WORLD PANIC DAY 2021

Today I raise awareness for World Panic Day 2021 and I wanna just say that anyone who panics daily, hourly, every minute, second of every day, just know you're not alone. I have suffered with panic attacks since I was 8/9. So i've had 16 years of it, you are never suffering alone, there is a whole community out there for you if you need to reach out to someone who has lived through your struggles too. 

Panic attacks can look and feel like a heart attack, I've even had fellow colleagues wanting to call an ambulance for me due to the similarities to a heart attack. And as a individual who suffers with them daily, I can honestly say that it feels like your whole world has either been put on pause, you're seeing people walk past you slowly and the world feels like it's ending, your heart is beating so fast that you feel exhausted after it. Think about missing a step on the stairs, or that time where you fell over, that sudden heart attack feeling is what I and so many people go through daily and it's exhausting. 

So what can we do to help reduce panic attacks?? I mean, prevention is better than cure especially with something that makes your heart work harder, panic attacks are common but not many people know how to help those close to them or a stranger in the street. So my mission is to teach everyday people to notice signs of mental health and be able to know what to do. 

My go-to in my role on support groups AND as a panic disorder sufferer myself is the Grounding Technique 

So the ideal outcome is that you will feel like you're back in the room, the present and in your conscious mind. 

Grab a piece of paper and write these questions down or save them on your phone notes..

Tell me 5 things you can see

Tell me 4 things you can touch

Tell me 3 things you can hear

Tell me 2 things you can smell

Tell me 1 thing you can taste 

This is also known as the 54321 technique and it works 99.9% of the time, I mean sometimes it doesn't, but it allows you to concentrate on your surroundings instead of feeling like you're dying. 

Concentrating on surroundings is also important for PTSD sufferers, as trauma flashbacks can seem so real and seem like you're back in that traumatic experience. So if you also suffer with PTSD, use this technique too. 

Guided meditation is awesome too, I always use guided meditation for calming down from PTSD attacks (same as panic attacks, just with the added extras like flashbacks and emotions)

I've also done a Insta post, story and TikTok video on this too, so feel free to share them with any friends you feel would benefit from this advice. And I've done a pure awareness video of me having a "quiet" panic attack, I was just consumed by voices, thoughts, everything mixed up in one and it's tiring, it really is. Some days I wish I could take my head off like I do my bra, sometimes we need a break. 

If you've not yet spoken up about anxiety, or panic attacks, please please do. Mental illness is a big part of many people's lives and it needs to be talked about so we can get rid of the stigma against us sufferers. 

And remember, you are strong, you are incredible, you are beautiful and I'm so proud of you regardless of who you are, who you identify yourself as, because you've survived 100% of your bad days so far, so congratulate yourself for that, you've done it before, you can do it again. Yes fighting your own mind is exhausting, so let go a little, let it consume you then build back up to being the strong badass I know you are. 

Stay safe and I'll speak to you in my next blog post. 

MissCatherineWard

Where to find me;

Facebook; Miss Catherine Ward

Instagram; @misscatherineward

Email contact; catherinejw@hotmail.com

TikTok; misscatherineward