‘I BEAT THE FEAR’

Dr Soph, clinical psychologist and the author of A Manual for Being Human** (£14.99, Simon & Schuster), shares her experience of overcoming panic attacks. ‘I experienced my first panic attack aged 18, when I was on holiday. I kept telling myself I had sunstroke, which was why I overheated and my heart was racing. Then the next day it came back, over and over. I knew then it wasn’t the sun.

My panic attacks then escalated to the point where I didn’t leave the house for nearly three months as everything I did set them off. I quit university and didn’t see friends.

I finally saw a therapist and she taught me techniques to manage the panic. After a month I noticed the attacks had lessened enough to leave the house.

I haven’t had a panic attack in years, and I manage my anxiety with yoga, mindfulness and breathing exercises.

My favourite technique is saying ‘bring it on’ whenever I feel the physical sensations of anxiety or panic building. That’s been the most important part of my journey as, when

I say it and really mean it, it removes the fear cycle that kept the panic alive.’