Mental health nurse urges action plans to manage anxiety

Mental health nurse Britta Jürgenson told ERR’s programme Terevisioon that people who experience repeated anxiety attacks should try to understand what triggers them and prepare a plan for dealing with future episodes.

Strong anxiety can cause shortness of breath, a racing heart and the feeling that something bad is about to happen. Jürgenson said an anxiety attack can affect anyone, including when they face something new and feel uncertain. A panic attack is a more intense experience.

“It requires stronger intervention, and the person feels much, much worse: they become afraid that something will happen to them, that they might die or faint. All these fears accompany it,” Jürgenson said.

Understanding the cause of anxiety can help reduce it, she said. If the cause is unclear, people should focus on ways to get through the episode. Jürgenson recommended using the senses to shift attention elsewhere: identifying five things that can be seen, four that can be heard, three that can be touched, two that can be smelled and one whose taste can be noticed.

During a panic attack, a person may fear that they have a serious health problem, such as a heart attack. Jürgenson said a panic attack becomes intense very quickly, with many symptoms appearing at once, but also begins to subside quickly. Anyone who is unsure about what is happening can call the emergency number, where operators can provide guidance and arrange help if necessary.

Although anxiety is a normal reaction, its overall level can be kept lower by supporting mental health through physical activity, a healthy diet, sufficient sleep, rest from screens and positive experiences.

Jürgenson advised people who are prone to anxiety to identify the things that trigger it most and create a plan for what to do when anxiety returns. “When you have a plan, the body and mind receive the signal that there is an answer. They do not have to be afraid, so to speak. The body and mind want knowledge; they do not like uncertainty, which in turn creates anxiety,” she said.