Who Pushed The Red Button

Anxiety-what?

But I’m so, why does my body and mind feel like somethings going to happen,

‘I can’t function with this feeling’

Over 40+ years of my experience as a health practitioner in various roles, I have  helped many patients/clients deal with anxiety and panic attacks.

With every good intention at the beginning of my career in healthcare I spewed all the mainstream advice and sometimes it helped. I admit now that it did take me a while to really understand anxiety states and what really helps.

When I look back at the ‘advice’ I dished out to those suffering (and it is real suffering) from anxiety, I cringe because at that time I had no real understanding of its mechanisms and real impact.

As life does, it leads you to light bulb moments. Through these moments I discovered some easy  but  successful ways to help distract the anxiety which I will share later but most of all I came to understand that ‘panic attacks’ and anxiety can rule the person therefore no blame should be put on the person who suffers.

In the process of treating my clients who suffer anxiety and panic attacks I soon came to understand that the first step in healing is understanding the why and how of these conditions. This has made such a huge difference to my clients whether they suffer anxiety as a result of immediate personal  experience or suffer anxiety/panic attacks for no apparent reason  and also Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

The Red Button has been pushed.

Anxiety/panic reactions in the body can be compared to a building where the red fire/alarm button has been pushed.

Let me explain the process

The body first perceives danger, fear, distress or stress through its senses.

The senses include

Sight -e.g. you see a car crash-you see a threat or danger

Hearing- e.g .you hear a smashing window- you hear danger

Smell    -e.g. you smell smoke-you smell danger

Taste-e.g. you taste fumes-you taste danger

Touch-e.g. you feel heat- you feel danger

Emotions-e.g. something isn’t right-you sense danger

Each of these are interpreted by that individual as danger and remember our interpretations are very individual. This means that danger for one person might not necessarily mean danger for another.

The physical effects this fear or danger has on the body are;

{My explanation is not going to be very scientific rather quickly understandable.}

1. The body senses fear/danger or threat by any of the senses
2. Messages are sent by the brains interpretation of danger to the nervous system
3. The nervous system sends messages to the hormonal system
4. The hormonal system engages the stress hormones
5. Stress hormones flood the body
6. Physical changes happen in the body as a result of the stress hormones

ALL OF THIS HAPPENS IN SECONDS

The body is prepared for fight or flight (to fight or run from the danger)

Below  is as diagram to show what  stress hormones do to the body

And after the storm?

After the threat or danger has gone the body will produce ‘peace maker’ hormones and all systems will come back to normal again.

BUT

Sometimes the Red Button gets stuck!

For some people the body never seems to return to normal. There can be a plethora of reasons for this such as the trauma has been too overwhelming leaving us constantly annoyed or fearful.

The Red Button get pushed intermittently

This is a common occurrence and happens usually for no apparent reason. The panic symptoms just happen anywhere at anywhere at anytime such as these times:

During the night- you waken abruptly with heart racing, Why?

During the day- the anxiety/panic swamps you suddenly.

It is on these occasions that the Red Button is in charge of you. It is not your fault.

But how come?

Gosh, there are a million reasons;

• Your body or mind has not resolved a previous trauma and has formed this habit to alert you.
• Your body has learned a repetitive habit.
• You have learned this subconsciously… and the list goes on.

The diagram below shows how long-term stress can affect you.

So now we’ve discussed the why its time to talk how.

How to help yourself begin to stop the alarm.

Breathe-The gift of breath.

Breathe, be aware

Anger, pain and panic can be healed with breath awareness and intentional breathing.

There are many you tube videos available to you with breath awareness.

Here is mine …

Breathing in and out consciously helps a lot to begin to slow down the alarm reaction.

Think of the word relaxation as you breathe in.

It goes something like this;

Breathe in and consciously think that the air you breathe in is filled with relaxation

Breathe out – you are breathing stress and tension out and away. Focus on these sensations and become aware of the intake of breath and the output of breath pattern. Allow your breathing to be slower, smooth and comfortable. Spend as long as you can just doing this.

It doesn’t matter if at first you get fidgety, after a short while let it go and try again. Practice this often and it will become easier especially when that Red Button is pressed.

Aromatherapy-Many plant essences can help to bring on a calm, relaxed state of mind. Aromatherapy is simple to do: just one drop of the essences on cotton wool/tissue and inhale.

Smell all the following essential oils and choose the one or combination of aromas that appeals to you the most.

• Lavender relaxes and relieves stress, also great at helping you get a good sleep.
• Rosemary stimulates and sharpens the mind -do not use in the late evening but is great when you are studying after all it is the herb of remembrance.
• Sweet Orange-I call it the happy oil! It helps to elevate your mood and energise
• Lemongrass-It’s a great balancer. If you’re not sure if you’re feeling up or down or don’t know-it’s a good choice

And all this happens because of our sense of smell- How? Think of your favourite food take away, now think of walking nearby the same food place and before you see the building you smell your favourite food smell, what happens? Well for me my mouth starts watering and my tummy starts to rumble! And all this because of my sense of smell. My brain got the message by smell and ‘told’ my body how to react.

And so with the aromatherapy oils, the sense of smell takes the message to your brain who tells the rest of your body through its wonderful systems.

Nutritionally there are so many ways and its best to take advice but one easy supplement to add its Magnesium, natures tranquillizer-chose a good one.

Emotional Freedom Technique-a strange but wonderful therapy. I love it, my clients and students do too.

Best learned with a therapist but once learned its very versatile and travels easy.

Reflexology – My first foray into complementary therapies and excellent in bringing balance to you and your life.

Ear seeds-placed on the acupuncture points on the ear really work and you can do home treatments with a kit.

Begin to help yourself by reading and finding out ways to help.

Most of all accept yourself

‘you will never have what you love until you learn to love what you have-yourself’