ANXIETY

I wanted to make a blog post about anxiety. For the first time in my life, one year ago, I started to suffer from anxiety and panic attacks. At first I thought I was going to die. It might sound silly, but I actually thought so. All I could hear was my heart beating and I felt the whole world spinning around me. I usually got my panic attacks in the afternoon or during the night, when I was all alone. I felt so scared each time but each time I learned new tricks that helped me to  handle my anxiety and my panic attacks without having to take the pills my doctor prescribed me.

I wanted to share some of the tricks that helped me, and that hopefully might be able to help you too:

1. Tell someone: Just saying the words : "I am so anxious right now" made feel much better and much calmer. To talk about my feelings is still one of the hardest things for me today but with practice it gets easier.
2. Sugar free energy drink. Strangely enough drinking an  energy drink during a panic attack makes me feel much calmer
3. Hot shower. A hot shower makes me feel like a new person. My whole body feels relaxed, both physically and mentally.
4. 1 tbsp coconut oil. It calms me completely. It gives me the feeling of getting a cold bucket of water over my head and it "wakes me  up" from my anxious state. I have realized through instagram and internet that I am not the only one that takes a tbsp coconut oil during a panic attacks.
5. Diary: grab a pen and paper and write down all your feelings.
6. Pep talk: repeat to yourself: "Its all in my head" "I can do this !"
7. Yoga, pilates and walks. These things relax me and help me putting my thoughts together.
8. Avoiding processed and high sugar foods on days. I do this on days when I feel anxious, as I know that they just increase my level of anxiety.
9. To spend time with people that care about you and that lift you up. We sometimes forget about how beneficial and healing contact with others is.
10. Have a routine and things to do during the day. Try to keep busy and productive.
11. Never avoid doing things. Anxiety builds up. Each time you avoid something it just gets stronger and stronger.