Panic Attack
A poem I wrote in the throes of anxiety.
Sometimes it's hard to breathe.
The world gets dark
And the whispers in my head scream.
My heart beats so fast that
It feels like I'm dying.
Who should I call first,
For my final goodbye?
Grounding techniques:
What can I hear, see, and smell?
It doesn't really matter
When my world feels like hell.
When I choke on my spit
And the bile burns my insides,
I know it only lasts for a while.
But sometimes a while
Feels like a lifetime.
And I worry about time too much
That it's wasted,
Waiting,
Silent screams.
Stuck in my own head
With forever to go.
I want to exist,
But not like this.
I know these moments pass,
But I yearn for constant bliss.
Afraid to die,
But scared to live.
Stuck in the in-between -
The curse of genetics.
Nature or Nurture?
I guess it doesn't matter at this point.
Anxiety is torture.
About the Creator
Ashley Lima
I think about writing more than I write, but call myself a writer as opposed to a thinker.
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Comments (11)
This is so well written. It so accurately sums up what it feels like to be caught in anxiety's clutches. 'Afraid to die, But scared to live' is an absoltely perfect line
Wow that really was so powerful and so relatable. So many of these lines hit hard, especially, the ones about worrying about time and that it’s wasted. My goodness, that hit the nail on the head for me. I worry about that… weekly… daily. I really felt this one… excellently done!
Powerful and powerless, I can relate so much. That last line is gold. Great work.
That was powerful and emotional. Well done.
Wow! I felt this, every meaningful word of it. Great work!
Emotional and authentic!!! You nailed it!!!❤️❤️💕
I simultaneously like and kinda hate this because you did such a good job. Especially at capturing that self awareness in the middle, the I KNOW it’ll pass but it doesn’t make me feel better right NOW.
Absolutely relatable. Who would I call to say goodbye? Anyone?
So much emotion in so few words. I like the way you came straight at this and I hope it's helpful. It took me back to long, long waits at the ER with my daughter.
Ouch, felt this a lot, Ashley. In so few words per line you painted such a desperate picture of despair. I am sorry you have had these kinds of experiences and hope writing about it helped. Thank you for sharing this!
I love this… I feel this. 😩❤️. I have a poem in drafts that’s been sitting there for months specifically about existing in-between. I never published it because I guess I felt like no one would get it. After reading this, I think you would though! 😬