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Remember these!!

One of the hardest things for me remember during a panic attack is that the feelings are temporary and they will go away. In the moment it feels like your world is ending and that you may die but it is so important to remember that it WILL GO AWAY. I also think reminding yourself that you can take things at your own pace is super important. I always feel like I have pressure to perform when it comes to things that make me uncomfortable. But, in reality it is more than okay to take baby steps and do things at a rate where you feel in control and comfortable so that you are able to grow.

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False Expectations

I think many people with diagnosed anxiety disorder expect their anxiety symptoms to go away completely after starting medication and therapy. Do not go on with this high expectation. In my personal experience, I have been on three different medications and I still have moments in my every day life where I can feel my anxiety. Medication helps take an edge off and it helped me get back into my normal life activities but it did not completely take away my anxiety. Therapy is more aimed at forming coping mechanisms for moments of anxiety and teaching mindfulness techniques. Both of these things combined have tremendously helped me but my anxiety is still there and it is still a part of my life. Another thing to not expect is that people are not always going to understand how your brain works and sometimes you might have to explain your personal feelings and experiences with them in order for them to be able to support you in the ways you need. I have told my family and friends what I need from all of them if I am in a moment of panic. This makes me feel more comfortable when I am around them all because I feel safe and cared for. If you avoid these expectations you will avoid frustration and disappointment as well. I hope this helped!

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Found this helpful self-care list for summertime! Even when the weather is warm and college students are off from school it important to stay mindful and take care of yourself. These are simple things we can do every day that will relieve stress. I hope you all try some of these out and they improve your day to day life! It is summer so stay physically and mentally strong:)

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Inside My Therapy Sessions

I have been seeing my therapist for about two years now and we usually have an appointment together every two weeks. This has not been consistent though. My freshman year of college I was doing really well and went a long time without meeting with him. When my anxiety started becoming a normal thing again that I could no longer ignore we set up a two week system and I honestly love it. My therapist's office is located in Charlotte, NC so now that I live in Columbia, SC we do tele-therapy for about 45 minutes at a time. When I first started seeing my therapist we would go on walks around his building because the outdoors made me feel more comfortable and it was easier for me to go on a "walk and talk" rather than sitting on a couch for an hour. Now that we meet online I still feel the same progress taking place and the conversations are just as meaningful. We usually start our sessions by just catching up on life and big events happening and then switch to focusing on my anxiety. Usually he will casually ask me how things have been going with it and I always HONESTLY answer. I explain to him where I have been noticing things getting better or worse and we discuss the scenarios that trigger me. A lot of times we end up talking about my personal relationships with family, friends, etc because that is a big stressor for me in my life. He will ask me questions to better understand the situation and then point out things he notices. At the end of my session he always gives me advice on things to work on and also a game plan for improvement. Therapy has tremendously helped my mental health and I encourage people struggling to do some research and try it out! It is not for everyone but you never know until you experience it:)

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Here are a couple things to stop doing in order to improve your anxiety. A. big one for me has been to cut caffeine completely out of my life. But so many of these bad habits can contribute to more anxiety and stress in your life so if you are looking to minimize your anxiety try limiting a couple of these habits.

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Drug and Alcohol Effects with Anxiety

When you have any type of mental disorder, drugs and alcohol are always a question mark. This is because anxiety alters the chemicals in your brain and then adding new substances to the mix can make things significantly worse.

Alcohol works on your brain by blocking chemical signals in between neurons. Drinking is considered a "depressant" because it slows brain processes. People with anxiety often abuse alcohol because it slows things down and gives that person a sense of ease and relaxation. Drinking is okay in moderation, as long as alcohol does not negatively mix with any medications you are taking. Alcohol abuse can also worsen anxiety due to the alteration of serotonin and other neurotransmitters in the brain. This can worsen anxiety during/after drinking and the affects can last all day.

Drugs are also often abused by people who suffer from mental illness. Like I stated in the last paragraph, the alteration of different substances can create a "euphoric" state that becomes addictive. Certain drugs can negatively mix with anxiety medications and this can cause panic/anxiety attacks. Also the mixing of drugs with alcohol is never good. This creates a brain overload of neurotransmitter levels. As people with anxiety, our hypothalamus is already flooded and adding more to the mix does not help.

My advice would be that people slowly experiment with alcohol to see how much the body and brain can handle. The goal is always to take care of yourself and abusing drugs and alcohol will counteract this self progress.

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My Personal Anxiety Testimony

When I was in 4th grade I was constantly nauseous and I was refusing to eat because of it. I eventually got really weak from a lack of nutrients and my mom took me to get an endoscopy (where a camera is put down your esophagus to view your internal organs) because she thought I might have a stomach ulcer. My doctor came back from the procedure saying I was perfectly healthy and my nausea was most likely from stress and to try and "eliminate stressors in my life." I ended up quitting competitive cheer and transferring classrooms away from a mean teacher who gave me a hard time.

... and this seemed to fix things for a while.

Fast forward to my senior year of high school. I was in a serious relationship, I was waiting to hear back from colleges, my dad had recently announced a divorce with my step mother, and I had several AP classes I was trying to keep up with. I started noticing that the nausea was back, but this time it was significantly worse. I started having panic attacks in my classes where my heart raced, palms sweated, mouth became dry, and sometimes I even got light headed. I remember one day in second period it was so bad I had to go to the bathroom and dry heave until I calmed down. Of course, nobody knew what was going on because it was all happening internally. That day I got checked out and I cried to my mom for hours telling her about what was happening.

I was so confused.

She scheduled a doctors appointment for the next day where I was prescribed Lexapro and she found me a therapist to start going to. For the next three weeks, I did my classwork in the guidance counselors office. I told my friends that I was just really sick and barely any of them knew I was even at school doing work. Honestly, I was super embarrassed. But when I eventually told them the truth I found that many of my friends had dealt with mental disorders as well.

But the thing about anxiety is that it does not go away.

I've been going to therapy for a couple years, i've switched medications three times, and I learn more about my triggers every day. My friends in college are super supportive and they know more about my anxiety than I probably do. I'll have anxiety my whole life but I can work to cope and surround myself with the ones that love me unconditionally to make the symptoms more bearable.

If you experience anxiety too, do not hesitate to lean on others. You are not an embarrassment, a burden, or being "over-dramatic"!! This is a real disorder, a real struggle, and is not something to be taken lightly.

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This website lists a few well known celebrities with anxiety disorders. I remember when I was experiencing the beginning stages of my anxiety I felt so embarrassed by it because I thought I was the only one who struggled with the disorder. THIS IS NOT TRUE. So many people experience severe panic/anxiety attacks and deal with it every day just like me. I like to search celebrities that have openly discussed their experiences with it because it is relieving to see idols of mine who struggle with the same thing. For example, this article states that Emma Stone, Miley Cyrus, Adele, and even Oprah Winfrey battle with anxiety and have to find coping mechanisms that work for them. I've looked up to these public figures for so long and the fact that they have anxiety just like me makes them seem more like real human beings. Anxiety does not make you crazy and you can still accomplish anything you set your mind to. Don't let it hold you back from living your life and accomplishing your goals!!

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This Ted talk is a really interesting watch! The speaker gives insight on what it is like having an anxiety disorder, professional research, and some helpful coping resources! If you or a loved one suffer from an anxiety disorder I highly recommend giving this a listen.

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I found this photo on Pinterest and I think it is so helpful! My family and friends have had many conversations with me about anxiety disorder support. It took me a couple of months in therapy and self-reflection to guide them because I honestly didn't know the answer. This is a great way to start! The worst feeling when dealing with mental health is being invalidated and pushed into something you are not ready for. I love the "Hurtful" comment "Have you tried yoga or meditation?" I have been asked this so many times and it is very frustrating. It is important to note that coping mechanisms and mindfulness techniques are different for everyone.

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Bullet Journaling

Bullet journaling is something I HIGHLY suggest for people living with any type of anxiety disorder!! I started one about two months ago and it really helps me reflect on how my days are. I always found it hard to stay motivated when it came to just writing about my day but with this type of journaling a rarely forget. You can set up your journal however you like and make the page decorations however you want. I personally have a water drinking tracker, mood tracker, habit tracker, to-do list, favorite songs of the month, and anxiety journaling pages. These pages let me track how I am treating my body and mind on a daily basis and it also lets me reflect during therapy about how I've been doing on a throughout the month. If you feel like traditional journaling is not for you PLEASE try this and see if you like it!

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Here are some simple self care tips that can reduce your anxiety on a daily basis. I used to roll my eyes when people told me to just "take deep breaths" when I felt anxious. But in reality, yoga and exercise is something that helps me immensely. Obviously some people need therapy and medication, like me, and these tips are just for mindfulness and self coping. I actually personally find drinking hot tea before bed helps me fall asleep faster!! Self-care and coping mechanisms are different for everyone but it never hurts to try a few of these out and see what works for you!

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What Does A Panic Attack Look Like?

Panic attacks are no fun and manifest with a plethora of physical symptoms. These include but are not limited to shaky hands, sweaty palms, heavy breathing, chest pain, stomach pain, nausea, weakness, dizziness, vomiting, irregular breathing, and much more. Although, the intense stuff is happening within the individuals thoughts. Many people who are in the moment of experiencing this scary event are the contemplating questions below at a fast rate.

Why is this happening to me?

Am I sick?

Am I dying?

Do I need to leave?

What if someone notices?

How can I make this go away?

The mental exhaustion from a panic attack can then cause individuals extreme fatigue and you may notice that they need more naps within a day, are quiet, and have a hard time concentrating because of these racing thoughts.

Due to the amygdala being overstimulated during this event many people may resort to anger, crying, and many other emotions to cope in the moment with their high level of anxiety.

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The Science Behind Your Anxiety

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is characterized by the fight or flight response in our brain being over-activated. Typical symptoms one can experience are nausea, racing heart beat, sweating, etc and all of these physical attributions are caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. But, what causes this to happen and where does it specifically occur?

The short response to both of those questions is the amygdala.

When the brain receives a potential threat two circuits inside of our brain are activated. The first circuit extends to the cerebral cortex which is the area that aids in decision making. The second circuit extends to the amygdala which is the emotional response center of the brain. The amygdala works simultaneously with the hypothalamus for a fast emotional response. When a dangerous signal is passed to the hypothalamus, this structure will cause the body's heart rate to rise, muscles to tense up, and it initiates a fight or flee response. This hormonal reaction is normal in every human being so that we can avoid danger and protect ourselves. Although, people with Generalized Anxiety Disorder experience this intricate brain event too often.

Essentially the amygdala is being over-flooded with danger stimuli and is working overtime with the hypothalamus. Sounds exhausting right? It sure is.

According to Harvard Medical School, life experiences can also contribute to higher anxiety levels. They state that, "Severe or constant stress can produce a hyperactive anxiety reaction." As if a chemical imbalance wasn't enough, your upbringing and choices could make this disorder even harder for you.

Although this information may be daunting it really is just telling us that people with Generalized Anxiety Disorder are NOT being dramatic. This is a disorder that is out of an individuals control but we can grasp/control this partially by becoming educated on the topic and mental health as a whole. Anxiety is not the end of your life and there are numerous steps one can take to alleviate the symptoms.

Talk to your doctor if you are noticing any symptoms, reach out to a therapist to potentially begin psychotherapy, and lean on those close to you for support. Anxiety does not define anybody and it can get better with a little work and time!