Have you ever found yourself in a complete state of frenzy with the walls closing in around you? Â Have you ever felt anxiety so intense that you knew your were missing out on life? Â Below you will find my story and as a result, I have put together a simple guide to pushing anxiety out of your life….for good.
It all started a few years ago, I remember it clearly. Â The panic came out of nowhere. Â I felt hot, dizzy, sweaty and cold all at the same time. Â There was a load of groceries in my cart, coupons were clipped and I was checking out. Â I never passed out in my life but I felt it coming. Â My mind was firing off questions so fast I didn’t know which one to answer first. Â What do I do? Â Leave? Â How can I drive home feeling like this? Â If I do pass out, I hope I do it now with so many people around to help me. Â All these thoughts went through my head at that moment and they continued to go through my head for the next year and a half.
Since that incident in the supermarket, I didn’t go anywhere alone. Â Ever. Â My husband had to be with me if I went out. Â I didn’t step foot in the supermarket again. Â I just organized the list aisle by aisle and clipped the coupons so my husband could do the shopping. Â We didn’t have my son at that time so my life was spent inside the house. Â Going out meant getting the mail and that was it.
When my son came into the picture, things had to change. Â I knew I had to get past these feelings because I was now responsible for another human being. Â After getting a complete workup done by my doctor to ensure nothing was physically wrong with me, I knew I had to push to get past this huge boulder in my life.
Here’s how I learned to “PUSH” through anxiety and panic:
P – Present. Â Stay in the present! Â Teach yourself to stop thinking about what may happen today, tomorrow or a year from now. Â Make yourself stay in the moment. Â I told myself if I didn’t pass out when the anxiety was at its peak, chances were I wouldn’t pass out in the next minute. Â I soon realized that just because I felt a certain way, didn’t mean I’d end up that way.
U – Understand. Â Understand anxiety for what it is. Â Anxiety is nothing more that all your nerves firing at once. In my option, anxiety is like pushing the gas pedal in your car with the emergency brake on. Â Think of it this way, just because your are revving the car, nothing is really happening. Â Furthermore, you aren’t going anywhere. Â To put it another way, just because my heart was racing and I felt strange, didn’t mean that anxiety was stronger than ME. Â I was the one in control.
S – Scared or not – HERE I COME. Â Due to this panic, I realized that my life was passing me by. Â These intense feelings that were washing over me where just that – feelings. Â Therefore, I told myself just because I feel this way, does not mean I will end up this way. Â So, I started to go to stores when they were the least busiest. Â I’d make myself walk around the store, buy something and leave. Â In the beginning, my husband and son would wait for me outside in the car. Â After six times, I drove myself and did the same thing. Â Absolutely, there were times I thought that panic would do me in! Â I swore I’d pass out. Â But I didn’t. Â I did it scared and I survived. Â I was victorious!
H – Handle it. Â Actually, I got to the point I knew the panic/anxiety was coming and I was ready for it. Â I felt the more I allowed these feelings to come on, the better I’d get at learning to let them dissipate. Â Frankly, the more it happened, the more I knew nothing would happen to me. Â I walked into the store and I walked out. Â Not on a stretcher. Â There were no paramedics around me. Â I could handle this. Â It was all up to me. Â I was in control. Â Not it.
Finally, I hope my story resonates with someone out there dealing with anxiety. Â And, most of all, you are not alone and you can and will overcome it.