| You Can Overcome panic attacks and anxiety! | | | | He will. |
| That is great news to those who suffer day in and | | | | 3) RELAXATION |
| day out, year in and year out. I have and I know that | | | | Listen to a tape or CD for RELAXATION This was |
| you can too. | | | | one of the things that helped metremendously. I |
| THE SYMPTOMS | | | | needed to reprogram my mind with positive and true |
| For me it started with heart palpitations. My thoughts | | | | statements that were life giving and empowering. Click |
| immediately steered to fear. Then my throat would | | | | below for CD's and cassette tapes to help you |
| become dry so I could not swallow. Then my body | | | | overcome anxiety and panic attacks. Breathing |
| would feel "weird". Dizziness and blurred vision. By this | | | | correctly is a part of relaxation. |
| time I was convinced that I was about to die. I kept | | | | 4) EXERCISE |
| waiting for the symptoms to get worse and they did. I | | | | Physical exercise has tremendous value. It releases |
| use to suffer from panic attacks so badly that I had to | | | | chemicals that generate good feelings, called |
| go to the hospital by ambulance. I was so | | | | pheromones. It's good to feel good! |
| embarrassed when the doctor checked me and told | | | | 5) HEALING IN GOD'S WORD |
| me that there was nothing wrong with me. When I had | | | | Meditate on scriptures that enhance your trust in God. |
| to go grocery shopping I would get a funny feeling in | | | | One scripture that helps me when I really let it sink in is: |
| my stomach before I left the house. Once I got inside | | | | Matthew 5:25-34. Am I not more than a bird to God? |
| the grocery store I felt like I had to run out or else I | | | | You better believe it and so are you! Birds don't work |
| would become overwhelmed. I dreaded the thought | | | | or store up food yet God takes care of them. Wow! |
| that I might have a panic attack in public. I had to talk to | | | | The next time you see a bird think about that! |
| myself and prayed up and down each and every aisle | | | | 6) MAP YOUR JOURNEY |
| of the store. I knew that if I ran out, my family would | | | | Create a time line by drawing on a sheet of paper |
| not have food and I would have to start all over again. | | | | when your first signs of discomfort started. Write |
| The people in the store had no idea the personal | | | | down what major events happened at that same time. |
| torture I was experiencing. People at church had no | | | | Note the year/date. Go back as far as you can. This |
| idea how hard it was to sit in a large crowd. | | | | process helps you to take a bird's eye view of your |
| AWARENESS | | | | life. When I did this exercise, I found that the first time I |
| When the symptoms first started, I had no idea what | | | | experienced a full panic attack was in 1984 and I had |
| was happening to me. One day I was watching T.V. | | | | just made a major move from someone very dear to |
| and some people were on a show talking about the | | | | me. I also discovered that there agoraphobia before |
| symptoms and the light went on, "That's me! That's | | | | any panic attack ever appeared. Do this it will help you |
| what I have been going through". That was the | | | | understand what has been going on and what triggers |
| beginning of my healing! Knowledge is power. I thank | | | | extreme anxiety. (You may need to use than one |
| God that He allowed me to turn to the channel and | | | | piece of paper). |
| hear those people talking. I also helped me to know | | | | 7) God's Power to Heal |
| that I was not alone. I suppose that those of you who | | | | Remember,God still heals. We must let go of all the |
| suffer from the effects of anxiety are glad to hear | | | | passed disappointments, and betrayals. God is not like |
| that you are not alone. | | | | any human being with whom we have had a |
| Steps to Overcoming | | | | relationship. God faithful and just. Jesus walked this |
| 1) READ | | | | earth so you can talk to Him about yours trials. Pray |
| Read as much as possible about anxiety and | | | | as the early disciples did, "Lord, increase my faith". |
| understand what are some of the causes. (Email me | | | | FAITH is the opposite of anxiety. Faith not only pleases |
| for link to books). | | | | God but keeps us trusting in God's fatherly care. I am |
| 2) PROFESSIONAL HELP | | | | a witness!! Praise God! |
| Go to a counselor or therapist to get to the bottom of | | | | If just one person is helped by this article, I will have |
| the anxiety. The physical discomforts are trying to get | | | | accomplished what God set me out to do -Help |
| your attention - Pay attention to a greater dis-ease | | | | someone along our earthly journey. |
| within. Pray for God to send you to the right person. | | | | Pray for me. I will pray for you. |