KEEPING MY TRIGGERS IN CHECK!

Panic attacks can happen at any time without warning. Intense fear and anxiety can bring on the episode and sometimes it can be activated by a trigger from somewhere.

It is more common in females and can last for several days or weeks. 

My experience of having a panic attack is that when I find myself in a stressful situation my brain switches into anxiety mode, my heart races, I find it difficult to breathe then I feel like I am going to vomit, and I become disorientated.

I feel uncomfortable in a lot of situations and normally avoid all the things that I am aware of that will trigger an unhealthy response. 

Remember that this is your one and only life and you must live it in the way that makes you feel happy. It is not selfish to look after your wellbeing even though it may mean making adjustments that are not going to suit everyone else around you.

If somebody loves and respects, you enough, they will have no reason to make you feel guilty over the adjustments that you make to improve the quality of your life.

There are situations that I find overwhelming that affect my psych.

• I avoid going to large events where they have anything over one hundred people, as I feel like I am suffocating. I also feel vulnerable.

• I am not a fan of loud people or environments that are noisy. I would walk out of any kind of situation where there is unnecessary noise as it makes me feel angry that someone is taking away my peace. 
• I am the type of person who likes to be independent of other people and in some cases if I find that if somebody is showing controlling behaviour towards me It triggers my anger.

• There are some environments that you may be in where there are people showing hostility towards you or others, it is so obvious that you can feel the energy in the room. 

• I am a good listener, but I do not like long -drawn -out conversations where people do not get straight to the point. I do not have the patience for descriptive discussions unless it is in a book. My mind will go elsewhere and if it is in a controlled environment like a meeting I would have to leave.

• Sleep is essential for my mental health condition, and I am a noticeably light sleeper. that I am aware of every noise or movement around me. I need a minimum of 8 hours sleep with no disturbances. If I am deprived of my sleep, I become angry and resentful and find myself moody and snappy the next day.

• I am not a person who likes to get involved in arguments or fights as they are usually over something that is not really that important. I tend to avoid any confrontations unless someone is disrespecting me or my family. Then I am done with them.

• As you may know by now, my passion is encouraging and helping others to find balance and peace in their lives. I rarely have triggers around my work unless I hear sad news. I have since learnt how to mindfully deal with my emotions.
• I am very meticulous around my home when it comes to cleanliness. I do not see it as a problem that I take pride in keeping myself and my home clean it is normal. The only thing that triggers me is when someone does not clean up after them, it makes me feel disrespected and I become wary of inviting them over again. 

I respect that everyone is different, and we all have our own rules around how we choose to live. What goes on outside of my space is not my problem and if a situation was going to trigger me at least I have an option to walk away.

We must be mindful of our triggers and try to deal with these situations in a balanced way. Rather than me making a scene, I find it best to walk away or in unavoidable cases take time out in a quieter area of where I am situated.

How do you deal with your triggers that bring on a panic attack?

Would be interesting to hear about them.

In everything there must be a balance.

Natalie Bleau

The Scripture of Balance