The Moment of Loss

I never imagined that holding my dog in my arms as she took her final breath would be such a devastating experience. I felt how her body — once full of life and energy — slowly went still. Her eyes closed gently, and in that instant, the silence became unbearable.

It felt as if the world had stopped turning. The room filled with a heavy emptiness, the air thick and impossible to breathe. That moment didn’t just take away a beloved companion — it forced me to confront a truth we often avoid: death. And in that confrontation, something inside me broke.

The Month of Shadow

For weeks, I carried that pain like a stone tied to my chest. I could continue my routine, but everything seemed colored in constant gray. A month later, without warning, my body decided to speak the language of fear: I had my first panic attack.

I was sitting down, apparently calm, when suddenly my heart began galloping like a wild horse. My hands were sweating, the air felt scarce, and my mind screamed that something terrible was about to happen. I thought, “I’m going to die right here.”

Anxiety is a master at disguising itself as death. It makes you believe the end is seconds away — even if you’re healthy, even if nothing real is threatening you. I felt as if my own body had turned against me, like there was an internal battle I couldn’t win.

The Encounter with Breath

In the middle of that storm, an instinctive act saved me: breathing. Not the automatic kind we do without thinking, but a conscious, deep, intentional breath. I closed my eyes and forced myself to inhale slowly, counting, and then exhale as if every breath was a reminder that I was still here.

At first, the panic screamed that it was useless. But with each cycle of air, my chest loosened, my heartbeat slowed, and the mental noise softened into a whisper. In that instant, I understood something profound: breathing wasn’t just keeping me alive — it was bringing me peace.

That was my turning point, the hero’s return in my own story: from absolute fear to the calm found in the simplest, most powerful thing we have — air.

What to Do During a Panic Attack

If you ever face a panic attack, here are some things that helped me — and might help you too:

• Breathe consciously: Try techniques like 4‑7‑8 breathing (inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7, exhale for 8). It sends a message of calm to your nervous system.
• Anchor yourself in the present: Touch a nearby surface, look at five objects around you, or listen carefully to the sounds. This interrupts the mental spiral.
• Talk to yourself: Repeat phrases like “This will pass” or “I’m not in danger.”Remembering it’s a temporary episode can reduce fear.
• Seek support: If attacks happen frequently, don’t hesitate to speak with a mental‑health professional. You don’t have to face this alone.

Today, when I feel anxiety trying to return, I no longer see it as a sentence. I recognize it, breathe, and slowly find my center again. Losing my dog forced me to face death; anxiety forced me to face fear; and breathing brought me back to life.

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