Here's the thing with anxiety, no matter where you are it can find you... Like today, during my Biochemistry test... I was sitting there, reading through the test, realizing I wasn't going to do well, when suddenly I realized my nervousness and confusion wasn't just test jitters, as usual I began to feel dizzy and i called the professor over, he tried to calm me down, but as these things usually go once I realized that I was having a panic attack during a test... i had another one.
We all learn to deal with anxiety, but today was something else, I had to leave the test, call my boyfriend to get some of my medicine from my apartment, and sat in the chemistry office until it had passed... Dizzyness, vomiting, shivers, all of these things come hand in hand with a panic attack. The inability to focus on anything, the sudden spinning of the world, what can one do?
Though I failed today at calming myself down, ill write a few things here that help me.. and hopefully may help you:
1) remember, nothing can happen to you. As you are sitting there nervous just think about this, nothing can happen to you at that moment, its just you and your head. In the grand scheme of things, one panic attack is nothing, it will pass. Focus not on what you have to do, but on what you want to do, take the first step by calming down.
2) Breathe. This is the first advice you're given, and it is the stupidest. "Of course breathe!" you say, "what, do I stop? No!" Its not so much about stopping your breathing, its not that you suffocate, generally its more that you are breathing abnormally. Too quickly, not deep enough for your body to get the oxygen it needs. The right advice should be Breathe rhythmically, breathe in time with something, usually what helps me the most is to sing. What you are singing you are forced to take breaths at a certain point and at a certain depth, so you can keep singing, I usually go for This Too Shall Pass by the Band Ok Go. Not only does it have a positive message, but it is a nice song!
3) Think about those that make you smile. Right now, make a mental picture, a list of everyone and everything you love and then take the good times that make you smile. Got them? Good. Create a mental file where you store alll those things that make you smile, those nice moments when you feel loved and secure, keep something around that reminds you of that. A picture, a necklace, a toy, anything. For me its the thought of my boyfriend hugging me and being silly, my best friend singing me to sleep, or analyzing poetry at obnoxious hours, another friend whose music is my sleepytime playlist, and my cat stepping on my computer as he decides I've had enough computer time and not enough kitty time. Those images remind me there is good in the world and that I have people who love me, armed with these thoughts, I focus less on the problem and more on them.
4) Keep busy. Panic attack over? Keep busy, don't let yourself think about what happened, talk about anything, the rain, cats, sunshine and rainbow, whatever. There is a bit of time after a panic attack where you realize what just happened, if you keep busy you can put that off until you are ready to handle it, once you feel like you can deal with what happened, then go ahead. Another good thing is that after any form of anxiety you feel drained, sleepy. Sleep after, rest, but make sure you have something to do after, don't let yourself fall into a pattern in which you cannot function and become tired and depressed. Its too easy.
5) Keep a security blanket! I hate pills, I hate them like the plague, I have some that I can take if I'm having an attack, but I usually avoid them, I was once talking to someone else who has anxiety issues and for him just having the bottle of pills was enough to calm him if he was nervous. Not for me. What do i have? The book Good Omens By Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. It is my favorite book, I can pick it up and start reading wherever and BAM instant distraction. Now you may have noticed that today I did not do that. Sometimes I find that my stress level is high enough to take the medicine for panic attacks, ill still use my book to calm me down, but I sometimes need help. Now don't get me wrong, if you need medicine take it. I myself take one every day, the one I dislike is the one for when I get panic attacks specifically, It puts me to sleep for hours and I don't feel that great after (which is why I might change it soon)
Now remember, these are just some things you can do to deal with anxiety, but really the most important thing is to get help. From an expert. A friend can only help you so much, its once you start seeing people who have studied and understand what you are going through that you really begin to learn and get better.
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