A Bride's Guide to Managing Panic |
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Panic attacks affect millions of people, making wedding-day anxiety common.
Exposure therapy exercises can help reduce panic before one's wedding day.
Mindful breathing and grounding through the senses can calm panic symptoms during the wedding ceremony.
Supporting a bride with panic attacks was the first time my clinical career intersected with my wedding coordinator experience. It was a genesis moment for something that has become a specialty. The bride had panic attacks and was particularly concerned with walking down the aisle. There was a chance that the wedding was not going to happen.
This may seem very specific, but according to the ADAA, panic disorder affects about 6 million people in the United States. Anxiety disorders that may include having panic attacks impact about 40 million people each year (National Alliance on Mental Illness). This is about 19 percent of the population. With numbers this high, it is also likely that many people managing panic attacks are also getting married in the next year.
You do not need to let a fear of panic attacks steal your wedding day. If you have been considering downsizing or even canceling a wedding that you actually want to have, keep reading. As a disclaimer: My focus is on women because they are often a focal point in ceremonies and are more likely than men to........