I spent years dealing with panic attacks and debilitating anxiety but can officially say I haven’t had one in 7 years. Here’s what I learned through my self-healing journey:
1. Anxiety and panic attacks were something I was experiencing, not something that I “had”. Letting go of the idea that this was a disorder or something I had to deal with for life was really important.
2. Meditation in the beginning felt impossible because my Nervous System was so disregulated place that my mind and body didn’t feel safe when I gave it space to heal. Persisting was the single best thing I ever did for myself.
3. I didn’t have any self-love or self-care. I realised I didn’t know how to say no to people or things. I was constantly busy and exhausted. I would make myself available to others when deep down it didn’t suit me. Starting to say no was really hard at first but it has been the second best thing I have ever done for myself.
4. I realised I had been operating from my head and was virtually cut off from my body. I could label my emotions mentally but was never actually FEELING those emotions. Meditating allowed me to start feeling safe in my body for the first time in probably 20 years. It also helped me to become more deeply connected to myself, life and other people. My relationships have been so fulfilling and nourishing as a result.
5. I realised how long I had been living in a state of survival and how much of that resulted from childhood trauma. Instead of running from it, I began to deal with the experiences I had growing up and the reality of what that had meant for me. I could then make different choices that truly supported me instead of doing things that kept inducing anxiety and stress.
6. Accepting the reality for things as they are instead of how I wanted them to be was important. The longer I denied my own reality, the worse I continued to feel. Trying to hold on to the stories of what I wanted was far more painful than being honest about how they actually are.
7. Drugs & alcohol had been a way to feel good and confident in the moment but always intensified the anxiety and panic attacks. When I began to calm my Nervous System and stopped living in survival mode 24/7, I felt connected and content within which naturally meant I didn’t feel an urge to do those things.
8. Caffeine helped me to deal with my lack of energy that resulted from never sleeping but it was always perpetuating the problem. The more I had, the more anxious I felt and the more often I had panic attacks. Learning how to put my self-care and needs first meant that I could finally do things for myself that I really needed to heal instead of quick fixes.
9. Anxiety still presents in my life but it is natural, healthy anxiety that comes and goes depending on what’s happening in my life. It is no longer debilitating anxiety and for that reason, I can learn from what it is telling me. I now have a healthy relationship with Anxiety rather than being terrified of it.
10. I have learned to always trust my intuition and gut feeling even though it feels incredibly scary at times to go against the story or conditioned thought.
If you liked this article, you might also like:
Are you looking for Guidance?
If you are looking to heal your anxiety naturally or have a desire to upgrade your life, Holistic Counselling could be just the thing for you. You can read more about it below.
Molly is a Holistic Counsellor with qualifications in Holistic Counselling, Life Coaching & Meditation Therapy. However, most of what she brings to the table is her personal human experience and dedication to self healing and growth. She is the founder of Mind Habitat which offers Holistic Counselling to individuals who want to heal their anxiety naturally and develop personal power in their life. You can book a session with Molly here or visit the Mind Habitat homepage here.
Comments