#anxiety recovery

[selflovewarrior]

selflovewarrior on facebook & tumblr

[safe-haven-safe-place]

[chronicsymptomsyndrome]

I wish I had know this so much earlier in life, but thoughts like “my childhood was super normal and pleasant why do I feel so broken” are symptomatic. They scream repressed trauma.

If you find yourself wondering things like that regularly, you could very possibly have (c)ptsd or any number of other traumagenic mental health conditions. You should consider at least doing a little research on your own if nothing else.

If you feel chronically miserable or broken or isolated or lost that suffering is valid, always. You must have lived though something awful in order to feel that kind of darkness.

You are a survivor even if you’re not sure what you survived, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

[siecobaina]

you're not "better off alone," you're afraid of rejection and you're trying to protect yourself, even if you would vastly benefit from the support of others.

[blisseysuggestions]

my love, you are going to be okay ♡ healing takes time - i know you want your life back right now already and to just live again, i know. it’s all okay my love. healing doesn’t happen overnight, take your time ♡ you’re not running out of time!!!

[angelnumber27]

Sometimes when you’re really struggling you literally just have to force yourself to do the hard things because they help the most. For myself, I have to make sure I’m doing certain things every day to help manage my mental state. I’ve learned that sitting around wallowing is the worst thing you can do. Be like your own little parent, gently make yourself eat a little when you need to, drink water, shower, get some time outside. Something simple like a change of scenery or a good meal or shower can definitely change how you’re feeling for the better!! I say this from experience and with so much love❤️❤️❤️

[chronicallyonlinesworld]

Daily reminder

I think rolls or just one big roll of flubber on a belly is cute on absolutely anyone

Those giant purple stretch marks on your arms or thighs are just as pretty as the thin silver ones at the bottom of your stomach

soft jawlines literally look like they could be in a painting, they're also just as gentle to kiss

Big arms = big hugs, you don't need thin arms to be feminine or strong big arms to be masculine, you don't even need toned arms, fuck standards

bony hips or legs are immaculate and still as soft and gentle as anyone elses

bodies that aren't hourglass shaped or bigger people without curves are fucking hot af

We're all sexy here, there's no bad body especially when it's functional as that's it's whole purpose and if someone can't love you due to a way a thing on your body is shaped and presented, fuck them.

You deserve to feel loved and beautiful with all your curves and/or lack of at any stage in your life.

Bodies age and change so don't let people's expectations of them change you <3

[sugarhai]

anxiety kitten

[touch-starved-lurker]

gentle reminder that i really need rn- your friends are okay. that was a joke, and you do not need to worry so bad it makes you sick. nothing is wrong, nothing is going to happen, you are doing enough. you’re okay, they’re okay. be gentle to yourself, sweet thing.

[csa-survivor-confessions]

What Is a Panic Attack?

Panic attacks are episodes of severe overwhelming fear. Symptoms develop fast and reach their peak within 10 minutes. They rarely last more than an hour but the time can be variable between episodes and between people.

These episodes don’t always coincide with long-term mental health difficulties. Any all-encompassing overwhelme and terror event can trigger people to panic.

Panic attacks are related to the stress response system. Long-term overwhelm, immediate reminders of trauma, or other outside experiences activate the body’s stress responses. The fight, flight and freeze responses being activated can all cause an episode of hyperarousal and stress. So your body and mind panic because your body is reading the situation as a serious threat happening.

People can develop panic attacks that are recurrent and can cause continuous stress and harm. These recurrent panic attacks often pile on themselves. When a situation has caused a panic attack before it can become a trigger after that one experience. So if you had a panic attack from fear of public speaking you are more likely to start having panic attacks when you have to speak in front of people. You can also develop anxiety symptoms about having another panic attack causing panic attacks to happen more.

There are often triggers for people who have them recurrently but they can happen with no warning. Panic attacks most often occur when there isn’t any immediate danger but they can also happen when there is real danger as part of a stress response.

Symptoms:

Possible Physical Symptoms:

Abdominal cramping & distress

Chest pain or discomfort

Chills or heat sensations

Fast beating, fluttering or pounding heart

Fear of dying

Feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed or faint

Feelings of choking

Headache

Hyperventilation 

Nausea

Numbness or tingling sensations

Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering

Sweating

Trembling or shaking

Possible Mental Symptoms:

Depersonalization

Derealization 

Fear of losing control

Fear of imminent death 

Feeling like you are going crazy

Sense of impending doom or danger

Who Gets Panic Attacks?

Any person can get panic attacks. However, genetics, childhood temperament, lack of coping skills, and histories of trauma can all influence if a person will experience panic attacks.

Common times people may experience panic attacks is when they are going through stressful situations. This includes but is not limited to moving, changing schools, new jobs, job loss, marriage or the birth of a child.

Panic Disorder is a mental illness that is based on repeated panic attacks and fear of future panic attacks. In The DSM-5 panic disorder is defined as an anxiety disorder based primarily on repeated panic attacks, which are recurrent and often unexpected. One panic attack is followed by one month or more of the person fearing that they will have more attacks causing them to change their behaviour. Avoidance of triggers is also considered in the diagnosis.

People with other anxiety disorders, phobias and PTSD are much more likely to experience panic attacks due to their nervous systems already being sensitised and more likely to dysregulate.

Can They Be Treated?

Yes! There are many ways that people can learn to cope with panic attacks. Both self help and professional treatment can be effective in feeling better. Common professional treatments include CBT and Exposure Therapy. Medications can help especially if panic disorder has developed or if there are other mental health conditions concurrent with the panic. Including: anxiety disorders, mood disorder, OCD, psychosis, PTSD etc.

Self Help for anxiety is varied and it can take time to find some that work for you. More on self help for anxiety can be found here: Coping Skills: Panic Attacks

Citations:

Ankrom, S. (2022, October 23). DSM-5 Criteria for Diagnosing Panic Disorder (S. Gans, Ed.). Verywell Mind; Dotdash Meredith. https://www.verywellmind.com/diagnosing-panic-disorder-2583930#toc-diagnosing-panic-disorder-in-dsm-5

Center for Growth Therapists. (n.d.). DARE: A four step approach to anxiety management. Counseling | Therapy; Center for Growth. Retrieved February 1, 2024, from https://www.thecenterforgrowth.com/tips/dare-a-four-step-approach-to-anxiety-management

Healthwise Staff. (2022, October 20). PTSD and Panic Attacks (A. Husney, D. Sproule, K. Romito, & J. Hamblen, Eds.). Myhealth.alberta.ca; myhealth. https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=ad1047spec#:~:text=Topic%20Overview

Hesler, B. (2023, May 9). Panic Attacks & Disorders Q&A. Mayo Clinic Health System. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/what-is-a-panic-attack

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018, May 4). Panic attacks and panic disorder – Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic; Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/panic-attacks/symptoms-causes/syc-20376021

Robinson, L., Segel, J., & Reid, S. (2019, May 7). What is a panic attack? HelpGuide.org; HelpGuide. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/panic-attacks-and-panic-disorders.htm

[purpleflameb0i]

Managed to get up and ask a teacher for help today !! Making progress :33

[selflovewarrior]

[image description: text "You are enough, you always were" of which the always has a different font and some shading. This all in a white font on a almost baby pink background]

[safe-haven-safe-place]

[thrixve]

the anxiety chronicles

i sobered up 5 days ago and the anxiety i felt for the first 3 days was so intense, so visceral, it was absolutely horrible. i felt like i couldn't catch my breath, i was shaking, felt like i was gonna pass out. on and off for hours on end.

best of all, i ran out of klonopin before any of this started which would've be a great help but what can you do...

day 4 was so much better, thankfully my day off so I tried to keep busy. and I talked to my psychiatrist. he prescribed me buspirone which I was super hesitant about because I'm on several medications already (none for anxiety though). but anxiety has crippled my life in so many ways for so long that I just wanted to see what would happen if I took it.

(also trying dismantle my own internal stigma about being on medication. if it helps, it helps, nothing wrong with that!)

I'm starting at a super low dose and even half of that for the first 3 days. well, I took the first half this morning and I couldn't believe how I felt. it takes a couple weeks to get the full effect but I legitimately feel so much calmer already?!

life has been such a wreck since the beginning of this year but I kept telling myself that this is temporary. everything is temporary. even when it felt like I'd be suffering forever. and I'm so far from where I want to be, but wow I'm not where I was...

[siecobaina]

pros and cons of being by yourself

pros:

- focus on yourself & understand yourself

- no rejection no heartbreak no humiliation

- can travel w/o feeling bogged down

- can do whatever you want lol

cons:

- loneliness

- don’t get to practice vulnerability

- boredom

- probably causes depression and low self esteem

[recoveringsylveon]

yes, sometimes you should push through in recovery and challenge yourself - but it is equally as important to know when to stop

stopping is not weak - it's not giving up, it's knowing your boundaries. you're not a failure for stopping. you have all the time in the world to heal! take it easy!