It can hit you from out of the blue or you can feel it sneaking up on you over time. Yet without the tools to be able to circumnavigate it, it can leave you wondering what on earth is happening!
Working with anxiety has been one of the most interesting processes because when you tap into the feeling, it starts to unravel and you are able to connect with what is really going on within a person.
Anxiety can be covering a multitude of emotions which have been put aside as we go about our busy lives. We simply don't make time to feel and acknowledge what is going on within us. We don't even think it's important or rather something else is more important at that point and it is glossed over... we think, forgotten.
Yet our bodies are wonderful. They store away every thought and feeling as cellular memory and if we don't acknowledge a feeling for what it is, then it turns into something else; an emotional or physical ailment.
When dealing with anxiety, it is important to connect with yourself to find the answers. Yes, you can take a pill or potion to relieve the symptoms, yet what happens when you stop taking them and the masking wears off?
One suggestion is to ask yourself some questions before an anxiety attack hits.
"What am I really scared about?"
"What is going on in my life that is causing me stress?"
"What am I not willing to look at in my life?"
"What am I not giving to myself that is causing these feelings?"
A great way to do this is to journal. Write it down for your eyes only and after about the twentieth question is when the gold starts to appear. This is when you'll get out of your own way and you'll start to remember what once stressed you out and when. It may even be the silliest thing, yet at the time, you shoved the emotion way down and now it's reappearing as anxiety.
You may even be surprised as the anxiety may not actually be anxiety!
Because many people who have anxiety attacks are highly sensitive, they may be aware of someone else's anxiety or even be excited about something that they don't know is going to happen. Strange as it may seem, yet check in with your body and ask:
"Am I anxious or is what I'm feeling excitement?"
Your head will probably jump to anxiety because that is what this feeling has always been labelled, yet what if we were wrong? What if you are actually feeling excited? Or even some other emotion, but you simply have labelled it incorrectly?
If you're starting to feel the anxiousness build up, the first port of call is to breathe. Breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts and breathe out for 4 counts. Keep on breathing until it starts to let go of you.
Then grab that journal and start asking yourself questions. It's time for you to get to the bottom of this because enough is enough! It's time for you to feel the peace beyond the anxiety.
And if you're smack bang in the middle of an attack and some part of you can think clearly, tell the anxiety straight up:
"BRING IT ON! I am stronger than you and you are not going to kill me!"
And see how it feels after you stand up to it, because you are strong, you are capable and just because you are sensitive does not mean that you have to suffer while you live your life.
Be strong! Be open to what comes up and know that wonderful chestnut – Whatever doesn't kill you, will make you stronger – is actually true.
I remember someone saying that to me when I was struggling and I wanted to punch their lights out! Please don't do that to me. Just know that I have your back and you will find that there are many others available to support you as well, so please ask.
Intuitive Counsellor
http://rosemarydavey.com
*** Feel free to check out my post on Dealing With Depression