SPREADINGTHELOVE

During my senior year of high school, I struggled with anxiety and experienced many panic attacks. They occurred both out of the blue and with obvious triggers. I would begin to feel like I could not breathe and then the racing heart usually started. My body would get really tense and shaky. Sometimes, parts of my body would feel tingly or numb, and I even got occasionally dizzy. With the support of my friends and counselor at school, I was able to discover some methods to co

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the U.S. They affect about 40 million Americans every year. Nearly half of the people diagnosed with an anxiety disorder are also diagnosed with depression. Though they are very treatable and can be managed, only about 37% of those suffering receive treatment. Anxiety is defined as intense, excessive, and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Some symptoms include: • Rapid heart rate • Rapid breathing

We all have a sympathetic nervous system called the fight-or-flight response. It governs the body's response to perceived threats, stress, distress, and danger, real or imagined. Its purpose is to save our lives by preparing us to fight or flee in the face of danger. When exposed to a stressful event, an area of the brain called the amygdala sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus. This region of the brain communicates with the nervous system and triggers a sense of anxie

Evidence Based Coping Skills & Tools Deep breathing exercises These are proven to help activate your parasympathetic nervous system (which is in charge of controlling a relaxation response). These exercises consist of several types including: diaphragmatic breathing, abdominal breathing, belly breathing, and paced respiration. The goal of deep breathing is for the individual to be aware of his/her breath which makes breathing slower and deeper. This is beneficial because it s

GAD, conventionally known as ‘Generalized Anxiety Disorder’ affects a measured 3 million people in the U.S alone each year. Women are conclusively more likely to suffer from this form of mental illness than men. GAD is often accompanied by other co-occurring mental illnesses such as other anxiety disorders, depression, and/or substance abuse, making it highly unlikely to just occur alone. Generalized Anxiety Disorder is characterized by persistence, uncontrollable excessive w

There are varying degrees of severity and countless ways of manifestation when it comes to anxiety. No one’s struggle is identical. But one thing is for sure. On some level, in our own unique ways, we are all in a fight at some point or another against the war that is anxiety. As someone who struggles with generalized anxiety disorder and panic attacks, I can definitely understand the mental turmoil that can envelope us when our minds start racing. One thing that I’ve found w