You might have seen the ABC breakfast weather presenter Nate Byrne experience a panic attack live on air this week.
Nate is open about his struggle living with panic attacks, he has been insightful and vulnerable in writing about them before.
The thing that has stood out to the public so significantly is that Nate felt safe enough in his work-place (even though it was live in front of the nation) to acknowledge what was going on and was able to articulate that he needed to stop for a bit. And the next remarkable thing, was that his colleagues didn’t miss a beat, knew exactly what to do for him and continued to wrap him in care and respect after the event.
Would that happen at your school?
Would staff and students feel safe enough to let someone know what was going on for them?
And would their colleagues or teachers know what to do for them?
Would they be wrapped in care and respect in the coming days and weeks?
Beyond Blue reports that in Australia, 3 million of us, are living with anxiety. It is our most common mental health condition – and actually, 25% of people will experience anxiety at some point. That is 1 in every 4 of your staff and students who will experience anxiety at some time in their lives.1
Coming with that anxiety, The Australian Psychological Society says that a recent ABS survey estimated that 3.7% of Australians had experienced panic within the last year. With the rate being up to 3.3 times higher in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. 2
These are not insignificant numbers.
The impact of panic attacks can be awful and lasting - heart palpitations, shaking, shortness of breath, and dizziness. Sufferers also report a significant fear of losing control, going ‘crazy’, or even of dying.2
Christian schools, with Christian staff, aim to be places and communities of care, marked by love, just as Jesus showed us, where the whole person is cared for. We all do physical first aid; Asthma attack? Reliever on hand and we know how to administer it. Anaphylaxis? Epi pen near-by and a carefully followed action plan.
What about a sudden mental health event? Is your school able to respond in the same way?
Do you have a culture in your school that allows people to share mental health concerns? Do you have an understood and modelled language that allows for struggles to be expressed? If not, where can you start?
Mental Health training is very helpful, and an important investment for your school. But panic attacks can come on very quickly, so it worth knowing some immediate ways that you could respond 3 :
1. Keep your cool - speak to them calmly and empathetically, reassure them that you are there to help them be safe.
2. Ask how you can help – they will likely have preferred coping methods. If you know someone who has panic attacks, find out in advance what they like.
3. Get them comfortable – avoid touching them without asking, as they might find that touch exacerbates their distress. Physical comfort is great, if they consent.
4. Validate their feelings - Even if you don’t understand what they’re going through, the threat they are feeling is very real to them.
5. Be prepared with some practical suggestions for support activities.
For example:
*Count backwards slowly from 100 together,
*Look around the room and name 3 things that you can see, smell, hear or touch,
*Draw a repetitive square on your skin with your fingers, each side taking 4 seconds to trace, breathe in for 4 seconds on one side and out for 4 seconds on the next side, repeat and repeat.
*Go “shopping” in your mind, list off a product that starts with every letter of the alphabet in order, as you visualise putting it in your trolley
6. Get further help if needed. Symptoms will usually subside in 20–30 minutes, but if the symptoms continue or get worse, you should call for help.
But what about Christians? Surely, we’re not to be anxious about anything? Christians are not immune to anxiety or panic attacks. Yes, Jesus asked us to cast all our anxieties on him, but we don’t (or shouldn’t) give trite answers to people in crisis. “Calm down” or “don’t worry” are equally unhelpful.
Just like with in asthma attack, we use puffers to open airways, AND we pray.
In anaphylaxis we administer adrenaline, AND we cry to God for healing.
In panic attacks, we carry out steps to reassure, AND we pray.
And afterwards, we assure people that they are still safe and respected in our school.
We remind them that they are innately valuable and are loved in a way and with a strength that nothing can change. And we can point them, gently, back to look at Jesus, where our hope for eternal peace lies, even though things are hard now.
REFERENCES
1)Beyond Blue. Anxiety: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/mental-health/anxiety 2024
2)Australian Psychological Society. Panic Disorder: https://psychology.org.au/for-the-public/psychology-topics/panic-disorder 2024
3) Reach out. How to help someone having a panic attack: https://au.reachout.com/mental-health-issues/anxiety/how-to-help-a-friend-with-panic-or-anxiety 2024