This is very useful article if you encounter someone having a panick or anxiety attack, obtained from Getting To Know Anxiety
http://www.backfrominsanity.com/. When i first read this article, it really does reflect what type of support i need during the episode of panic attack.... all i just wanted is a space where i can fight the feelings but at the same time i know there's someone i trust is there and knows i'm having an episode.... there are
maybe some words of encouragement that i can tolerate which are 'Everything will be fine, it's only panic attack', 'hanging there, focus that you will be fine' and 'Allah always be with you', however it depends on the severity of the attack...at some time (the worst ever episode especially when i forgot to bring my prescription drug from Doctor or when the attack occurs due to drugs withdrawal effect) even a single noise will make me more disturbed.
Here it goes........
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As we go through this information, I want you to understand that this section is of
importance to those trying to help another person who is experiencing, or dealing with,
Anxiety on a daily basis. How you provide support to them may help them to control
their Anxiety to some degree.
First thing is first. NEVER belittle or try to downplay someone's Anxiety Disorder.
This is a REAL disorder and should be respected as such. Don't just dismiss their
episode as a one time event, or try and 'solve' their problem through rationalization.
You have to understand that when a person is actually going through an Anxiety attack
rationality is not something they are concentrating on. Or listening to. This is an
extremely frightening experience and no matter how much you'd want to, you CANNOT
MAKE THIS EXPERIENCE GO AWAY. Only the individual who is HAVING the
attack has the power to do this. Not YOU.
The absolute WORST thing you can do is to act as if they are LYING or ACTING to
get attention. This is simply not the case. While you may BELIEVE this to be true
because you have never yourself experienced the unrelenting terror of an Anxiety
attack, that doesn't mean that it isn't happening to someone you care about.
Imagine for a second that you had witnessed a "physical" accident that your loved one
or dear friend was a part of. Something you could SEE the outcome from. Wouldn't you
do everything in your power to help them?
What if they were trapped inside a car that was on fire? What if they were trapped
underwater and were drowning? You would want to aid them, wouldn't you? What if
they had stopped breathing? Would you just stand around watching them pass away? Or
would you do everything you could to administer CPR to them, even if you weren't sure
you were doing it correctly?
While the above examples are extreme, sometimes, to an Anxiety sufferer, it absolutely
feels like the end of their world. As if they are drowning in a sea of chaos and
disparity,unable to pull themselves out.
Also, by attempting to in effect ignore the Anxiety attack, you are probably contributing
to another disorder that goes hand in hand with Anxiety. . .Depression.
Instead of holding them down 'under water', try throwing them a life preserver the next
time they have an attack.
How can you do that? Just BE there for them. Let them know that while you may not
understand what they are going through, you are there for them and will stay until they
feel better.
Do NOT try and force someone out of an Anxiety attack. It could make the attack that
much worse for them. Just let the attack happen naturally, and in most, if not all, cases,
their bodies will help them come out of the 'hot' zone all on it's own. And if it doesn't,
get them to the nearest emergency room as soon as you can. Or call an emergency squad
to take them.
Also, NEVER try and give someone suffering from an Anxiety attack any type of
prescription drugs that have not been prescribed by their family physician. Seems like
common sense, but when you see a loved one going through such a painful event, you
really want to help them. Believe me, THIS WILL NOT HELP THEM. Getting them
to a professional source, such as an emergency room or their own family physician, for
help WILL.
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NOTEs: As Malaysian... do you think this article is more useful if it is in Bahasa Melayu ? Because I think there's not much article related to mental illness which were written in Malay except in local newspapers...Do you think that our Malaysian society is lack of information about mental illness, because they are scared of stigma related to it such as people who has mental illness are regarded as being insane or crazy ? please response to my email mymentalhealth.blog@gmail.com or leave you comment here....Thank You....
