Pictures Reveal The Truth About Panic Attacks
“Left Picture: What I showcase to the world via social media. Dressed up, make up done, filters galore. The ‘normal’ side to me.”
“Right picture: Taken tonight shortly after suffering from a panic attack because of anxiety. Also the ‘normal’’ side to me that most people don’t see.”
I wonder how many of us do this?
Source: Woman’s Shocking Before & After Pictures Reveal The Truth About Panic Attacks
Amber Smith from Warwickshire, England posted these pictures to her Facebook network. She bravely revealed that she suffers from, at times, crippling anxiety and depression.
Panic attacks are a part of life yet somehow these symptoms get dumped in to a box labelled ‘Mental Health’ and mostly ignored or even worse, treated as a mental illness. Yet with a bit of education people suffering from panic attacks can be far better supported by those around them.
I hear horror stories in the therapy room where the person experiencing the panic attack is surrounded by people asking them questions or offering well meaning advice…like “take deep breaths”. If only huh!
My wish is that people like Amber Smith continue to talk about their experiences until hearing and seeing panic attacks become something we understand rather than something to fear.
Often the panic attack is the symptom of another root cause. The panic attack is just that, the body’s way of dealing with the fight/flight response to an imagined threat. The body’s job in that precise moment is to survive, to divert attention and energy away from anything that is not vital to survival.
Typical symptoms include dizziness, sudden shortness of breath, sweating, loss of speech, loss of focus, increased fear, tingling in hands & feet, headaches, dry mouth, stomach cramps. Worse of all, the person has little control over these symptoms until the panic attack has subsided.
You don’t have to live this way. There are lots of things you can learn to help yourself that will be unique to you.
Get in touch and give yourself the time you deserve to learn how to get back in control.
I agree the public need more education about panic attacks and anxiety. I suffer from both now due to a mental breakdown last year and they are crippling. I can not leave my home on my own even to do the simplest of things due to anxiety and p.a . Most if the time I don’t understand what causes them and having to constantly tell people I don’t know how why or what has caused it is exhausting and anxiety provoking in its self.
I think you’ve raised another important point Marji, how exhausting the cycle of anxiety and panic attacks can be. Managing the exhaustion adds yet another layer to an already challenging situation. I hope you’re able to get the right support for you.