Have you ever walked into a room full of people, and felt as if everyone was staring at you; judging everything you were doing and every word you said? Did it cause your mind to race? Did you want to run away, or did you want to just disappear? All because you were afraid of looking at you and people judging you, and every move you made. Well, welcome to my mind. That’s me every time I go somewhere and I have to be around people. It started when I was little and I have dealt with it all my life. Anxiety has affected my life in many ways. Some positive but most of the effects have been negative. Panic attacks can be a side effect of anxiety. Panic attacks and anxiety have had mental, physical and social effects on my life, but I am on my way to overcoming these challenges as long as I have God by my side. As it says in 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”


The mental effects of panic attacks and anxiety have been rough. Just the fear of possibly having a panic attack keeps me from doing the things that I used to love. Anxiety has kept me from making new friends, and for months it has kept me from driving. Anxiety causes me to clam up in front of people. In result, I haven’t made many friends. People tend to think I am extremely shy, or people think I am just rude. It is heartbreaking to know that just because of anxiety people think that I am rude. I took driver’s training this summer. I was doing great but then it happened. I thought I was going to die. I thought I had lost control of my body. My heart was racing, my palms were sweating, and I had lost all feeling in my arms and legs. I was having a full-blown panic attack, and I didn’t know what to do. This one panic attack; this one experience caused me to stop driving for months. I didn’t want to get back behind the wheel and possibly experience a panic attack again. However, I have overcome my fear of driving again. Mentally, I was able to overcome this. I have had help though, I began to see a therapist and she has played a huge role in getting me back behind the wheel. Anxiety and panic attacks have had very negative effects on my life, but with help I am on my way to overcoming them! A scripture that has helped me with the mental effects of anxiety is Isaiah 41:10. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” As I study this scripture, I have begun to learn that I do not need to fear. God is there for me, and God will give me strength for any situation.


The physical effects of panic attacks can be the worst part. Panic attacks take over my whole body. As I explained in the previous paragraph, my heart starts to race, my palms get sweaty, and I lose feeling in certain parts of my body. I start shaking and crying. My panic attacks last anywhere from 15-20 minutes. Panic attacks are exhausting. They make me feel as if I have just been running. No, not running, sprinting! They make me feel as if I have just been sprinting for miles. Extreme exhaustion is followed by each of my panic attacks. I remember the first time I had a panic attack, I thought I was having a heart attack. That was extremely traumatizing. I have learned that panic attacks can’t hurt me. A panic attack won’t kill me, and panic attacks won’t cause me to have a heart attack. Panic attacks are a result of my fears, but with God there is nothing for me to fear. A scripture that has helped me with the fear that causes panic attacks is Deuteronomy 31:6. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”


The social effects of panic attacks and anxiety have been the hardest to deal with. As I mentioned before, anxiety has kept me from meeting new people and doing new things. When I am in a room with a lot of people, I feel as if they are all staring at me. I feel like they are judging me, and I feel like they are judging everything I do. In order to avoid this feeling, I stopped going new places and doing new things. I have a fear of people and what they may be thinking about me. I don’t want to make a mistake. I don’t want to say something embarrassing and have everyone laugh at me. I don’t want to be seen as flawed. I’ve come to learn that this fear is unnecessary. Everyone makes mistakes, and everyone says something that embarrasses them. I shouldn’t fear making mistakes or saying something that embarrasses me. A scripture that has helped me with this is Psalm 56:3-4. When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?


Dealing with anxiety and panic attack disorder is not easy. It never has been easy, and the work to overcome it is even harder. However, I am determined to get better, and I have God on my side. Whenever I start feeling as if I can’t get better, or if I feel like I am not strong enough to overcome anxiety I will look to Luke 18:27. “Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” God will help me overcome my anxiety. I know I am going to get better. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me Philippians 4:13.