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Anxiety Event – April 21, 2018, Personal Notes
The following are my personal notes from the event and are not meant as an article or lesson on the subject.
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Riem reminded us that we were in a safe space, where women could feel free to discuss anxiety openly and know that everything said will remain in those walls and not shared outside the group. Personal note: (the subject is too large to be completely covered in a one day workshop.
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She also informed us that she is willing to start a monthly support group for those struggling with anxiety and panic attacks. If you would like to join the support group please email Riem Farahat at / riem@pathwaysjeddah.com
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You can also subscribe to her monthly column at http://www.pathwaysjeddah.com [Drive your Life with Riem] or ask her a question and she can answer it in her column.
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Then some women shared their experiences with anxiety and depression and tips what helped them personally. Riem guided the conversation. We were asked how we know if what we are feeling is only stress or anxiety – how to draw the line between the 2? It is hard to separate if we are feeling stress or anxiety. Personal note: (I found that to define it as anxiety it becomes debilitating). The person can no longer function.
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We also found that anxiety and depression go hand in hand and are also hard to separate with a line.
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Riem reminded us that it is important to remember that everyone is different, so the course of action doesn’t work the same for everyone in the same way. Therefore, we should personalize it… and find what helps us.
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In general, there are some ways we discussed that are useful to help fight anxiety (not necessarily in this order).
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Find a reason to fight to gain control and fight the feelings of anxiety: most women found it helpful to remember the people that love them & need them, and remember positive things and stay away from people that are toxic, negative and bring you down (until you can get back on your feet)
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Remember to breathe….
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Exercise….
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Meditate….
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Prayer…. Spiritual connection….
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Check your health and heal your body, take magnesium, supplements and check iron and vitamin D levels in a lab.
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Find a focal point, something that when you see it you remember what to do to help stop the feelings of anxiety or an anxiety attack.
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Find and establish a network or have a friend/friends you can call to talk to (trust) that will just listen or have prepared things to help you stop the panic attack.
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What to do when you or someone around you has a panic attack: distract yourself by taking an inventory of what you see, smell or hear. If someone in front of you is having an attack, ask them random questions [examples below] If someone you know is having an anxiety attack you shouldn’t try to hug them and tell them what to do… You should try to talk to them to distract them from what they are feeling. Remind them to breathe, while you ask them questions like, when were you born, when did you eat last? How old are your kids? Where did you live before coming to Saudi? …etc.
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Here is a list of questions that one of the women gave me that she gives to those she trusts to ask her if she calls them while having a panic attack. See Here: Anxiety Interventions
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Do something you love (and have the list ready for those things) crafts, dance, sing, go shopping, write in a journal etc. Be completely absorbed in it… it is just your body and the thing you love doing. Personal note: (puzzles, write, be with friends or help someone)
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Protect yourself from negative thoughts by re-framing experience, flipping to happy thoughts.
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Shield yourself from negative energies. Create personal space and boundaries. Personal note: (be Victor, not Victim.)
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HAVE COMPASSION FOR YOURSELF…. Personal note (don’t feel guilty for self-care or eating comfort foods, and sometimes you need that cupcake.
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Riem told us to write an action plan and to make sure that we do not set ourselves up for failure. We should also keep a process journal to track what we have changed and what the results are as far as improvement.
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Most important everything thing on the list should be realistically achievable. Do not write something that is unattainable. Personal note: (baby steps)
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Example: when you are in that dark space… what are things you can do to change how you feel…. Meditation, deep breathing, sound therapy, sleep?
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We also acknowledged that sometimes the help of counseling and medication is necessary for severe cases. Personal note: (don’t judge others- it shouldn’t be a taboo topic or have a stigma associated with it.)
