In the sequel to her initial post, “Running Out of My Mind: Facing Fear & Anxiety One Run at a Time,” hosted on trailsisters.net, Maria Dalzot develops upon the panic attack actualized as opposed to its use in heightened language for effect, the differences and comparisons between generalized anxiety and panic attacks, what may exacerbate symptoms, and her personal experience in enduring and navigating through her own panic. Dalzot, as always writes eloquently and passionately about a topic so many of us have personal experience with, but feel alone in, struggle through, or feel like we have to keep private. What connects us is our shared stories, and Dalzot does an excellent job at connecting us. Here is an excerpt from the sequel:
“Many people use the words anxiety and panic attack casually. “I went to the market and they were out of my organic, crunchy, GMO-free peanut butter. I almost had a panic attack!” Really? Did you feel like you were suffocating? Did your knees start to shake? After you found your peanut butter, were you exhausted to the point of needing a nap? No? Then you didn’t have a panic attack. A panic attack occurs suddenly, without warning. Your heart rate goes from 0 to 100 in seconds. Sweating, shaking, feelings of non-reality and dizziness cloud your vision and thinking.
If you have never had a panic attack, imagine running down a trail and suddenly a mountain lion jumps from the brush directly at you. You would, in that instant, have all the symptoms of a panic attack – and justifiably so! A panic attack is essentially the body’s fight or flight response. When I drive and am first in line at an intersection red light, my knees start to tremble and my hands sweat because I am so afraid that I will lose control, take my foot off the break and hit the gas, potentially hurting myself and others. Because the symptoms are so physical, attacks leave you feeling exhausted. I have to pull over once I get through the light, put the seat back in my car and rest to recover.
Generalized anxiety, as compared to a panic attack, is more of a chronic, underlying feeling of impending disaster. There is a constant feeling of being on edge. I often feel distracted with my thoughts when sitting in the car, watching Netflix or lying in bed at night. Lack of sleep and being hungry make anxiety symptoms worse and panic attacks more likely. I have to be really careful with caffeine. Just a bit too much and I turn into Chicken Little; the sky is going to fall any second.
One of the most memorable attacks I had was 2 years ago. What made this panic attack so unforgettable is that, ironically, it took me from a completely safe situation and put me into a potentially dangerous situation…” Read more HERE!
