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When Anxiety Took Over My Life, This Is What Helped
Calming techniques don’t always work
A month ago, I had what would traditionally be called an “anxiety” or “panic” attack after my bathroom flooded. I put those words in quotes because trauma expert Irene Lyon, MSC, says a panic or anxiety attack could be the release of stored traumatic stress.
Knowing that could be relevant if you have a history of trauma like I do.
My adrenaline spiked as I furiously mopped up water, which threatened to spill into the living room and damage the laminate floor. In between, I ran heavy bundles of soggy blankets and towels outside to my drying rack.
I momentarily felt like Superwoman as all my aches and pains instantly dissolved. That could have been a clue that my adrenaline had risen far too high.
The drain guy arrived and fixed the immediate problem. Everything was copacetic, right? Little did I know what would come next.
Sitting down to relax, I took a look at Netflix, but realized I needed to complete my listening assignment for the day — it’s part of a therapeutic music program called “Rest and Restore” for trauma healing.
I grabbed my headphones and turned on the healing music. Within seconds, my heart rate and blood pressure soared…
