Panic solutions
Many people suffer with panic attacks and anxiety when the seasons change. The Anxiety Resource Center talks about how seasonal triggers are reported by over 60% of people that deal with anxiety. So here we are in spring where our circadian rhythms get messed up with daylight savings time in the USA and allergies causing physical discomfort. People become more active and so if you suffer from social anxiety when gathering, you have more triggers.
There are ways to handle panic and anxiety. You can distract with non-stop videos or podcasts so your mind doesn’t deal with the negative feelings. I did this for years. I would distract myself with sitcoms like The Golden Girls, Frasier, Cheers, That 70s Show so I could try to run away from my fear. However, the healthier way to go would be to face those feelings and process what is going on. For those of you who cannot afford a therapist or believe there is a stigma to therapy, I want to recommend Therapy in a Nutshell. The YouTube channel is hosted by a licensed therapist who provides guidance to help us name and process emotions including processing panic and anxiety. One helpful I have heard over the years for several mental health problems is to grab a pen and paper and write down all the thoughts flooding your head so you can do an assessment of whether or not they are real.
FEAR - stands for false, evidence, appearing, real. You take each thought and break it down to see if it is even true or if it is a valid fear. For some especially children with anxiety, a fidget toy can provide relief as they learn to manage feelings.
Most health insurance plans will cover a set number of visits so you can do talk therapy or visit with a psychiatrist. There really is no need to suffer alone. There are even groups at places like Celebrate Recovery that provide support and a safe place for anxiety sufferers. Create a support group of people and you may find what II did—family and friends had panic and anxiety issues but no one had discussed it. It really is more common than you think and you can and will survive it.
