I couldn’t feel any moment on my body. I couldn’t think of anything and my vision was turning blurry. It felt like someone is holding my head tightly and hitting a hammer on my head. I couldn’t bear the noise and I wanted to yell till my lungs are out of my body. But, I couldn’t speak anything as well. My entire body was numb. I was sweating badly and was panting for breath – That’s what happens when a panic attack hits.
Panic attacks can happen to anyone and at any point in time. You don’t need any “history” of health issues for this. Everything is under the control of the mind. If the mind signals “panic mode”, then your body enters into panic mode. If your mind says “no panic mode”, then your body remains unaffected by any storms you encounter.
Does this mean you are incapable of handling pressure? does this mean you are sick? – No. Having a panic attack is as normal as having a cold or fever. It’s high time we normalize panic attacks and instead of judging and isolating the person, we empathize with them and give them their personal space till they feel comfortable.
Yes – It’s that simple. Giving sympathy means you are signaling that the person is weak. In reality, the person is not weak at all! that person just needs personal space, some time, some basic respect and for obvious reasons, no judgemental looks or gossip!
“Be someone’s security blanket when theirs is in the wash.”― Richelle E. Goodrich
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It could be you, it could be your loved one, your friend, or your colleague who might be feeling low lately. Next time you get the slightest hint of someone going through something that’s not right, please empathize with them! For you, it might be a simple act but for them, it might change the entire game!
Here’s what you can do when you see someone going through a turmoil
- Empathize – Say it’s okay to be abnormal for a while. Tell them, its completely fine, and everyone goes through that phase at some point in their lives
- Support, encourage, and make them smile – No, I am not telling them to be over-positive here! Anything in excess is toxic, including positivity. Instead of being over-positive, acknowledge that the situation is bad, but not permanent
- Help them open up, with assurance on not being judged – If you are an active listener, then you have no idea how many lives you can save by listening to people! The world needs people who can listen to them and make them feel comfortable!
- Finally, give them an assurance that you are trustworthy and anything that gets discussed will remain within the four walls – Opening up to someone needs guts and when you can provide that comfort to anyone, then you are a gift of God who is born to heal people.
#MentalHealthMatters #YOUMatter
