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  • When to Do the Breathing Exercise: Going Out

    This is the second part of a three-part series on the No Panic breathing exercise. In this series, we are focusing on when to do the breathing exercise. It’s all about the timing.

    Anxiety can cause people to struggle to leave their homes , to go anywhere. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a small journey to a local shop, or a longer journey to a place far away. The thought of going out can be so overwhelming for some, that they simply stay at home. The longer they stay at home, the harder it is for them to go out.

    There are also people whose anxiety intensifies when they go out. This can cause them to feel exhausted when they get home. They may even suffer panic attacks after they arrive home. It doesn’t matter if they went for a short walk or they went out with friends. Anxiety does its best to make them feel bad because they went out.

    If the thought of going out is a trigger for your anxiety, you can use the breathing exercise to prevent anxiety either stopping you from going out, or punishing you for going out.

    The first step is to plan the time when you’re going to go out. You could do that a few hours beforehand, the night before, or a few days in advance. Doing this means you will know when you are due to go out.

    Usually when people go out, they aim to be ready in time for the moment they expect to set off. When you have anxiety as that moment draws nearer, your anxiety increases.

    Aim to be ready at least 10 minutes before you go out. In those 10 minutes you have given yourself, do the breathing exercise until the moment you walk out of the front door. Although it is good to do the breathing exercise while sitting down, you can do the breathing exercise while you are walking towards the door to go out. Make sure setting off is the first thing you do after doing the breathing exercise. Don’t give anxiety enough time to return and undo your hard work.

    You can do the breathing exercise when you’re out. If you allow yourself enough time, you can stop walking or driving for a few minutes to do the breathing exercise, before continuing your journey. It isn’t necessary to stop, so you can still do the breathing exercise if you haven’t allowed yourself enough time for stops.

    If you’re spending time somewhere, you could do the breathing exercise when you arrive, before you go in. That is particularly useful if there are going to be lots of people there, or you are meeting up with others. While you’re not talking to others, there may be other opportunities to do the breathing exercise.

    As you get good at doing the breathing exercise to ease your anxiety when you go out, knowing you can do the breathing exercise to keep your anxiety under control may give you confidence. Increased confidence can reduce anxiety. You could even become reassured enough while out, that you can reduce how often you do the breathing exercise.

    Remember what I wrote about how anxiety punishes people for going out? You can stop anxiety punishing you. Simply sit down and do the breathing exercise for 10 minutes soon after you are home. You are home, so there is more time to do the breathing exercise.

    Don’t let anxiety stop you or punish you for going out to relax. Don’t let anxiety stop you or punish you for going out to enjoy yourself. Do the breathing exercise before you go out, while you are out, and when you get home.

  • When to Do the Breathing Exercise: Eating

    This is the first part of a three-part series on the No Panic breathing exercise. In this series, we are focusing on when to do the breathing exercise. It’s all about the timing.

    Anxiety causes some people to struggle with eating. In some cases, people avoid eating, so they don’t have to experience the effects of eating with anxiety. In other cases, people still eat, but they experience high anticipatory anxiety before eating. After they have finished their meal, they struggle to digest what they have eaten.

    Even if you have high anxiety around eating, you can eat any meal you would eat if you did not have anxiety.

    We usually advise people to have small, simple meals if their anxiety is affecting their eating. The reason we give this advice, is one of the general rules of anxiety. The bigger something is, the more overwhelming it is. The more overwhelming something is, the less likely people are to do it.

    If your anxiety is high while you prepare your meal, you may do the breathing exercise to bring it down. For the breathing exercise to be most effective, do it for at least two minutes before you eat. As soon as you stop doing the breathing exercise, start eating. It is important not to leave a gap, because anxiety can return to fill the gap.

    The point of eating immediately after doing the breathing exercise, is that you will be eating in a more relaxed state. When you are relaxed, there is more room for the food travelling through your digestive system. The journey should be smoother, so you should feel more comfortable.

    After people who have anxiety finish eating, they can experience upset stomachs and other irritating symptoms. These symptoms can be prevented. When you succeed at preventing them, you will know you can prevent them. That knowledge is reassurance, which may cause you to feel less anxious about eating.

    Once you finish your meal, do the breathing exercise again. This time, there is no risk of food going cold, so you can do the breathing exercise for the amount of time we usually recommend – ten minutes. Doing the breathing exercise should result in your stomach and other parts of your body feeling more settled.  This way you can avoid the discomfort experienced by people who have anxiety, after they have finished their meals.

    Before you had anxiety, you may have enjoyed larger meals. Do you really want to wait until you have overcome anxiety before you can enjoy larger meals again? What if you could enjoy larger meals, even though you have anxiety?

    You can. There is just one thing you may need to do differently. In your mind, divide your meal into sections that are no bigger than the simple meals you were eating before you decided to start eating larger meals again. It is not necessary to change how your meal is organised, but you may do that if it helps. The sections don’t have to be different to each other, but you can make them different if that helps.

    After eating each section, stop eating, and do the breathing exercise for at least two minutes. As soon as you finish the breathing exercise, carry on eating.

    Depending on the size of your meals, you may want to challenge yourself by gradually increasing the sizes of the sections of your meals, and dividing your meals into fewer sections. Make sure this is done gradually, and only when you feel ready. Gradual changes are more likely to endure.

    Ideally, you should reach a point where you no longer need to do the breathing exercise before or after eating. Until that time, it doesn’t matter if you have to do the breathing exercise so anxiety doesn’t affect you at or after mealtimes. It doesn’t even matter how long you have to include the breathing exercise in your eating routine. What matters, is that you are able to eat what you want to eat, even if you have anxiety.

    Use the breathing exercise, and enjoy your meals.

  • Looking for Research Candidates

    We are looking for research candidates who have been affected by panic attacks for a while. The research is being conducted by our patron Professor Paul Salkovskis and it is to discuss his ideas to deal with panic attacks. you can earn £15 per hour. if you would like to take part please contact the office and we will forward your details on to him. 01952 680460 admin@nopanic.org.uk

  • Tracey Wedgbury  – Birmingham Half Marathon

    Tracey is very kindly running in the Birmingham half marathon on 1st May with the aim of raising £500 for No Panic. We are extremely grateful to Tracey for choosing No Panic to run for.

    This is Tracey’s story: “I became ill in 2019 with very severe panic attacks related to a very stressful job and the beginning of the pandemic. I went to a very bad place mentally and it was only because I have such a supportive husband, daughters and friends that, well, that I’m still here really. One of the things in my ‘crisis box’ (as instigated by my CPN) was the No Panic crisis message about getting through a panic attack with help with breathing and reassurance that it was going to be ok. I cannot tell you how much such a simple message meant to me. I must have played that message a hundred times. Then I started using the Body scan message- that lady has such a lovely voice! I clung on to that voice as if she were my mother. Gradually, I was able to uncurl from the tight knots of anxiety and depression that gripped me. I used to jog years ago and something in me just wanted to run again. On one of my solo runs (rather more like a stagger at that stage!) I met a group of friendly fellow runners from a club that I’ve since joined and now it’s an integral part of my life. Don’t get me wrong, I still get overwhelmed very easily, I’ll never work again, and there’s a toll that’s been taken on my mental health that means I have to live life in a careful, gentle way. But each time I do something positive, it’s like flying- exhilarating and nurturing. I know running isn’t for everyone, for others that feeling might come through completely different things. Anyway, I thought I’d like to do something to give something back to those kind women who recorded those messages, and the people who write articles for the No Panic newsletter who are kind enough to share their experiences and knowledge, which I read with interest. And I hope No Panic will be able to continue helping more people like me.”

    You can donate to Tracey’s fundraiser by following this link https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tracey-wedgbury

  • Collaboration with Lavender World

    Member Discount
    Lavender World is a close family business currently in our second generation. We are based on our natural lavender farm in the North Yorkshire countryside and as a dedicated family team we run Lavender World, which has grown out of Yorkshire Lavender, the popular local attraction set up by our father.

    The good news is, No Panic has teamed up with Lavender world who have very kindly offered our members a 15% discount across all their products.

    You can call head office on 01952 680460 to request the code or email admin@nopanic.org.uk

    They have some really amazing items available including essential oils and sleep and relaxation kits. 

    Lavender has been shown to affect the parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system controls bodily processes associated with anxiety, such as heart rate, breathing rhythm, and hormone secretion. Lavender can help in regulating these bodily processes by restoring a neutral state.

    Lavender oil is believed to have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, which can help to heal minor burns and bug bites. Research suggests that it may be useful for treating anxiety, insomnia, depression, and restlessness.

    Some other uses for Lavender include:

    Anxiety and stress
    Insomnia
    Relaxation
    improved sleep
    Migraines and headaches
    Fatigue
    Pain and menstrual cramps
    Acne
    Dandruff
    Burns

  • Mental Health at Christmas

    Mental Health at Christmas

    Why people may suffer from negative mental health during Christmas

    Below, we list a number of reasons why people suffer from ill-mental health issues during the Christmas period.

    Diet

    As tasty as Christmas dinner and chocolates for breakfast is, the lack of healthy food throughout the festive period often means that people feel less energetic, motivated, and positive. This would, of course, include too much alcohol. Because alcohol is itself a depressant, if you are feeling down over Christmas, you would be well advised to stay clear of alcohol. [1]

    Financial Strains

    Whether you’re spending more money on food, decorations or presents, people are spending a huge amount of their annual income on Christmas. Financial strains can easily lead to anxiety, depression, and stress.

    The Planning Involved

    Christmas takes an awful lot of planning.

    Sometimes, the planning side of Christmas often falls to one or two people within a family or friendship group. If you’re the one responsible for most of the planning, then the idea of organising a meal, party, event, or entire holiday can cause a lot of people unwanted (and quite frankly, unnecessary) stress.

    Presents, Presents and More Presents

    For lots of people in this day in age, the expectations around buying and giving presents to loved ones is getting out of control.

    There also seems to be an increase in expectations, too.

    Buying presents not only comes with financial implications, but lots of people find the searching, delivering, wrapping, and organising very stressful too.

    Ways people can protect their mental health during Christmas

    Let Go of the Little Things

    I know it’s easier said than done but try not to stress out or worry about the little things at Christmas time.

    So what if you’re a little late to a party if no one ate the stuffing or someone makes a comment at the dinner table?

    Make a Plan & a Budget

    Christmas can be both stressful and expensive, but it doesn’t need to be. Start by making a budget, and possibly spread your shopping throughout the last half of the year.

    Make sure that you leave enough time to do what you need to and even plan out the little things that when you’re going to wrap the presents and write your Christmas cards.

    Get as Much Sunlight as Possible

    If you’re prone to feeling sad or depressed, then your symptoms might get worse during the winter when there’s less sunlight.

    Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is caused by a lack of sunlight, which then means you don’t have enough vitamin D. [2]

    To combat this, get as much sunlight as possible. Go for more walks during the daytime, use light therapy or take vitamin D supplements.

    Eat Well

    During the Christmas period, everyone’s prone to eating too much turkey and sugar. Unfortunately, this can sometimes have a negative impact on your mental health.

    Instead, stock up on vegetables and fruit and try to watch how much you drink.

    If you’re looking for more ways to maintain a balanced diet at Christmas, the British Nutrition Foundation has lots of great tips. [3]

    Exercise

    As the night’s get longer and the weather gets colder, it becomes harder to exercise. By the time Christmas comes around, people are often too busy with present buying, parties, and meals to even consider going for a 20-minute run.

    Try to schedule some light, daily or weekly exercise. When you do, your brain will release endorphins that will trigger a positive reaction in your body.

    Ask for Help

    It’s okay to ask for help, even at Christmas, speak up to loved ones if you need help.

    Likewise, if you’re struggling with your mental health, then speak to your local GP about your symptoms. If you’re in need of urgent help, then use the NHS Mental Health Helpline. [4]

    If you’re struggling with your mental health this Christmas, look at the below infographic.

    Mental Health at Christmas: Some Tips for Coping

    How can No Panic help?
    No Panic specialises in self-help recovery and our services include:
    Providing people with the skills they need to manage their condition and work towards recovery.
    Our aim is to give you all of the necessary advice, tools and support that you will need to recover and carry out this journey. No Panic Recovery Programs

    References

    [1] Covered more generally in Alcohol Rehab in Birmingham.

    [2] https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/seasonal-affective-disorder-sad/about-sad/

    [3] https://www.nutrition.org.uk/putting-it-into-practice/food-seasons-and-celebrations/christmas-and-new-year/

    [4] https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/mental-health/find-an-urgent-mental-health-helpline 

  • Coping with The Festive Season

    Coping with The Festive Season

    Christmas and the New Year can be a stressful time of the year even for the calmest of people. So what can you do to keep anxiety and panic at bay? 

    Make lists

    There is always so much to think about at this time of the year so write things down. Whether it’s the shopping you need, a ‘to do’ list or just a ‘don’t forget’ note, put it down on paper or in a notebook. This will firstly help you to organize your time. It will also help clear your head from clutter and give you an easy way to prioritize tasks. Find out more…

    Sleep / rest

    Lack of sleep will only stress the body and make you feel tired and unable to cope. So even if you have the urge to stay up later and party, try to be reasonable. If you have a late-night, try to get a small lie in or have a nap the following day to catch up. Take a look at our top tips to get a better night: https://nopanic.org.uk/sleep-anxiety/

    Stay hydrated

    Alcohol may ease your anxiety for a while but consuming too much and the morning after feeling are both hard prices to pay. Stick to the odd glass or even better, alcohol-free. On the other hand, drink plenty of water. Many things can aggravate or trigger anxiety and dehydration is one of them. When our bodies are dehydrated they do not function as well. Water makes up on average 60 – 70 percent of the human body, it carries hormones and nutrients to their destinations, so when fluid consumption is reduced this procedure starts to slow down and can cause many disagreeable symptoms. Find out more…

    Be aware of what you eat

    What should you do at this time of the year with all the tempting food and snacks around? You don’t have to refuse every mince pie or piece of Christmas cake, you just need to be sensible and aware of what you are eating. Moderation is the key. If you feel you have overindulged one day, try to have a bit of a detox for the next 24 hours sticking to ‘healthy foods’. Find out more about a healthy diet…

    Stay in the moment

    Being mindful and staying in the here and now is a great way to avoid anxiety taking over. It’s about living in the present moment and not worrying about what you didn’t do yesterday or what might happen tomorrow.  Mindfulness helps us manage our emotions at the same time decreases stress, anxiety and depression. By taking just 6 minutes of your day and practising this simple exercise somewhere quiet where you won’t be disturbed you will be doing yourself a great favour. https://nopanic.org.uk/a-moment-of-mindfulness-video/

    Look after number one

    It is all well and good racing around and making sure everyone is looked after and has the right gift but you need to look after yourself as a priority. This means listening to your body: Are you tired? Are you hungry/thirsty? Are you uptight or stressed?  Sometimes you just have to say ‘no’, it may be scary, to begin with, but those who matter the most will understand. Catering for your own needs is not selfish it is essential for your wellbeing. Here are some more top tips on self-care.

    Take time out

    Sometimes it’s nice just to get away from the hustle and bustle. Take yourself off to a quiet place and have a bit of ‘you’ time, tricky I know if your house is full but you are allowed to have a few minutes to unwind and get yourself back on track. Here are some other distraction ideas…

    Exercise

    Exercise can lift a person’s mood considerably, relieve tension and stress and boost physical and mental energy.  Exercise also increases our body temperature which can have a calming effect.  It will also help tire the body for restful sleep, which is also important when trying to keep control over all the festive anxiety.

    Don’t compare

    Social media has a great habit of making us put ourselves down. Looking at those pictures or reading the posts of acquaintances having the ‘perfect’ Christmas with the ‘just what I always wanted’ presents is a sure way to dampen your spirits. Anyway, they can’t be having such an amazing time if they are sitting in front of a mobile phone or computer screen. If you know the comparison game leaves you feeling down in the dumps, avoid it.

    Be happy

    Wear a smile if you can, not just a turn up of the corners of your lips but a full-blown smile that incorporates your whole face. It has been proven that smiling triggers a chemical reaction in the brain, releasing certain feel-good hormones. In other words, smiling can trick your brain into believing you’re happy. Look around your own life and be grateful for as much as possible. Find out more about how laughing is good for your health…

    Stay within your budget

    The temptation of overspending is stronger at this time of year than any other according to a recent survey. The pressure of purchasing the ‘perfect gift’ or buying extravagant food and drink is thrown at us from all angles. The secret is to avoid the temptation of overspending that you will regret at a later date. When you go shopping, just take the cash you can afford, leave credit/debit cards at home.

    Talk

    If you are feeling stressed or finding it hard to cope, tell someone. Don’t keep things bottled up inside. Whether it’s someone with you or a phone call away, reach out. If needs be you can always call the No Panic helpline open 365 days of the year from 10 am until 10 pm on 0300 7729844.

  • A Personal Reflection: The drugs do work – taking SSRIs for Panic Disorder

    A Personal Reflection: The drugs do work – taking SSRIs for Panic Disorder

    The journey of recovery from mental ill health can be tough to navigate. It isn’t as straightforward as a broken arm or a chest infection, where diagnosis and treatment plan is clear. It’s not linear and everyone is unique.

    Medication is still a treatment which has stigma attached to it. A ground-breaking study published earlier this year demonstrated that antidepressants are effective and in fact more patients should be getting the right support through medication. Doctors hoped the study would finally put rest to doubts about the medicine, breaking the frequently portrayed stigma. For example, ‘happy pills’ is a phrase often used by the tabloids to describe the medication. This serves only to compound the opinion that an individual taking antidepressants such as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) is miserable, weak and unable to be happy in life.

    Three years ago I had a severe panic attack and breakdown. At my first appointment my GP asked me if I wanted to take medication with no real explanation. It was like being asked if I would like to take insulin for diabetes. How would I know!? I wasn’t the expert! My immediate reaction was ‘no’! The stereotype in my head was of a numb, unfeeling individual and I didn’t want people to think I was crazy. I didn’t want to think I was crazy! Instead I opted for counselling and a mixture of talking therapies and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. I was diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder.

    I’m a huge advocate for positive psychology – a new field of research – and I have spent the last three years building up strong foundations of practice. This includes mindfulness meditation, yoga, exercise, gratitude, journaling and a growing bibliotherapy. Yet the deterioration of my mental wellbeing in July last year made it clear to me that I needed to go back to my GP.

    This time my GP was amazing and talked me through everything. I had made my appointment a month in advance and decided I would go if I still thought it was a necessity. She was pleased that I had come to see her feeling well rather than in the depths of anxiety. Often people cancel their appointments for depression or anxiety because they don’t want to bother their GP. It feels trivial or they start to feel better in themselves, a pattern I had seen emerging over a period of time. This time, I was able to have a rational conversation about how the past nine months had affected me. The doctor agreed my lifestyle practices were well-versed; I had CBT exercises in my toolbox, so medication was the next route.

    Throughout the first week of taking the tablets I had awful physical side-effects. Within an hour of taking my tablet in the morning I would feel nauseous and for the rest of the day I’d feel weak. I couldn’t enjoy food, it kept going round and round in my mouth. My mouth was dry. My energy levels were low from my lack of appetite and food intake. A psychologist I connected with through Instagram saw my posts about struggling with the tablets. She contacted me and advised me to try taking them in the evening. Within four days I was feeling much better. Taking the tablet before I went to sleep allowed the nausea to disappear and didn’t affect my sleep. I still have the dry mouth, which means I drink more – especially when presenting. This also means more frequent trips to the bathroom!

    Taking my medication was a learning curve. It will affect each person differently. For me, I find alcohol does not agree with the medication at all. Even if I have one or two glasses of wine of a night, I can tell the difference the next day. I drink black coffee, but I have cut back after experiencing the start of a panic attack after drinking two strong Americanos. Mentally I have been feeling good. Some people experience heightened anxious feelings when they start taking the medication, a side-effect I managed to avoid.

    I’ve tried to be open and challenge the conversation around the stigma of taking medication, even when it has made me feel uncomfortable. When I met with a potential new client who was recovering from visible surgery, we spoke about her operation and rehabilitation. When she enquired how I was, I replied that I was feeling nauseous as I had started taking SSRIs. This turned into an open conversation about her own personal experience. She has since booked me as a speaker for her employee network group.

    I’m due back at the GP next week to review my progress. The medication has settled and I’ve noticed I am much better in myself. There have been several times I realised the physical symptoms I usually experience with my anxiety have not happened. My brain is not triggering any warning signs. I’ve been keeping a mood journal for the past two months and my moods are balanced. My family have noticed the lack of swinging between extreme emotions. As far as my recovery goes I am not sure how long I will take the medication. But if it means continuing to take them and being able to live my most best life, then that is part of my own journey.

    I’d like to share my own tips based on my experience.

    • Keep your doctor’s appointment, even if you begin to feel better. It helped me to write everything down beforehand so I was clear about what I wanted to discuss. If you need moral support take someone with you to the appointment to wait for you.
    • Ensure you take in all the information from your GP. Ask if you or they can write this down in your appointment, or ask them to signpost you to further information.
    • Be as open and honest with your manager or colleagues as possible. The side effects of medication can affect you physically and/or mentally in the first few weeks before settling, so it will definitely help to have the right support.
    • Be kind to yourself whilst the medication settles. This could mean a change in your appetite, energy levels or mood. It will pass and if the symptoms persist or if you have concerns, make an appointment to see your doctor straightaway.
    • If you do need to talk to someone for professional support you can call and speak to someone for anxiety at No Panic who have a crisis helpline 0300 7729844, or contact the Samaritans who are available 24 hours a day to provide confidential emotional support (116 123).

    Ruth Cooper-Dickson – No Panic Patron

  • OCD in Young People and the Effect on Parents

    OCD in Young People and the Effect on Parents

    Anyone can suffer from OCD, this includes young people and children. In fact, a lot of adults with OCD find their first symptoms started at a young age. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder can have a profound effect on a child’s ability to access education (many young people feel that they can’t cope with the pressures of school or college), making friends (avoiding peers so that they don’t see the performing rituals) and relationships with parents who might not fully understand the disorder.

    A youth or child that has been diagnosed with OCD will hopefully be sent to CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) They can help you to get on top of your symptoms and go on to lead a normal life. Waiting for a CAMHS referral can unfortunately take a long time. So in the meantime support is available over at OCD-UK. They have a Youth Ambassador scheme which you can access here.

    If you are a young person with OCD speaking out might be difficult but you are not alone. Speak to your parents, relatives, friends, teachers or doctors until you find someone who will listen. If you find it difficult asking for help, perhaps you could write a letter like this: To someone who cares

    Check out this video where Zoë, the Children, Young People and Parents Lead for the charity OCD-UK talks about OCD in children and young people over on our YouTube channel 

    Bellsie

  • The Impact of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

    The Impact of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

    OCD is not simply washing hands or checking. OCD is far more than that. It can be crippling and stop people from living the lives that they deserve. Attending work, having meaningful relationships (especially romantic relationships), even just having friends or pets, OCD can take over people’s lives. Children and young people can drop out of school, be paralysed by their symptoms and even miss out on education due to the condition.

    It can also lead to isolation, being unable to live alone, use the toilet or result in having to shower for over an hour before going out, then finding one has to do the same rituals repeatedly.

    The power of OCD is immense and the impact of this disorder can be life-changing but, you are not alone and OCD can be overcome.

    Check out this video where Ashley Fulwood CEO of the charity OCD-UK shares his expert advice on this subject and more over on our YouTube channel 

    Bellsie