Anxiety/ Panic

 Recommendations

"I also find youtube videos of mindfulness or guided breathing exercises for when I feel like i’m about to have a panic attack. These are normally just any yt videos that I find helpful or the yt reels. Like (see link above)"

"the breathing exercises that i used for a panic attack was helpful, so it’s become something i use often now when i feel anxious."  

What caught your eye and got you to engage with the material?

"Anything that uses engaging, casual language is good. Things where you can tell whoever’s writing/making it knows what it’s like to go through the same stuff as you is good too."

What helped or didn’t help you actually use or stick with the material?- think what was going on for you at the time, how it was written, how it looks, how it made you feel.

"I’ve read one book where the writer clearly had experience with mental health issues, not just qualifications, and it was sort of comforting to hear his experiences and know I wasn’t alone. I’ve found websites that offer counselling useful too. I have read some books though, where they just gave you breathing exercise after breathing exercise and told you repeatedly you were stuck in a negative thought loop which was not helpful because a) I know and b) I hate breathing exercises."

Would you recommend the self-help material to a friend? Please explain why.

"I’d recommend watching videos and reading informally-written books as they help you feel like others are going through the same stuff, however I wouldn’t recommend any more formal books (I’ve tried specific ones about CBT) as they are very dry and annoying and don’t help. I would also recommend online counselling (through services like Kooth)".

"Kooth and tellmi allow people my age to relate to me anonymously and also have lines where you can talk to professionals, especially kooth I find that really helpful because they have articles and help too".

What were you hoping or expecting the self-help materials would help you with?

"Stopping me freaking out when im overwhelmed and trying not to have a panic attack".

What helped or didn’t help you actually use or stick with the material?- think what was going on for you at the time, how it was written, how it looks, how it made you feel.

"I was very overwhelmed so the ease of reading and talking to people was very helpful"

Did you feel the self-help made a difference to you or change anything for you? If so in what way?

"It made me calmer but it didn't change anything".