I get anxiety about the smallest things. Whether it’s an exam, argument, social anxiety, (sometimes you don’t even know what’s causing it) and it has a massive impact on a lot of people, you feel alone and you don’t know what to do even if you’ve been through it 50 times before.
My worst experience was when I was taking a vocational ballet exam – intermediate foundation RAD with pointe. I’d been doing the grade for years and I was way ahead of my age group, the exam itself was expensive, in Liverpool and different to any normal dance exams. As you can imagine, I was under a lot of pressure.
The build up to the exam was stressful, with extra practices all over the place, my mind and body were shattered. The physical strain from ballet is immense. I wouldn’t sleep, then about 6 months before, anxiety kicked in. I would even have anxiety attacks in lessons because I was thinking about the exam. Everyday I would have a tight chest, everyday until the day after my exam, I woke up and finally I felt like I could actually breathe.
Tips
1. Yoga
Might sound really daft but it always works for me, it calms you down, lets you focus on your breathing, takes your mind off everything else and is also generally good for you. It’s free, you can do it anywhere, it counts as cardio, gets you toned and you can lose weight from it.
2. Distractions
It sounds obvious but it does work. Take your mind off whatever is making you anxious. Do something you love, exercise, baking, see friends, watch films, whatever works for you.
3. sleep
Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, it’s a vital part of everyday life, let alone when you’re worrying.
4. Positivity
Make sure you’re thinking positively, you will get through it and there’s a solution for every problem.
5. Diet
Eating a healthy diet can have many positive effects. Eating fruit and drinking enough water makes you feel better than eating 10 chocolate bars and 3 MacDonalds even though it may feel like comfort food is your only option. Keeping healthy when stressed is key.
What to do when you’re having an anxiety attack:
-Your breathing will become faster and you may get a tight chest
-You might start to feel faint as a result of the effects on your breathing
-You may become shaky and confused
-The most important thing whilst having an anxiety attack is making sure you stay focused on your breathing becuase that is what will make you feel shaky, faint or dizzy. http://healthland.time.com/2012/10/08/6-breathing-exercises-to-relax-in-10-minutes-or-less/ is a great detailed website about controlling your breathing when stressed.
– Keep a little stress ball or little puzzle in your jacket to distract you.
– Count in your head whilst making a square with your finger, every time you reach a corner say the number out loud-starting at 1.
– Have small sips of water
– Sit down/lie down
-If you are at school, tell a teacher and ask if you can step outside or get a drink
I hope this helps, the most important thing to understand through out times like this is that you’re not alone and it’s a normal emotion, we’re only human.
I hope this helps you, just remember you’re not alone and it’s not the end of the world.