It happened suddenly when I was walking my dog - my heart raced painfully in my chest, I felt faint, and I struggled to breathe. I thought I was having a heart attack. I ran to my doctor, who diagnosed an anxiety attack. He put me on Lexapro, which I took for 3 months. Friends told me that I appeared lethargic and not myself. Some friends, who had heretofore been put of by my forceful personality, found me "more pleasing."
- Surge of overwhelming panic
- Feeling of losing control
- Heart palpitations and chest pain
- Trouble breathing
- Hyperventilation
- Trembling and shaking
More pleasing? Hell no! I had a reputation for being feisty, thankyouverymuch.
As soon as I felt that I could deal with the consequences of the end of my marriage, I weened myself off the drug. Instead, I found other more natural ways to deal with my worries:
- Forging new friendships
- Regular Exercise
- Pursuing new hobbies
- Gardening
- Immersing myself in meaningful work
- Helping others and rescuing a dog
- Counseling and support groups
- Self-help books
Since that initial episode I've experienced other manifestations of anxiety in the form of asthma attacks, hives, and eczema. Knowledge is a powerful healing tool. Each time I exhibited a new symptom, I looked up its cause and dealt with the problem naturally.
Exercise, diets, and friendships are powerful deterrents to the physical manifestations of depression and anxiety. I recommend these natural prescriptions over those dealt out by well-meaning medicine men, for natural means, while also addictive, work better than artificial, mind-numbing drugs.
