Hey hey hey! It's been a sunny couple of days here in Kentucky and all the green of spring is in bloom. I absolutely love this time of year, it's truly transformational in so many ways. Besides that, today's passage is all about awareness. Because we don't know what we don't know, and that's ok.
For this post, I share a bit of my experience with panic attacks before my recovery journey....I'm also going to provide you some tips on how to cope if you have a child going through anxiety, depression, low self-worth, etc....
So here we go.
I remember having my first panic attack. It came to me like a thief in the night.
I didn't know what it was, why it arrived on my doorstep, or where the heck it came from. All I knew, is that I did not like these anxious feelings, to say the least. Shaking, crying, and feeling uncontrollably nervous really sucked! Your chest is tight, you feel suffocated, rage, sadness, you feel ALL THE THINGS!
At 22, I can honestly say, this period of my life was NOT a bed of roses. I felt like a hot mess!
Why?
Because I was living on diets, binging on sweets, no self care routine, and always saying sorry. I looked outward instead of inward and was unsure of who I was or where I was headed.
You see, I didn't want anyone to tell me anything. No one could tell me how to listen, how to eat....I was a rebel in the kind department. Now, I practice being better, not bitter. But back then, Kayla would spit fire if anyone told me about my plate or my body.
I was also angry because I didn't look like J-Lo. That booty though (haha!) But seriously, although I appeared normal, my eating disorder was still present. I was fighting an internal war with myself and about myself.
By first glance, I seemed like I had my "stuff" together. So why was I going through the pain of freaking out at a random red light? Or the tears rolling at the dinner table?
My body was sending me signs, clues, but I didn't listen. The panic attacks were a ripple effect of my excessive exercise and skipping meals. With the attacks, there were suicidal thoughts that snuck into my subconscious.
Time and time again, I was so selfish. Too selfish and scared.
Is your child struggling behind the straight jacket or giving you signs that need your attention?
Take this blog as a warning. Take this as a reminder to help them before they get too far.
Before I knew about inner work and self discovery, I allowed my eating disorder and panic attacks to control my day. I DO NOT WANT THIS FOR YOUR CHILD.
Some tips I will say if your child is having an anxiety/panic attack are:
Teach them to focus on breathing. Even though it feels like breathing is the hardest, maybe even the last thing, taking a minute to breathe deeply through your nose re-centers the mind.
Have them close their eyes. Visualize somewhere calm to get their mind off the attack and into a place of relaxation.
Mindfulness matters. Have your kiddo be present/in the moment. Not worrying about the past or the future, but instead becoming aware getting grounded. This is a helpful quick meditation.
Mantras and affirmations for self-talk work. Even if your child doesn't want to believe what they are saying, the positive words of encouragement really can help.
Find a distraction. Have them phone a friend, pet their dog/cat, get outside for a nature walk.
The bottoms line is panic attacks can occur unexpectedly and have a significant impact in our daily life, but there are ways to manage them. Treatment is also available, so don't be afraid to speak with their family doctor. They can help you come up with some strategies to manage symptoms or reduce the impact.
With time, my attacks subsided. I know there's can too.
Any questions, let me know. I am here to be your anti-diet advocate and body image transformer.
Sending you all the best and talk to you soon!
Love,
Kayla
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