like a tree falling upside down underwater

So, I don't know much about anxiety. I read 'Reasons to Stay Alive' by Matt Haig within the last month or two and it taught me considerably more about anxiety and depression.

I do not tend to feel anxious about situations; though, I will own up to avoiding situations that I expect will perhaps bring about moments of anxiety. What I also do not tend to do is to imagine, at all times, what the worst possible outcome could be and have that bog me down. By reading this book it allowed me to better understand people who indicate they have anxiety, or are prone to anxiety attacks.

In August of 2018 I was at my company's user conference, in the capacity of a technical support person at a desk to answer any questions any of our customers may have. One such customer was brought to me who was in the midst of a panic or anxiety attack; she was flush, her heart rate was likely way up, she was shaking and on the verge of tears, she couldn't speak in complete sentences as her thoughts were running too fast and she was talking over herself.

It was an issue she was having with our software, that she wasn't able to get something to work to her (and likely her boss's) satisfaction. I do not remember what the issue was, though I do remember it was an issue that was simple enough to be solved by our software, it was simply that she didn't know how. It took a little over an hour of me spending time with her, but I addressed her emotional condition first; trying to help her to get perspective, I assured her that there was a solution. It was a very gradual calm down, but by the end of the hour she was like a new person, the attack had been removed and she was very much appreciative that I was able to help her, both in terms of the software problem, and in helping her through the anxiety.

Up to that moment that summer, I had never witnessed an anxiety or panic attack first hand such as this. After having read the book, I got a much better understanding of what it is like for people to go through things like this.

I do consider myself fortunate that I do not suffer anxiety or depression.