“I feel thin, stretched, like butter on too much bread”
- The fellowship of the ring, J.R.R Tolkin
“Panic Disorder is characterized by sudden attacks of intense fear or anxiety, usually associated with numerous physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, rapid breathing or shortness of breath, blurred vision, dizziness, and racing thoughts. Often these symptoms are thought to be a heart attack by the individual, and many cases are diagnosed in hospital emergency rooms.”
- DSM-IV
I hate using this word, anxiety, I try to say “stressed” instead, just like “low” or “down” is a less pathological words for depression, I don’t like talking about anxiety, it makes me feel labeled, makes me feel sick, I’m not sick, I just have a very unproductive way to perceive reality sometimes. For me, a panic attack doesn’t feel like I’m heaving a heart attack, I did made it to the emergency room once with a panic attack but usually, I just feel like I’ve done something horrid and someone out there’s going to yell at me.