It was very scary and upsetting, and I didn’t want to get off the train

“I can’t even remember when I first started having panic attacks. I felt very alone with them, and I didn’t really tell anybody how I felt for a long time. If I felt a panic attack coming on I would just leave the room, get off the bus and walk instead – anything to get out of that situation. It got quite bad when I was about twenty-years-old. These attacks were becoming more frequent, and so debilitating. I had to do something about it. So I went to see a doctor who put me on anti-depressants, which I was on for six years. They really helped me at the time, but after not suffering from a panic attack in over a year, I decided to try life without medication. Since coming off the medication three months ago, I’ve started working out 5-6 days a week, and it has massively helped my self-esteem and headspace. I feel stronger than ever; mentally and physically. But just last week it happened again, the first panic attack in a year. It was very scary and upsetting, and I didn’t want to get off the train as it was cold and rainy outside. I wanted to find a different way of dealing with it. Rather than depending on a pill to make me feel better, I thought I’d try to use a guided meditation app on my phone and deal with it myself. I really had to focus, but for the first time in my life, I took control and the attack slowly faded away. I felt such a sense of achievement, and so strong and proud.”

– We’ve decided to dedicate this week’s posts to some of the inspirational entrepreneurs and creative women we’ve had the opportunity to meet. Find out more about her work here!