A few years ago, my life came to a complete halt. I went from being a confident, successful, and outgoing person to a complete wreck, scared of my own shadow and unable to leave the house with crippling anxiety and panic dissorder.
This blog began as part of my recovery. I started sharing what I was going through with close friends and family on social media, and I was overwhelmed by how many people had experienced their own battles with anxiety and panic attacks.
At the time, I wasn’t well enough to help anyone else, but I kept sharing my journey, the struggles and victories. Now, as I continue to rebuild my life, I want to use what I’ve learned in my recovery to help others find hope, healing, and a way forward.
The following blogs detail my journey from my first panic attack to being diagnosed with severe anxiety and panic disorder and my journey to recovery.
When first diagnosed with anxiety I felt so lost and confused which made my suffering worse, I hope through blogging I'm able to share the lessons I've learnt along the way so that others can learn to recover too and know they are not alone.
Graeme Swatton Published on: 29/10/2025Anxiety and panic disorder has been the most difficult and hardest journey of my life, it has often felt very lonely, confusing and at times I've felt like I can't carry on and there was no chance of recovery.
Coming to terms with my anxiety and panic disorder and the start of my recovery journey.
Graeme SwattonThe anxiety loop can make it feel like you are trapped inside your own thoughts. A physical sensation leads to a question, the question creates fear, fear increases symptoms, and panic feeds the cycle all over again. In this post I explain the anxiety loop in simple terms, why anxiety sensations trigger repetitive what-if thoughts, and how panic disorder keeps the nervous system stuck in survival mode. Using lived experience, I break down how sensations turn into fear, how anxiety creates more symptoms, and why the anxiety thought cycle feels impossible to escape. If you feel stuck in constant anxiety, health anxiety, panic attacks or intrusive thoughts, this article will help you understand what is happening in your body and mind, and why breaking the anxiety loop is possible with time, repetition and nervous system regulation
Keep up to date with my latest blogs and follow my journey to full recovery from Anxiety and Panic Disorder.
