Anxiety - Panic Attacks - Never Mind The What If? Enjoy The What Is!

Copyright © Ellen Dean

Have you ever wondered what may have caused your anxiety/panic attacks? I did. I couldn't understand the reasoning behind them. I am one of those people who has to have answers and then I can try to heal myself. I asked my GP for CBT because I felt as though I was doomed. But, I didn't actually receive CBT like I thought I did, and that's why it didn't work. What I actually received, I've just recently found out, was therapy from a psychological wellbeing practitioner. No disrespect to the practitioners, but the one I had call me on the telephone had no idea how to deal with a person with a vestibular disorder, the anxiety/panic attacks. She actually told me to 'put your coat on and go for a walk.' Believe me, when the room is spinning and you feel like you are going to faint, that's the last thing you want to do.

I now know that I have been suffering from Migraine Associated Vertigo (MAV) without the headache. Yes, I know it sounds bizarre because when you think migraine you automatically think headache. However, I did suffer from migraines when I was younger, and the headache was horrendous, but a few years ago I thought they had gone. They hadn't. 

That is when I succumbed to vestibular migraine which, in fact, is quite a normal occurrence, if only I'd known at the time. 

Below are the symptoms taken from the Vestibular Disorders website. They are exactly the same symptoms I suffered that brought on my anxiety and panic attacks.

'The clinical presentation of vestibular symptoms that often correlate with migraine includes - but is not limited to - dizziness; motion intolerance with respect to head, eyes, and/or body; spontaneous vertigo attacks (often accompanied by nausea and vomiting); diminished eye focus with photosensitivity; sound sensitivity and tinnitus; balance loss and ataxia; cervicalgia (neck pain) with associated muscle spasms in the upper cervical spine musculature; confusion with altered cognition; spatial disorientation; and anxiety/panic.'

I researched into what could have caused the vestibular migraine in the first place. I found some interesting information regarding the symptoms caused by having a shortening of the sternocleidomastoid muscle and was surprised to find there is a connection.

In this book I talk about my experience and how I have been able to help heal myself of debilitating panic attacks.  

Ellen Dean
Patron of Anxious Minds UK

Geo Says No - Not a Dream by I. Rosenfeld - Review

Geo Says No

Synopsis:

Who are you, really? On the night of the earthquake, George was dreaming of a red guitar when the noise of someone creeping around in his bedroom woke him up. Following a natural disaster, sixteen-year-old Geo is left with nothing except a dream catcher which opens his parents strange world of dreamboarders. To clear his father's name from the blame of treason, he cheats the Marshals of Tide and Time and fights the deadliest of enemies. But will he and his friends survive without the training he needs to become worthy of his gifts? A modern fantasy thriller, Geo Says No: Not a Dream is both part of the forthcoming Geo Says No series and a standalone novel in its own right. Dealing with more series issues such as responsibility and power in a deteriorating world, as well as a quest for a missing father, it provides powerful food for thought alongside an exciting adventure story.

Described as a page-turner by a panel of child and teenage reviewers, Geo says No: Not a Dream will appeal to 10-15-year-olds with an interest in magical worlds, special powers and unexplored lands.

About the Author:

I. Rosenfeld has lived in Corfu, Cambridge, Brighton and London. She studied English at the University of Sussex, then Teaching at The University of London. She also blogs at Creativity and Us She lives in Lambeth, South London, with her partner and occasionally two visiting children who fill the washing machine and empty the snacks cupboard.

My Review:

Let me start by saying I don't read fantasy books: I haven't even read any of the Harry Potter books! But, hey ho, a change is as good as a rest :-) and I have to admit I did enjoy it. The fact that it was written for 10-15-year-olds didn't matter, anyone over 15 can read it and enjoy it. I loved how the story unfolded the relationship between Geo and his parents, and the ends Geo would go to to save his father's reputation. This book is very well written, the creative ideas are original and the story flowed like magic.  

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