\n Anthony Coey, 36, who works at Carlisle Brass, has suffered from anxiety and panic attacks for over two decades. However, the husband and father-of-three only decided to seek support last year.\n<\/p>\n
\n He said: \u201cI suppose I started struggling with it when I was 16. I never spoke about it, it was a bit of a secret because I didn’t want to worry anybody, I suppose it frightened me a little bit.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n Anthony decided to go to his doctor and was prescribed medication to help but received no further treatment. His symptoms began to improve when he moved to Carlisle eight years ago until they took a turn for the worst.\n<\/p>\n
\n Anthony with his wife and three children. (Image: Supplied) Anthony explained: \u201cI think with the change of scenery and a clean slate \u2013 they just didn\u2019t happen. Then, last year I lost my grandma in February and there was another stressful event in summer.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cI just spiralled. It was the worst 12 months ever. It was affecting me at home, and at work and I even had a panic attack on the bus.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cMy symptoms are symptoms of a heart attack. If you Googled what a panic attack is, it would say an \u2018overwhelming feeling of impending doom\u2019 and that is exactly what it is.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n After his panic attacks became more frequent and Anthony was struggling to cope, he was recommended for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) by his colleagues and his doctor. He completed eight sessions of Cumbria Talking Therapies.\n<\/p>\n
\n He said: \u201cI\u2019ve got a really good support network in terms of my boss, my colleagues and my wife, Sarah, there’s nothing I can’t talk to my wife about and vice versa. So, it\u2019s not something that I don\u2019t talk about, but I wasn\u2019t keen on talking to anyone professionally.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cAt first, I did not see the point, I thought, how can somebody who doesn’t know me relate and have an understanding of my life experiences. Then before I knew it, I was looking forward to going.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n Anthony with his wife, Sarah. (Image: Supplied) Alongside his sessions, which taught him ways to rationalise his panic attacks and face them, Anthony was also taking propranolol for his anxiety.\n<\/p>\n
\n He was also encouraged to set goals for himself which included getting back into fitness and keeping a diary to track his symptoms.\n<\/p>\n
\n Anthony decided to share his story publicly to encourage others to seek support.\n<\/p>\n
\n He added: \u201cBe selfish. If you broke your leg, you\u2019d go to the hospital to get sorted. Mental health and physical health, they’re not that much different. It\u2019s still pain one way or another. It’s not normal to live with pain.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cWhile anxiety hasn\u2019t disappeared completely, I\u2019ve learned how to manage it, and that has changed everything.\u201d\n<\/p>\n