Many are prone to anxiety attacks. Men also experience anxiety but I think women are more susceptible to bouts of nervousness and frequent anxiousness.
When our chest is pounding, heart beating fast, our stomach is upset and we couldn’t sleep, we are either in love, mad, or stressed out.
Doctors prescribe medicines to help calm the nerves but if you can manage to function without the chemicals induced into your system, it’s most ideal. But if you really can’t handle your nerves, and can’t function productively, then seeing a specialist could help.
Please remember before you pop any pill into your mouth, this chemicals pass through our kidney and liver. Heavy dosage, prolonged use, or some medicines have very bad effects on our organs so don’t get into the habit of taking medications for any thing and every thing.
Some practical tips to those who are suffering from anxiety attacks:
1. Get hold of yourself. Go out and have a much-needed change of scenery or environment even for a few hours only. Â This will help deviate your attention from whatever you are anxious about.
2. Â Read a book, play Scrabble, play chess online, watch Comedy Central, watch a TV series, Youtube, Â Just for Gags, Netflix. Find a feel good movie which is relaxing. Like Grace of Monaco, The Crown, The Legend of Bruce Lee, The Queen’s Gambit, Letters for Juliet, Two Popes, Under the Tuscan Sun, Inheritance Christmas, and many more. Hallmark Channel’s When Calls the Heart gave me a breather for an hour every night for a week. Even momentarily, forgetting about how and what you are feeling gives your mind and body a needed rest.
3. Engage in tsismis:
Call a relative or a friend who is known to be tsismosa. Mangalap ng tsismis but don’t participate. Makinig ka lang sa istorya para malibang ka parang nakikinig ng drama sa radio. But don’t expand the tsismis network by passing on the information to the next tsismosa. Must stop as soon as you put down the phone. Hmm, pwede rin, share it with your husband but make him promise not to tsismis to his golfmates.
4. Â Praying helps calm us down. When I feel anxious, worried, depressed, or sobrang stressed, I say “have mercy on us Lord”. Or “In God we trust”, or “Lord please take care of us”. Yan lang, pinapaulit-ulit ko lang. I just keep on repeating it. “Have mercy on us Lord, have mercy on us Lord, have mercy on us Lord.”
5. Visit a church but go during off hours when there is no Holy Mass. You don’t want to inhale the virus. Go at 2 pm, walang tao nyan. Kneel down or just be still. Just think of nothing and let God speak to your heart.
Dec 16
6. Eat, ayan na pampa-taba. Just treat yourself to a merienda or nice meal. If you are in Manila go to Cafe Bretton and order Crepe Bretton or Dracula, or if you have no sugar problem, have a dessert. The extra calories will give you some energy boost. Choose a nice place where there are less people and has an outdoor dining. The virus is still on a rampage so it’s hard to find open restaurants but let’s just pretend that there are still some outdoor restaurants even during this scary pandemic.
Nov 9
7.  Drink some refreshments like hot kalamansi juice or dalandan with fresh basil leaves, coffee, tea, or red wine. Just sit there, try to relax by imagining you are in some fancy sidewalk  cafe in Paris, or in the middle of a lavender field in Tuscany, or a vineyard in Livermore.
Nov 14
8. Talk to someone:
Psychologists and psychiatrists charge very steep professional fees. They don’t advise what to do, they just listen and take down notes while you are making kwento, and they will prescribe medicines. My impression is that they act as someone to vent out your inner thoughts and emotions without fear of being judged or misconstrued. You can share your dark secrets without worry na ikukwento nila sa kalapitbahay nila. If you can afford the fees, then why not?
If not, find any person na hindi ka kilala. Ikwento mo buhay mo.
9. Go shopping:
Excessive, compulsive shopping is bad even if you can afford it. But shopping keeps a woman’s adrenaline high and makes her momentarily happy. Did you ever wonder why many women fill up their closets, their bathrooms, guest rooms, storage, and every available space in their house with merchandise they don’t even care about? It’s because of their impulse. It’s an outlet of their depression or failed emotions.
Buy a pair of shoes or a cute daster. Â Don’t buy a dozen. Â Just buy one. Â Once a week— just kidding.
10. Have a small dog  (or any pet of your choice) that’s easier to manage. A dog can be your emotional support and constant companion. It will give you love, loyalty and full attention.
But remember, Â caring for pets can also be stressful. Â Be prepared to pick-up poo.
Stitch
Mochi
Stella was forced to mate with Stitch against her will. We’re hoping she’ll get pregnant and give birth to one or two cute puppies.
11. Body massage
A good one hour or two hours of foot, legs, back, shoulders, buttocks, arms, massages put our mind and body in deep relaxation mode. It’s been ten months since we had a massage and Oyen and I are aching to get one. I recently contacted our regular masseuse and she agreed to stay at our residence for 5 straight days to give us daily massages. We will swab test her on a Sunday afternoon, then she’ll take a thorough bath and isolate in a room downstairs. Then after 24 hours, we’ll let her come in to give us foot and leg massages. We’ll test her again after the second day. She’ll wear both mask and shield, and so do we.
12. Sleep
Please try your very best to get enough sleep. A well-rested body is needed to support a strong mind.
13. Help others.
When you’re feeling awful, go and try to make someone else feel better. Open your closet and look for clothes you no longer need and give to those less fortunate. Don’t send to big charitable institutions because sometimes they just throw them away. If konti lang naman, give na lang directly to the barangay or to the squatters area. Do some charity work. It doesn’t have to be in a grand scale. You may give a few cans of sardines and instant noodles to the poor. When you help others, you also help yourself feel good, accomplished. It’s good for the soul.
14. Watch the world go by.
Sit outside, look at the sky, gaze at the moon, take pictures of the morning sun. Notice how lovely the trees and flowers are. Â Watch the birds fly and butiki chase each other. Â If you’re near a body of water, watch the waves or river flows. It’s calming and relieving.
15. The world moves faster than us and we don’t want to be left behind. Â If you are depressed and thinks nothing good is happening in your life, Â remember that you are important. Your presence on earth is important to those who love you. Â YOU. Â You love yourself and it’s of paramount importance that you preserve your sanity and strength. Â So BREATHE.
16. Don’t stop living. Just do something that will help keep you sane.
17. It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.
It was Confucious who said that, Â not me.
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