Anxiety.
It's something we've all felt; some more so than others. This chapter has been published publicly in the hopes of allowing the uneducated or the misunderstood / misled to clearly understand what it feels like, and what it can do.
As a person suffering with severe anxiety, I can safely report that it is one of the worst feelings in the world. Anxiety can be caused for a multitude of reasons, but the most common reasoning is a switch that is flipped; someone or something that triggers an overexcessive amount of it.
It often starts as a knotting in one's intenstines; determined, it carries on, formed as a twisted, cruel kind of ivy that tangles its target's insides, crushing their lungs, flipping their stomach on its side, and causing their heart to nervously sweat in the form of faster beats.
The rational section of our brain shuts off, as all attention is focused on our primal instincts. As a result, we can do very drastic things. We breathe faster, we never feel like there's enough air in our lungs, and sometimes, we feel unstable and unpredictable. These are the effects of a panic attack. A panic attack, as described by aada.org, is "the abrupt onset of intense fear or discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes". The following symptoms include:
• Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate
• Sweating
• Trembling or shaking
• Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
• Feelings of choking
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Nausea or abdominal distress
• Feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed, or faint
• Chills or heat sensations
• Paresthesia (numbness or tingling sensations)
• Derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached to oneself).
• Fear of losing control or "going crazy"
• Fear of dying
(It should be noted that not all of them are felt at once during a panic attack)
It needs to be understood that individuals suffering with anxiety are not attention-seekers. It's a very real problem, and sadly, not nearly enough attention is being brought to it. Anxiety can ruin lives. It leaves the person unsure and frightened, sometimes for little to no reason at all. The worst part is that they know most of the time there's no reason to worry, but they worry anyway. Often is the case that they cannot help it.
Additionally, anxiety can also be caused for medical reasons (lack of serotonin, the chemical that contributes to happiness and well-being, as well as cognition, reward, learning, memory and numerous other physiological processes.)
There are multiple different ways to aid anxiety and keep it under control; the most popular methods being professional therapy and medication. However, some have difficulties obtaining methods - these are the people we aim to aid - we may not be professional, but we are here to listen, especially seeing as a lot of us go through similar experiences.
I hope this chapter was helpful to those who decided to read it.
- Demi
