Overcoming anXiety

I remember childhood instances of feeling anxious and worried about going to dances and playing sports. The Christmas programs at my school also raised my anxiety levels. I’d have butterflies in my stomach and my hands would sweat as I thought about the worst case scenarios.

I had nightmares about forgetting my lines, my pants falling down during the Christmas program in front of the church, and even tripping while I was walking to take my place on the stage.

While some of this anxiety is common, it seemed to get worse through the years as I went to high school and college.

My first instance with a full-blown anxiety attack occurred in May of 2012. My stress levels were high and I was interviewing for a new job. On the day of the interview, I dressed up more than normal for a teacher. As I started to put on my tie, I felt a shooting pain sear through my shoulder blades. I struggled to catch my breath; it felt like a boa constrictor had wrapped itself around my chest and was squeezing for all its worth.

I honestly thought I was having a heart attack. I went from being in extreme pain to being ok, minus the exhausted feeling. I didn't have another anxiety attack until about a month later. Then, they came like rain. I had one or two a day for several weeks in September 2012. I found a variety of strategies to manage the intensity of the attacks.

Tips to help during an anxiety attack

1. Lean against something solid (a wall, a door frame, a loved one); this helps to ground you.

2. Focus your senses elsewhere (What do you see? What do you smell? What do you hear? What do you feel?)

3. Take long deep breaths.

4. Notice the normalcy of things going on around you.

5. Close your eyes and put a cool cloth on the base of neck if possible.