my hands?
- What can I hear?
2. Analyse the environment. What has triggered the amygdala (hijack) to think I am in a life-threatening situation? Is there anything I really should be fearful of at this exact moment?
3. Then, the trick is to rationalise the situation. By doing this, and calming myself, I am engaging the frontal lobe and telling the amygdala to calm down. I am telling mybrain that I do not need the ‘flight or fight’ response right now.
“Thanks, but no thanks Mr Brain — I’ve got this.”
Easier Said Than Done
Not everyone is in-built with the tools to manage anxiety no matter how well it may be understood. Managing anxiety is a skill that takes time to build up. In addition to things we can do by ourselves, seeking out a professional who can help you is always worthwhile. I picked up a bunch of awesome tips from a psychologist, my meditation guide — and my mother. She is a legend.
Here are a few professionals who are regularly called upon to help with managing anxiety. Think of them as masters of their crafts who we can learn from. They are people who can give us new tools to put in our personal toolboxes for managing life’s ups and downs.
Talk it Out
Counsellors are often sought out as they provide a safe space to talk honestly and openly. I am a HUGE supporter of counsellors and psychologists. The trick is finding one who you click with. It took me a while because oftentimes, I was more qualified and experienced in counselling than my counsellors. By talking through anxieties, I found it easier to rationalise worries and concerns for the future⁵.
I highly recommend asking your counsellor/psychologist/guru to go through mindfulness and tapping techniques. Although I was pretty well across all things ‘mindful’, my psychologist offered slightly different techniques that I found helpful — and they provided some variation so I wasn’t doing the same thing all the time. She also introduced me to tapping — which is mind-bogglingly brilliant.
Work (it) out
Personal trainers are usually contacted for exercise regimes. However, many people do not realise that exercise is an incredibly effective way to resolve tension, stress and anxiety⁶. It clears the mind and helps us to re-focus. I have chronic fatigue so I work out by walking from one end of the house to the other. Jogging used to be my ‘go-to’ for releasing anxiety and stress from my body and I love seeing other people jogging. I feel better just looking at those sneakers hitting the sidewalk, grass or hiking trail.
Meditation
Whether you are clearing your chakras or doing a quick mindfulness meditation, all are worthwhile. In fact, meditation actually exercises the amygdala and the frontal lobe⁷. Since COVID-19, many in-person meditations have moved online to Zoom. This has been awesome for me because I have been able to access meditation guides in other cities (and countries). The one I like the best is chakra clearing and visualisation meditation for anxiety and stress. I do this weekly via Zoom with a lady and a handful of other participants once a week. She is in Sydney and we all tune in from bedrooms and lounge rooms all over Australia. One thing I really appreciate about meditation is that while I am working on grounding myself, I am also strengthening (and exercising) my brain — and giving my body an hour to properly rest and repair.
Always remember that anxiety stems from fear, worry or concern for something that may or may not happen. It is good to think forward and plan for the future. However, I have learnt that it is also essential to remind ourselves that we cannot prepare for absolutely every possible outcome.
Most of us (anxiety sufferers) are ‘fixers’. We must remember that we cannot fix everything or be there for everyone all the time. Furthermore, to be any good at fixing things and supporting others, we need to have some fuel in the tank. Looking after ourselves is how we recharge.
Do your best and let go of the rest.
You can do this!
References
1. Beyond Blue. Statistics. 2021.
2. Way Ahead. What is Anxiety? Mental Health Association NSW. 2021.
3. Martin, EI, Ressler, KJ, Binder, E & Nemeroff, CB. The Neurobiology of Anxiety Disorders: Brain Imaging, Genetics, and Psychoneuroendocrinology. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2009; 32(3):549–575.
4. Javanbakht, A & Saab, L. What Happens in the Brain When We Feel Fear. Smithsonian Magazine. 2017.
5. Cuncic, A. Therapy for Anxiety Disorders. Very Well Mind. 2020.
6. Ratey, JJ. Can Exercise Help Treat Anxiety? Harvard Health. 2019.
7. Pupacic, S. Health Benefits of Guided Meditation for Amygdala the Brain and Body. Meditation in Sydney. 2021.
