Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Dear Betsy,I am suffering badly from anxiety and panic attacks and had been taking medication to help me as a short term solution.
My doctor has stopped this now and recommends I try to reduce stress and learn to relax.
My husband and children have understood but my boss is not so accommodating. I just want to get back to normal and I would like to explore other natural ways to help me control this problem. What do you suggest?
BH
Dear BH
This can be very distressing. I understand how you feel as I too suffered like this many years ago.
What helped me most of all was to understand exactly what happened to my body when I had a panic attack.
Once I understood what took place like palpitations, shallow breathing, feeling faint, pins and needles - and the reasons these things were happening to me such as changes in blood circulation, blood chemistry, not taking in enough oxygen or getting rid of enough carbon dioxide - then I found this helped me to feel better.
I am sure you had been advised to try to figure out what provokes a panic attack and to try to avoid these situations/people/places although for some of us, we never work out exactly what the causes are.
Learning to relax can be difficult and the best place to start is to try to recognise what your 'stressors' are then find a way to avoid or overcome them.
For example, you might find that certain work situations like meeting deadlines stress you, so aim to plan ahead and find ways to maximise your time to meet these deadlines.
Delegate whenever you can. This is not something that women find easy, but it can help ease pressure on you at work and at home, which brings me to another area that many working wives and mums find challenging.
Having to cook every night is stressful so let your husband share this with you, have a takeaway once a week and have a meal out when you can.
Do you take time out just for yourself? This can be as simple as having a warm scented bath or half-an-hour reading in peace and quiet or listening to your favourite music.
Your husband and the kids have to be told not to disturb you that this is 'mummy's special time'.
If you are stressed and anxious then you need to take care of yourself first or you will not be in any fit state to take care of everyone else.
Try to have a relaxing massage or book a facial, go out with a girlfriend to see a movie, have lunch or just a coffee and a chat.
Simple relaxation and meditation techniques can help as can exercise such as aquarobics, yoga, or swimming or try a stretch class.
I always carry a small bottle of frankincense essential oil with me as it can help ease panic and anxiety as it slows down your respiratory rate and has a comforting, calming, soothing effect on the senses.
Take a vitamin B Complex supplement as this is essential for our nervous system. Herbal teas such as chamomile and rosehip can be helpful as can eating fresh natural foods especially those high in magnesium such as a handful of pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds or a healthy dinner of grilled salmon and spinach. Magnesium rich foods can help relax your nerves and muscles.
A positive attitude is most important and if you just keep telling yourself you CAN get through this and imagine and visualize yourself back to your normal self then it WILL happen.
Having a good friend to confide in can be a great boost as that old adage, "a problem shared is a problem halved" is very true.
I am sorry I can't offer you a quick fix miracle cure, but modern life can be very stressful for most of us at some time or another and it is just a matter of learning what works for you to help you relax, manage stress and organise your life.
I am sure there are many readers out there who are or have been in a similar situation, so please write in and tell us how you cope with stress.
Email me at betsymathieson@hotmail.com
