Anxiety
Fear and anxiety are natural responses to a threat or danger. They are reactions to a real event, for example, hearing a siren’s rise and fall, the screech of brakes, an unfamiliar loud noise, etc. This is also a natural response to stressful or worrying situations, whether they are one-time occurrences or ongoing.
Anxiety can surprise us without warning, paralyzing, confusing, and sending us into a spiral. Sometimes, we feel like we’re losing control: our heart pounds too hard, our thoughts race, and our body simply won’t calm down.
This can be very frightening, and often it’s accompanied by a feeling of loneliness, especially when it seems like no one around us truly understands what we’re going through.
Is it a Panic Attack?
During a panic attack, we experience a sudden and intense escalation of physical and emotional sensations. This can include a rapid heart rate, difficulty breathing, dizziness, trembling, a choking sensation, or intense fear with the feeling that something serious is about to happen. It can be frightening because there’s a sensation of losing control or even feeling like it’s a heart attack or another physical illness. Despite these powerful sensations, it’s important to know that a panic attack is not life-threatening—and it does pass, even if it doesn’t feel that way in the moment.
What’s the Difference Between Anxiety and a Panic Attack?
Anxiety can be an ongoing experience, accompanying us over time in the background, like constant tension, ceaseless worries, or a continuous feeling of pressure.
In contrast, a panic attack is a specific, relatively short event that usually appears suddenly and lasts anywhere from a few minutes to half an hour.
Both conditions can affect our quality of life, and it’s important to be able to recognize and distinguish between them to understand what we’re going through and how best to cope and help ourselves.
Symptoms of Anxiety
Prolonged stress and anxiety can significantly impact our bodies and physical health, leading to various symptoms and phenomena.
When stress and anxiety persist over time, we enter a state of continuous alertness and readiness, poised for any perceived danger (whether real or imagined), with all our resources directed towards it.
These are entirely natural bodily responses to ongoing stress and anxiety. Our strength and resources are diverted to cope with the threat or danger, while other bodily systems—such as the immune system, digestive system, and even our ability to think clearly and focus—are put on hold until the levels of stress and alertness decrease.
What Does a Panic Attack Feel Like?
A panic attack is surprising and, for a moment, takes over everything: our physical sensations, thoughts, and emotions. A panic attack, as its name suggests, attacks and then releases.
Physically, we’ll often feel our heart pounding fast, to the point where we’re sure everyone can hear it. Our breathing becomes short and rapid, and we might also feel dizzy or nauseous, perhaps sweaty or shaky hands, or a sudden hot or cold sensation spreading throughout our body.
The impact of a panic attack isn’t just physical. There’s a feeling that not only our body is losing control, but also our thoughts and emotions. This can be frightening and confusing, especially if it’s our first time experiencing it. But it’s important to remember—even though it feels terrible, a panic attack cannot truly harm us, and it always passes eventually.
How is "Iron Swords" War Affecting Us?
The events that began on October 7th and are still ongoing in the Iron Swords War have an impact on almost every one of us. These events affect not only those who were directly harmed, their family members, immediate surroundings, and the rescue and military forces who participated and continue to participate in operations. The war affects every single one of us.
Feelings of shock, fear, anxiety, frustration, panic, sadness, anger, loss, and grief are normal and natural; there is no abnormal reaction to such an abnormal situation.
Read more
Often, since October 7th, it has been said that we are a nation in trauma. And even if it’s impossible to check every single person, so many people have experienced and been exposed to difficult events—both directly, through close acquaintance, or through the media—including participants in the Nova party, residents of the kibbutzim and Gaza envelope, those displaced from their homes in the north and south, soldiers and their families, and the surrounding circles.
According to a February 2024 report by the Israel Association of Public Health Physicians, about a fifth of Israel’s population is suffering from symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the Iron Swords War.
The experience of ongoing existential danger and threat raises anxiety levels and can manifest in various ways—startling at noises reminiscent of sirens or missiles and interceptions, fear of leaving home and being far from a protected space, reluctance to go to crowded places, and so on.
We are dealing with challenges we never imagined we would experience. Such a prolonged period of fear, sadness, difficulty, and stress affects each and every one of us differently, and every reaction is okay.
Articles on the Topic
Fear and anxiety are natural human responses to danger. The difference between them is that fear arises from an immediate, real threat, for example, hearing a siren, screeching brakes, or a loud, unfamiliar noise. When the danger passes, the fear and all its accompanying symptoms fade away. Anxiety, on the other hand, is a completely […]
In these times of sharp shifts between hope and despair, we experience brief moments of optimism from media reports, which are immediately replaced by feelings of despair, stress, and stagnation. Unfortunately, Israeli citizens have had to get used to this cycle over the past year and three months, but it’s important to understand the effect […]
We all have moments when we feel excited, a little pressured, or even scared before a social gathering, an event with a lot of people, or when we have to speak in front of others, like giving a lecture or presentation. This is completely natural. However, when social interaction is accompanied by a deep, paralyzing […]
Self Help Tips
Breathing to Relieve Anxiety
Breathe deeply into your lower abdomen. Deep breathing stimulates the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system, which allows for relaxation. You can place one hand on your belly and one on your chest.
Breathe slowly: Inhale deeply through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, and exhale through your mouth for 6 seconds. This exercise helps to calm the nervous system and restore a sense of control
Return to the Here and Now
Often, anxiety is related to something that might happen in the future. You can try to bring your attention back to the present moment:
- The Butterfly Hug: Cross your arms over your chest, with your hands resting on opposite shoulders. Gently and alternately tap your shoulders about 25 times. When you’re done, take a deep breath.
- Through Your Senses: A simple exercise is to identify 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.
Sharing
Share with close people you trust. Shame, loneliness, and secrecy can increase and intensify anxiety. If it’s hard to talk, you can write. Writing allows us to express what we’re feeling, organize our thoughts, and gain a new perspective on things.
Light physical activity
When we feel anxious, physical activity can help release accumulated energy and trigger the release of endorphins in our brain and body. Walking outdoors, dancing to your favorite music, or simple stretching exercises can all alleviate feelings of pressure and stress. even just a short walk can make a difference.