Panic Attacks and Anxiety

Well, I haven't been writing in my blog for a long time but I know I am missing some major details as of late....but... I REACHED MY GOAL WEIGHT OF 155 lbs. but lost two more pounds and have maintained my 153 lbs for about 3 months now, which is huge for me. I feel great and am definitely happier. I still need to work on eating healthier choices of meals and going on walks more but I will get there if I keep trying at it.

Ok, so the title of my post is pretty self explanatory. I just wanted to vent a little and hopefully help others feel that they are not alone or, if they are experiencing some similar symptoms that they can know what it might be. Or to help others understand what someone with anxiety goes through.

I just never wanted to have anxiety in my life. I have seen it in just a few family members and I thought, hopefully I would be exempt. It wasn't until I started my second Dental Assisting job in November or December of last year that I started having BAD anxiety and panic attacks. I probably always had a little anxiety before then but never enough to disable me from doing things I wanted to do and things that needed to get done.

First of all, it is possibly the worst thing to experience on a daily occurrence. I wouldn't wish this on anybody. For me, my anxiety happens in the following steps.

Step 1: Sweaty hands
Step 2: Heart starts beating really fast
Step 3:  Start Pacing
Step 4:  Breathing quickens
Step 5:  Start crying cause I feel I cant do what ever Im having the anxiety over
Step 6:  Cant breath cause Im crying and breathing really fast
Step 7:  My face and hands get numb because of lack of oxygen which makes the anxiety/panic attack worse.
Step 8:  30 minutes later I have calmed down to where Im only at step 1 and 2.

Try having that everyday before you went to work. NIGHTMARE!

If you want to help a person who is having one of these attacks. Do some of the things below.

1. Get them a really cold glass of water. (That is a sure fire way to help them calm down)
2. Tell them to look you in the eye and tell them to B-R-E-A-T-H-E slowly.
3. Let them know that this does not make them weaker than anyone else.
4. If the anxiety attacks happen more often, tell them they should just go TALK to a doctor about it.
5. Tell them it will be ok and just listen or let them cry.

These are only a few ways to help and I cant think of more right now because I am still trying to figure this whole thing out myself. I have been having bad anxiety with one major thing as of late and that is answering customer service calls. I now have noticed that I have always had anxiety over talking on the phone and would much rather talk in person and that mixed with anxiety over having people hate me or yell at me has made doing the task at work simply awful.

I want more than anything than to answer customer service phone calls. I would take them all the time if I didnt get anxiety. But, I just cant. I have had additional anxiety because I have been scared I would get fired because I didnt answer a certain number of calls withing just an hour and a half on phones, still worry about it constantly. I keep trying to tell myself that I can do it without medication and I just want to beat this on my own, but I have realized, I just cant. I have to take medication, luckily not a lot, but I have tried to avoid that aspect of getting past anxiety.

My heart goes out to anyone of you that is suffering with this or will start to suffer with this. Its an awful feeling to have daily and remember you are not the only one around that deals with it. Take medication if you need it and just do what you can handle if the circumstance permits. Push yourself a little each day and get excited for the littlest of accomplishments when having anxiety and soon it will get better. Anxiety does not make you weak and it doesnt make you abnormal. You are still you and anxiety doesnt define who you are or who you will become. YOU ARE NOT ANXIETY!