How To Keep Calm When The World Around You Is Falling To Pieces

For some reason crisis always seems to hit in the most unexpected ways. It may not directly affect you, but for some reason you seem to be in the middle of the storm. Your mental state takes a battering and you feel like you want to curl up in a corner, turn off the light and just leave the world alone for a while. Mental health isn't always about depression or panic attacks. It can be something as simple as other people and their troubles overwhelming you.

Over the last week I have found out that my best friend is very ill. I won't go into details but the shock sent waves bounding around my town. Shock itself can damage your self esteem, make you have a panic attack and bring forth all those horrible feelings that we all keep hidden from time to time.

Our minds are a dark pit. Most of the time we are happy taking each day as it comes, but then all of a sudden we get scared. Scared of life, scared for our families, and have a deep feeling of grief for our friends.

Here is a few ways to cope with this insanity. And somehow bring yourself back into the normal state of play.

When something horrible happens we forget to breath. Our normal functions take a battering and our breathing becomes irregular.

In fact if we breath too fast we can hyperventilate and faint. So sit down, or take a stroll down the garden.

Breath in slowly through your nose and out of your mouth. Do this for at least ten minutes. Just getting out into the fresh air should help, and the breathing exercise will calm you down and make you feel better.

Now this may sound the last thing that you would want to do. But hear me out. You need space, and lots of it.

When we are trying to think through the crisis that we have heard about, we don't need to listen to other people talk and gossip about it, or even just general speech.

We need silence for our brains to process the information.

Too much input can make you start to panic, and in fact, if you try to hold a conversation too quickly you will just get muddled and start breathing erratically again.

Shut the door, close your eyes and just think. Then try to clear your mind. Your thoughts will start to process the info and you should be able to cope better with the problem.

Get away from your surroundings. Take a train and go and visit relatives, see a film, or escape to the coast for a few days. Maybe you like to visit Art Galleries, this is the time to go.

Your brain needs balance, as well as your body. You need to see something different, something wonderful. This way the balance will return and you will find that you can cope with all the trouble around you.

Talking is good for you. As long as it doesn't involve the people in the crisis.

You need to speak to someone neutral. Another friend, a work colleague and so on.

Go for a drink and talk and talk until you can't find any more words.

You will feel as though you have cleansed out all the bad thoughts.

And with a bit of luck you may find someone else's take on the situation has actually helped you to see the bigger picture. And then you can give more support to your friends.

Now this is going to be hard. You want to help. This is the first and most fundamental feeling when you know your friends are in trouble.

But sometimes its better to take a step back. I know. I have been hanging around all week trying to help my friends daughter, but of course they are in the middle of the crisis.

Sometimes its better for the their family to come together to help each other, and however much you want to help you may just get in the way. Wait for them to ask for help. Let them know you are there for them, but back away. Trust me, its for the best.

And last but not least, take time for your own family. Sometimes when something horrible happens to your friends or colleagues it makes you realise just how vulnerable we all are sometimes.

Try to have some fun, get out into the countryside, down the beach or just hang out together. They won't be as involved as you so they can take your mind of it.

Just remember, you won't be any help to anyone if you are suffering panic attacks or getting yourself stressed. Just be grateful for what you have been given. And just be there for them with a healthy and balanced mind and body.

If you have any other suggestions to help please let me know in the comments, Thanks.