When I first read the underactive thyroid among others may causes anxiety and panic attack I was baffled. I now understand why. The thyroid regulates the speed the body organs work and if thyroid is underactive the body organs are slowed down and the suffer experience excessive tiredness that cannot be eliminated by coffee.
This means that it also slows down breathing and the transport of oxygen across the body.
The heart beats are also erratic causing the breathing to slow down. This means that the organs of the body including brain do not get enough oxygen. Consequently brain goes into panic hence panic attacks. This is how some sufferers describe it as a feeling they will die. In fact this is not just an illogical feeling. This is in affect how you die.
The issue is underlying fear
Panic attack creates a feeling I suppose similar to for example fear of rats. Just like if you fear rats you would escape the rats. The same way person who suffer panic attacks and anxiety would flee the situation. Otherwise the brain is so pre-occupied with the idea of fleeing and fear that other processes and thoughts come secondary.
Role of circulation:
I cannot help thinking that people who have in general bad blood circulation have more chances to develop anxiety due to low or insufficient oxygenation.
I also think that people with bad circulation are also prone to other physical problems such as dermatitis. I find it helpful having a bath and getting my blood in my legs going. Which perhaps explains why one feels refreshed after a bath.
Circulation play significant role not just in anxiety but in obesity. Some chefs are focusing on sugar, which is fine but the problem is if you get your “engine going” you will most likely burn sugar and be less fat. This is something I find grossly underestimated. Overweight is not always reciprocal to the amount of food intake. This is what people in particular women of my generation and those older experience. In particular if they have underactive thyroid which is not uncommon in mature women.
Stress:
Stress and anxiety are so closely linked. As a consequence of stress your breathing is not regular. Those knots and butterflies in the stomach. As a consequence body and in particular brain are not fully and appropriately oxygenated causing anxiety but also other physical problems. There has been research around for long time now linking illnesses to stress.
Imagine an experiment: place a lovely house plant under a glass bell for durations of time restricting the oxygen supply. It is going to die, so why should be different with human body.
Law care
My theory is supported in the factsheet by the Law care which said that stress leads to anxiety. The reason this is the case because with stress you get that feeling that your breath stops in your stomach. Anxiety and panic attacks are developed due to continuous exposure to stress where by your brain does not get sufficient oxygen.
Stranded whales:
The scientists think they understand why whales get stranded on the land. Due to fear their heart beating becomes fast and irregular causing insufficient supply of oxygen to brain causing brain to get confused. Similar reaction happens in humans as described above.
Alcohol
Drinking alcohol, sugar level and carbs content in alcohol, trigger anxiety after the initial point of feeling mellow after a single drink. This is why the alcohol is considered to trigger anxiety if consumed in large quantities, in my opinion.
I still think a glass of wine is a good anxiety buster, but not one too many.
Environment:
Hot temperatures cause death. People with breathing problems and anxiety find it difficult to breath when temperatures are high due to pollution and other factors. According to the article: death of 760 people in 2013 was attributed to hot weather:
Whilst the article
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/nov/23/winter-death-rate-falls-in-england-and-wales
stated
“An ONS spokeswoman said: “Trends in provisional temperature data from this period show that there were higher than average temperatures around 19 July 2016, which may explain the peak in mortality at this time.””
We do not have statement for 2017 when the temperatures were even higher and presumably casing even more premature deaths.
It is therefore wrong to presume that the global warming and rise in temperature will bring joy of sun and good weather.
To elevate:
To elevate the panic attack you need to focus your thoughts on slowing down the breathing and stop thinking and stop focusing on the event or thought in your mind that makes you panic. This is simple but in reality it is so difficult because the anxiety is often linked with other mental health issues such as depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder etc. Not to mention that far too often sufferers are stuffed with medication as physicians are told to prescribe it since the big pharmaceutical company wants to get even bigger and wealthier. Of course there are medications that are helpful but in the mental health area there are far too many that are not only unhelpful but harmful to the patients. Whilst at the same time doctors are not keen to refer patients to the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) that is essential for their recovery and instead get the patient on a road of dependency on psychotic drugs till their end. Some mental health sufferers prefer going to the drug dealers and take illegal drugs that does even more harm and even death to them, instead of going to the GP. Unless the issues of how people with mental health are diagnosed and treated by the NHS is resolved I cannot see how would public trust GP’s that they have their best interest at heart when it comes to mental health.
Exercise:
Yoga:
I think that yoga is good accompanying exercise to people with anxiety as it improves circulation and slows the effect of stress balancing the breathing. In other words regulating breathing so that you don’t get that knot in your stomach
Take a deep breath:
I was readying an article and advice from Duchess of Cornwell. The good lady that nurtured Prince Charles and perhaps her age and experience might count for something. She mentioned importance to take a deep breath during the day. Why?
This is going back to oxygenating body especially if cells don’t receive enough oxygen. Taking deep breaths I find help as it oxygenate brain and slows down those fast but low breath intakes.
She also practices yoga. Again it is important for cells oxygenation, as above
Coffee
One might think that by not drinking coffee it would reduce pulsation and stop anxiety but this is not the case.
To the contrary drinking coffee reduces depression but also anxiety. This is because it stimulate the work of body organ and improves breathing. I think it is about fine tuning and individual to each person how much coffee is helpful for them.
Some people get more anxious in the evening when tired due to slow and tired oxygenation.
Couple of days ago we ran out of coffee in the morning in the office. NOOOOOOO, We had tea instead 🙂 until the supply came later in the day. There is hope. There is always a hope.
I just hope that institutions, employers and individuals would pay more attention to these issues and effect it has on individual.
In a nutshell you simply need to get the engine going. And don’t forget to BREATH
Green Queen 