How I Destroyed My Anxiety, For Good

A Quick Preamble:

A personal confession first - supposed to be good for the soul, right..?!?

These days, because of learning a lot of things the hard way - generally by myself, I really bear no resemblance to the "socially-challenged" young man I once was... but I certainly know exactly what you're going through if you suffer from crippling anxiety attacks.

During my "younger" years, due to a distinct lack of self-confidence with the added 'bonus' of several years of depression and low self-esteem, I was seriously very prone to anxiety attacks... and the attacks always happened just before I had to venture to places where I knew there was going to be others - even if there was only going to be one other person, I'd find myself frozen on the spot because I was certain that something terrible was about to happen to me...

Cutting To The Chase:

... and in my particular case, it wasn't even the thought of a sudden heart attack or inexplicably dropping dead that did me in - although these worries and other worse ones certainly had their part to play in my affliction, it was more the worry of "embarrassment".

I'm talking about an anxiety level that's way above the normal everyday run-of-the-mill minor anxieties that everybody feels as we all go through the normal motions and challenges of our life.

Yep, the ridiculous thought of seriously embarrassing myself one way or another and having others witness it and then laughing at me would push me into a full-blown, out-n-out, freeze-on-the-spot, can't breathe, heart accelerating panic attack..!

An official Psychiatric definition is: a nervous disorder characterised by a state of excessive uneasiness and apprehension, typically with compulsive behaviour or panic attacks.

Does this all sound kinda familiar to you..? Can you relate to what I'm describing here..?

These are the few NATURAL no-drugs-no-psychiatrist tricks I learned and persevered with to become the confident, self-assured man I now believe myself to be:

# 1 - DON'T FIGHT IT...

If you want to get over your fears and conquer the attacks, the first step is the double wammy of recognition and acceptance, STOP trying to fight it - what's the point if you're only making it worse for yourself - and it's gonna happen anyway, right..?

Use your inner voice - the one we all have in our head that talks to us all the time... tell yourself exactly what's happening to you in that moment i.e. "I don't like this but I do know exactly what's happening and why... it's because of - - all these people / this person / this place / this noise - whatever your central issue may be...

... and ACCEPT what's happening while also KNOWING IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT... It's an illness like any other illness you've ever had... AND THERE IS A CURE..!

Talk to yourself - A LOT - ALL THE TIME - and use calming affirmations, something like this: "This is how I am right now and that's the way it is - but - I WILL GET PAST IT AND EVENTUALLY COMPLETELY OVER IT..!"

# 2 - LEARN TO BREATHE

Breathing correctly isn't just for exercise, meditation or yoga... an anxiety attack is the perfect time to concentrate on your breathing.

Firstly, it'll help you move at least part (for some, all) of your troubled mind away from the grip of the current attack.

Secondly, the specific breathing exercise I'm going to describe to you now, once you've got the hang of it, is spectacularly calming... this is an exercise I learned long ago and in fact still use on an almost daily basis because it's such an effective mind-calming and body-oxygenating exercise - it's just so good for you..!

So, this is what I do and have taught thousands of other people to do:

• Breathe in, through your nose, to a count of at least 6 - when breathing in start from the bottom and work up... start with your lower belly, then fill your diaphragm - the top of your belly or your lower rib cage, then finish by filling your chest... try to imagine filling a paper bag or a "long" balloon.

• Hold that breathe for 4 times longer than the intake - in this case, the it'll be to a count of 24.

• Breathe out, through your mouth, to a count of 'twice' the intake - in this case it'll be 12 - and do it in the OPPOSITE direction that you breathed in... start from the top and work down... and be sure to breath out ALL the air when you get down to your belly.

• Repeat at least 10 times.

• Once you get the hang of it - like every effective exercise it takes a little practise - then you can "up your game" a little... I normally repeat 12 times and I usually breath in to a count of at least 8 or 9... sometimes I even go to 10 if I'm feeling particularly "feisty"..!

# 3 - UNDERSTAND YOU'RE NOT ALONE...

You are definitely not alone and the sooner you understand that simple fact, the sooner you'll take action and take a positive step toward killing your anxiety... there are literally millions of people that are going through the same challenge as you, to some degree or another, at many different levels.

There are countless people around you that are suffering their own specific phobia or self-doubt which leads them to the same type of attack that challenges you... there are countless people, like myself, that have suffered in the past but have gone on to find a cure and live happy and contented lives.

And it's soooh much easier than it was in my younger days... yep I'm pretty ancient, but hey, there was already electricity and the wheel had already been invented - just so there's no confusion and before the comments come pouring in from family and friends..!

Seriously though, I cannot impress upon you strong enough about just how the world wide web, the internet, is such a massive bonus when it comes to being able to talk with people - especially if your attacks are a result of having to deal with other people face-to-face.

You're able to talk with those who are sufferers from a safe distance, in the privacy of your own home and it's also simple to find help to overcome this serious mindset affliction - there is a stunning array of forums, sites (like this one) and products that are there for you... at the touch of a few buttons - find them, use them... !!!

A Final Anecdote:

Resetting your mindset, about anything, is never a simple thing... it takes a certain level of courage and you most definitely need to be patient and absolutely persistent... just go ahead and keep doing what I've explained here and I can promise you, from personal experience and because of the help I've been able to give others, it is absolutely and definitely worth it if you want to kill your anxiety.

There is (always) a light at the end of the tunnel - and if you can see it, then you can reach it and step out into the glorious sunshine of an untroubled, long and healthy life..!

Something I absolutely believe in is this: "PERSISTANCE ALONE IS OMNIPOTENT"

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And this is something I've used elsewhere on the site and other places, but I really feel it's totally apt as closure for this post:

If you THINK you are beaten, you are.
If you THINK you dare not, you don't.
If you like to win, but you THINK you can't,
It is almost certain you won't.

If you THINK you'll lose, you're lost,
For out of the world we find,
success begins with a fellows will -
It's all in the state of mind.

If you THINK you are outclassed, you are.
You've got to THINK HIGH to rise.
You've got to be sure of yourself before
you can ever win a prize.

Lifes' battles don't always go
to the stronger or faster man,
but soon or late the man who wins
is the MAN WHO THINKS HE CAN..!

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