
Anxiety. We all experience it from time to time. It is that nagging reminder that something isn’t quite right. It heightens awareness of our surroundings and alerts us to danger in situations we encounter. Anxiety is our body’s protection mechanism that prepares us to engage in a “fight or flight” reaction.Though not generally viewed this way, anxiety is actually a necessary and essential physiological process for our survival. While low levels of anxiety can be beneficial, it can also get out of hand and become debilitating.
If you have struggled for any length of time with overwhelming anxiety, you may have had well-meaning friends and family tell you that “you just need to stop worrying” or “you need to stop overreacting”. It’s easy for someone who has not experienced the effects of anxiety or depression to think that it is all in your head and that there is some sort of choice that plays into it.
While I don’t believe that to be true, I do know that there are solutions out there for those of us suffering with anxiety and panic attacks. I have been on a long journey to healing from panic attacks and anxiety. There are several things I have found along the way that aided in my recovery.