Quote:
Originally Posted by Chimney
You've done incredibly well.
One thought popped into my mind while reading this. In preparation for the next time you have a "I'm dying" vs "drama queen" moment (loved how you described that)... is there anything you could do to help ease the anxiety? I suffer from panic attacks every once in a while. I have called the ambulance twice thinking I was having a coronary. How you described your anxiety PHYSICALLY sounded very familiar. Although I understand that it could be completely different.
I personally respond very well to loud music with a strong vibrating bass. The vibration of the bass seems to start to regulate my own heart beat. For example, when I am feeling on the verge of a panic attack or realising that "I'm not dying", I put on my "serenity" play list which is full of .....I don't know. ....druids saluting the dawning sun/shamans dancing around with dreamcatchers... kind of music. I don't mean to disrespect the genre of music, I just haven't got a clue what it's called. ... It's just really calming, soothing, drum beat based music that slowly, surely brings my nervous system back down to a point where I no longer feel threatened.
Can you think of anything else that you might be able to put into place for that next time?
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I haven't tried anything like that yet. I have tried exercising to try to use the negative energy towards something positive and I can sometimes use the fact that I can run without passing out (as well as raise my heart rate then see it return to normal) to convince myself it is anxiety rather than death. I have also started coming to this website to talk and connect with others when I am anxious. In the past I have tried some relaxation techniques but they just made me more anxious. I try to distract my mind rather than focus in on my anxiety or desire to not have it.