Anxiety what now?

Anxiety has been a part of my life probably since childhood I just wasn't as aware of it as I am now. After yesterday's blog post and experience I've decided to break down some common experiences for those with anxiety. And xplain what on earth I'm talking about when I say anxeity spiral. 

What is a panic attack? In a panic attack your mind literally goes into fight or flight mode, you fear for your life and any sense of rationality is gone. Often it affects your breathing and there are other physical symptoms specific to each individual. The biggest thing that sets a panic attack apart from an anxiety attack is there isn't a known stressor causing it. You might be out for ice cream with friends when you have one, or you might be just about to go to bed. Whereas with an anxiety attack you can usually find the cause after some looking. I don't think I've ever had a true panic attack. I have seen a dear friend have one though. And the experience is something I'll never forget. The pain she was feeling, the deep powerful emotions. It was a moment where I felt so powerless to help. It was killing me. She was and still is an incredible woman and I admire her so much. 

An anxiety attack can be similar in symptoms to a panic attack. However it is less severe. It also has a clear cause, some sort or form of stressor that when you have a clear head and can examine the situation you can find. Another difference is that with a panic attack they are usually quite sudden and out of the blue whereas an anxiety attack usually builds in intensity over a period of time. An anxiety attack can hit its peak at any time, like a panic attack. Usually once the stressor is dealt with the anxiety attack is lessened or leaves all together. With panic attacks they tend to just stick with the person throughout their life. 

An anxiety spiral, as I refer to it, is when my anxiety spikes quite suddenly in response to a stress in my life. It usually includes some distorted thinking, some physical responses (crying, heart racing, etc), and a very very loud inner critic having a go at me. They come and go depending on triggers, sometimes (like with yesterday) it's a very obvious mistake or change in my life. Other times it could just be discussing future events or attempting to plan and figure out lives next step. I usually can snap out of them pretty quickly and can address whatever emotions and thoughts were brought up and move right on along. Sometimes (like yesterday) it's harder to break the pattern and get back on track. Sometimes when they are really bad they leave me drained and feeling blah for the rest of the day (like yesterday's).

Even though an anxiety spiral isn't a real term or something another person might use it helps me to refer to it that way. Why? Well it helps me disassociate with my anxiety to recognize it was a moment in my day and I can move past it. It also helps me explain it to another person (usually family) that I wasn't rational or thinking because my anxiety brain had taken hold. 

Anxiety is different for everyone. We experience it differently. We understand it differently. Our symptoms, triggers and overall responses are vastly different. This illness is completely unique to each individual who struggles with it. So it's important to ask respectful and kind questions when you don't understand someone. It's important to be open and honest with those you love about your experience so that they can understand. If I've learned anything it's that going alone to face this dragon isn't easy and it's okay to ask for help.