Facing Anxiety

Panic attacks are really troublesome and sometimes scary. It feels like you're running out of air, but the more you try to breathe more air, the worse it gets. Panic attacks happen because the blood has too much oxygen, so the more you breathe, the worse it gets. It happens when we frequently breathe from the upper parts of our lungs.

You experience symptoms as if you're having a heart attack: numbness on the cheek and possibly the entire body, pressure on the chest, palpitations, chest pains, and a lot more. I had EKG and had my heart's health checked on the ultrasound, it had good results. Aside from a minor heart problem that isn't near life-threatening, called Mitral Valve Prolapse, I'm perfectly healthy. Darn right, I take 1 hour walks to school, and when I can't walk, I take my time to really exercise.

What causes panic attacks? Anxiety. Worry. Irrational fear. Stuff like those.

Right now, I'm listening to Charles Linden's audio book, from the Linden Method of Anti-Anxiety:

• No one dies from panic attacks.
  
• Thought diversion and proper breathing.
• Breathe through a paper bag during panic attacks!
  

Aizee is right, I worry too much. Right now, my mind is a jumble. My heart is a jumble, though it feels a bit better than weeks ago. I'm psychoanalyzing myself to be free from fears, guilt, worries, doubts, insecurities, and all. Well, no one can really be free from those, but really, repressing such negative feelings can have dire consequences. The episode in the anime Avatar on the Book, Earth, that talks about activating the Avatar state? Yeah, most of it is similar to Freudian psychoanalysis, that is, bringing out and facing repressed emotions.

Reaching the Avatar State (from Avatar the nime):
1. Open the Earth Chakra - This chakra deals with survival. The block is fear. Let your fears become clear to you. Then surrender those fears.
2. Open the Water Chakra - This chakra deals with pleasure. The block is guilt. Look at all the guilt which burdens you so. What do you blame yourself for? Let it flow down the stream. Forgive yourself.
3. Open the Fire Chakra - This chakra deals with willpower. The block is shame. What are you ashamed of? What are your biggest disappointments of yourself? Let it flow down the stream.
4. Open The Fourth Chakra - This is located in the heart. This chakra deals with love. It is blocked by grief. Lay all your grief out in front of you. Let it flow down the stream.
5. Open the Sound Chakra - This deals with truth. The block are the lies that we tell ourselves. Accept who you are. Embrace yourself.
6. Open the Light Chakra - This deals with insight. It is blocked by illusion. The greatest illusion of this world is the illusion of separation. Like the countries, religions, living things. We're all connected. Everything is connected.
7. Open the Thought Chakra - This deals with pure cosmic energy from the universe. It is blocked by attachment. Meditate on what attaches you to this world. Let these attachments go.


These panic attacks came after the mumps episode. Well, I've had an attack once or twice in high school, but that was only rarely. Now, I get panic attacks of varying degrees almost everyday. In the CMSC 130 final exam, I even had one, it's a wonder I got through. Well, praying helps. :)


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