Have you been through times that felt like walking through a desert?
Coincidentally, the first time I had a panic attack was in Nevada. It was in the month of April so it wasn’t that hot, but anyone who has driven through the majority of Nevada to the border of Idaho knows that it is pretty desolate and sometimes you feel like you are in the middle of nowhere.
My brother and I were driving home from Montana together after attending my Grandpa’s funeral. At the time, I didn’t understand what was happening to me. All I knew was that out of nowhere my heart started racing, my face was flush with warmth, I completely lost my appetite, I couldn’t relax, my thoughts were illogical and I was scared I was going to die. I guess that’s why they call them panic attacks.
I learned over time that “anxiety attacks” come from accumulated or high levels of stress, significant life changes, social anxieties, phobias, fears, and in some cases, the fear of having a panic attack. Fear feeds fear. Over the past 35 years, I have developed my own tools to help get me through levels of anxiety. Most of them include distraction techniques, breathing techniques, and grace with myself so I can understand my feelings and emotions. And most importantly, I have an understanding of those who also have issues with panic attacks and paralyzing anxiety. But in all honesty, I still tend to overthink things rather than just “going with the flow”. I rationalize that by saying that I am always thinking ahead and preparing for uncertainties.
A wise friend once told me that worrying and fretting over your concerns and fears in your mind is like “building a bridge you might never have to cross”. That statement has given me a new perspective regarding fear and anxiety. Shifting our focus to Matthew 22:37-39 is probably one of the best supplies we need in our “backpack” for all the journeys of our lives. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” This is a great distraction tool when you are worried about yourself.
Prayer: Help us to remember to trust in you, Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
Holly Zaccone