Once upon a time I had awful anxiety or rather, it had me. Worry and panic about God knows what became a running commentary in my brain, the backdrop to every single day. There would be a nanosecond, when I first woke up in the morning, when I would feel the relief of being at ease.

But a moment later, my heart would start racing; I’d be in fight-or-flight mode before I even got out of bed. It was exhausting. At its worst, I was scared of being left alone, couldn’t drive, couldn’t face going into a shop, couldn’t make simple decisions and found it hard to regulate my breathing.

I remember being completely paralysed standing in the kitchen one night when I was home by myself. I couldn’t decide whether to cook dinner (I knew I had to eat) or have a bath (being in water was soothing), so I stood still and did neither. For over an hour.

I could line up several reasons to explain why I might feel overwhelmed, but nothing that seemed to justify this total loss of control.

I’d rolled with bigger punches before, so what was different now? It was as if my personality and my body were playing tug-o-war.

I wanted nothing more than to build my business and hang out with my friends — to work hard and play hard — but physically, I was a mess. Ironically, I’d just qualified as a nutritionist. That added a new layer of shame. Wasn’t I supposed to be the healthy one? Didn’t I know how to fix myself?

For several weeks, the anxiety and panic were so severe I really couldn’t do much apart from live to see another day. I know that sounds dramatic, but my heart was beating so fast all of the time, that I literally thought it would run out of beats. Gradually, I moved into a new phase — a kind of high-functioning state of panic.

I was up and dressed and probably seemed normal, but I was on high alert.

It was at this point I moved to Bermuda. I had to work, so I got myself a job and threw everything I had into it. In the early days, I remember doing presentations with the sole objective of not passing out.

During one in particular, I was holding onto the windowsill as I talked, willing the words to come out in a sensible order while my heart raced at a million miles an hour.

My white knuckles, wrapped around the power point remote, should have given me away. But if anyone noticed, they were too polite to say anything.

It took me a long time to feel in control again, probably close to a year.

These days (11 years on) I’m generally anxiety-free although there are still a few triggers that can send me into a spin.

Socially, walking into a room full of people I don’t know without an anchor (someone who I know I can talk to and who won’t leave me stranded) is major. I’ll worry about ridiculous things, like not knowing which way the door opens or how the coffee machine works (weird huh?). I think it’s probably the grown-up version of being new at school! If everyone is new together then it’s much easier, but it’s being the odd one out that makes me so self-conscious.

I find work a lot easier because doing the job is my anchor, but if I’m presenting somewhere new, to people I haven’t met, that’s challenging too. And then, very occasionally, for no reason at all, I’ll feel the old anxiety snapping at my heels.

But the good news is that now I’ve got the knowhow to send it packing.

Gone are the days when anxiety has me, the tables have definitely turned.

Along the way, there were definitely a few turning points — some pivotal moments that helped speed up my return to normal.

While things were still very bad, a friend of mine called to check in and I explained what was happening.

She was a really close friend, so I let her have what I felt like was the ugly and embarrassing truth. I told her I was worried I was literally losing my mind. She laughed it off and told me my batteries had run out.

After I’d finished being mad that she was laughing at me, her comment really stopped me in my tracks.

Maybe I’d just pushed myself a little too far for a little too long? Maybe it was that simple?

That was followed by another call from a different friend. My loudest, most extroverted girlfriend who was acing life in every respect.

After I’d filled her in, too, she told me that she’d been through exactly the same thing. It made me realise that if she could find her way back, there was no reason I couldn’t too. She made me feel normal for the first time in weeks. I realised that just because you are anxious, it doesn’t mean you can’t be tough. I had all these preconceived notions and was putting myself in a box. What if anxiety didn’t have to be all bad? What if it could actually be good?

Around the same time, I read a few books on anxiety that really focused on the positives that anxiety brings.

That sounds odd, I know, but anxious people are often more creative because they feel everything there is to feel. Sure that might mean that you feel more scared, but you also might feel more joy, more of a rush, more alive. Sarah Wilson, in her recently released book on anxiety First, We Make the Beast Beautiful, makes exactly that point.

The first step to overcoming your anxiety, might just be recognising and appreciating the good things it brings too.

That might be hard to accept if you feel like the walls are closing in, but just let it sink in a little.

Self-acceptance aside, there are several other steps that all really helped me. If you have anxiety or panic disorder, or if you don’t but do know someone who does, then have a look at the list below, left.

This is by no means a fully comprehensive set of solutions, but it will give you a starting point at least. And if you need extra help, you know where to find me. I’m always happy to hear from you.

1. Professional help

I resisted this for the longest time, partly because I didn’t want to admit I needed it and partly because I thought (as a nutritionist) that I should be able to help myself. However, eventually I realised that there was no way I could review my own case clearly or objectively. I contacted my tutor who helped me prioritise and get myself on the right track. I saw a counsellor too. Part of this strategy included anxiety medication short-term. I hated the idea of it, but it helped me break the cycle and I wasn’t on it for long. (I do still carry the prescription ‘round with me though, and knowing I have it, usually means I don’t need it.) Checking in with your doctor is a really important step.

2. Supplements

If your case isn’t too severe, then you might find more natural supplements can do the trick. I transitioned onto these after a few weeks on meds, and then got to the point where I didn’t need anything on a daily basis. One of the most effective natural anti-anxiety aids is the amino acid L-theanine, but you should have your nutritionist or GP review suitability of use for you. Most natural anti-anxiety meds or antidepressants shouldn’t be taken at the same time as pharmaceuticals so make sure you are professionally guided if you choose to transition.

3. Make sure you eat enough

This one can be tricky if anxiety has robbed you of your appetite. The problem is that becoming underweight can affect cognitive ability so it’s hard to make rational or sensible decisions, which only fuels anxiety further. This is where I found medication helpful, because it helped normalise my appetite. Once I was eating properly again, I started to think a lot more clearly. With or without meds, it’s important to recognise that healthy food will help provide essential nutrients that contribute to recovery — so make healthy eating your focus and your job!

4. Blood sugar balance

If anxiety is making you lose too much weight, it’s tempting to focus on sugary carbs as these may lift your mood and usually contribute to weight gain. However, refined sugars also fuel anxiety because the subsequent sugar lows can trigger the fight-or-flight stress response. Not to mention that refined carbs then often take the place of more nutrient-dense options that could have been nourishing your nervous system. I’ve found that a protein-heavy diet often works well for anxious clients, so that means looking for protein at every meal and snack. Some slower-releasing carbs are fine — such as quinoa, beans/lentils, butternut squash and low-sugar fruit such as berries, kiwi, peach and pear — but these are still best paired with protein.

5. Avoid caffeine

Caffeine is a huge no-no if you are having anxiety issues as it can disrupt blood sugar and trigger your fight-or-flight mechanism. It’s also diuretic after 500mg caffeine, meaning that it can deplete your body of the B vitamins that are so important for nourishing the nervous system.

6. Sleep — break the cycle

Getting enough sleep is important for rest and recovery but it can be tricky if anxiety is interfering! Medication or natural supplements can be useful here in terms of breaking the cycle. It’s important to get professional guidance though, so see your GP for guidance regarding meds or a nutritionist for help with more natural alternatives.

7. Rest, but stay busy

Resting is important, but wallowing never did anyone any good. Push yourself to try and do a little more each day. Getting out for a walk, going for a run, meeting up with friends, reading, working — whatever it is that will keep you busy and prevent you from getting too far into your own head. Starting a new job was really difficult for me but it was also a great distraction.

8. Exercise

This is hugely important for good mental health and it doesn’t have to be much. Just 30 minutes a day has been proven effective for reducing anxiety and depression. Get outside if you can, soak up the sun (safely) and breathe in some fresh ocean air for a little while. Just note that if you are trying to gain weight, avoiding intense exercise is best — pick something more gentle!

The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns is the managing director of Natural Ltd and a fully qualified nutritional therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a registered dietitian. For details, please go to www.natural.bm or call 236-7511. Join Catherine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nutri fitandnaturalnutritionbermuda.