Here is why you have to think about what you are thinking. Daily!
“Thoughts are real, physical things that occupy mental real estate. Moment by moment, every day, you are changing the structure of your brain through your thinking. When we hope, it is an activity of the mind that changes the structure of our brain in a positive and normal direction.”
― Caroline Leaf, Switch On Your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking, and Health
3 Strategies that helped me manage my anxiety and get on with life
I was born with a congenital heart defect (CHD) called Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). They fixed me at age 5, but according to recent studies, the surgical repair should be done between 3 to 11 months.
That means I lived 5 years with a heart that had 4 defects. One of the symptoms is “TET spells”. Blue skin, nails, and lips because of the drop of oxygen after crying or feeding. Also called cyanosis.
My parents divorced when I was about 9 years old and we had to move. My father was an alcoholic and on occasion, he would beat my mother.
I had trouble in primary school. Mostly connected to my heart issues and one of them was trouble keeping in my pee. Some difficulty adapting to a new school in a new city and so on.
I joined the Police force in South Africa. This was 1989 and just before Nelson Mandela was released.
Manage your anxiety attacks without medication. Take control!
I was born with a CHD called Tetralogy of Fallot, operated on at 5 years old, parents divorced at about 10 years old, and diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation at 23. Anxiety and panic invaded my life.
Feeling how your heart races too over 200 beats per minute while you just sit messes with your head! You feel life going out of you, it sucks!
I went to a psychologist and psychiatrist. I received therapy, medication for a short while but knew that I could not lead a fulfilling life relying on them for the rest of my life.
The guidance and therapy I received helped me a lot and I believe psychologists and psychiatrists are very important. I used their therapy, guidance, and knowledge to forge my own happiness.
My quest for sanity brought me here.
Continue reading Anxiety Attacks Treatment.DIYThoughtarrest is my way of examining and evaluating my thoughts. It is not something that I came up with but thoughtarrest is my term for it. You will agree with me that panic attacks, Generalised Anxiety Disorder(GAD) or plain anxiety can paralyze you.
GET THOUGHTARREST INFOGRAPHIC HERE!
This thoughtarrerst has not only helped me with my panic attacks but it’s use and understanding has had a big impact on my life.
Continue reading Thoughtarrest technique for Panic Attack. Arrest every thought
I have had heart problems from birth, but AFIB was only diagnosed when I
was about 23 years of age. It was a big shock.
I was told that I had a heart arrhythmia called AFIB.
I thought the surgery on my Tetralogy of Fallot heart sorted everything
out, but it was only the start of my heart palpitations panic attacks story.
I got married when I was 24.
I did not know much about AFIB, it felt like the doctors were also still “looking to see what’s my problem”, I was confused, young, scared, afraid of dying and …..
I could feel my heart beating….irregularly and out of rhythm.
I thought ” would I ever see my children” and ” will I be too weak to play with them” so yes, it was a big shock.
I have also experienced and read on forums that doctors sometimes do
not take afib seriously and you are sent home with a “don’t worry, it won’t
kill you”, but the problem is you can FEEL your heart.
