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Thrive Spice

Thrive Spice is a podcast centered on the Asian American mental health experience while navigating career, family, identity and social empowerment. Join host Vanessa Tsang Shiliwala as she invites diverse business and political leaders, entrepreneurs, activists, and creators to share their real stories and practical advice on how they found their "Thrive Spice" - the joy that comes from finally owning our identity, power, and worth. Our mission is to promote a more inclusive world that centers intersectional communities, including women of color, AAPI, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ communities. Join us as we unpack some feelings and spill the tea: from sharing what real self-care and boundaries look like for us as we create social, political, and economic change; how we're healing from hate crimes, intergenerational trauma, and racism; and what we're doing to break glass ceilings, reclaim our stories and redefine what true happiness and success look like - for ourselves, and for the next generation.

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How to Manage Anxiety & Panic Attacks

September 22, 2021 • Vanessa Tsang Shiliwala • Season 1 • Episode 12

If you feel like your anxiety and stress have intensified since COVID-19, you're not alone. Nearly half of Asian Americans have reported anxiety during the pandemic, according to a recent report by Stop AAPI Hate.

This is a mini podcast episode focused on panic attacks: what they are, where they come from and what we can do about it. I'm also going to share my own personal recent experience with panic attacks as a mom, wife, entrepreneur, daughter, sister, and human.

Let us know if you want more of these Thrive Spice Guides - simple, practical yet personal guides to common mental health challenges, tailored for Asian Americans. Send us a DM on Instagram @thrivespice or email us at "info" @ thrivespicemedia.com.

Show Notes:

How to Deal With a Panic Attack
Practice these 5 steps to get to safety - physically, emotionally and psychologically.

1. Physical Assessment. Stop and get to safe space where you can recover. Breathe. Drink some water. Have you eaten yet? (There’s a reason why Asian parents always ask!)

2. Practice Extreme Mindfulness by Zooming In. Use your five senses to listen to sounds, sights, smells, etc to become aware of your surroundings.

3. Zoom Out with Compassion - Imagine yourself as the lead character in a movie. What external or internal circumstances are making this moment difficult in their life right now?

4. Ask For Help. Talk to a therapist, family member, friend (Need help finding a mental health professional? Additional resources are listed below for AAPI community)

5. Practice Gratitude. Your body is trying to tell you something. What else can you be grateful for in this difficult moment?

Want more mental health resources for Asian Americans? Check out www.thrivespicemedia.com.

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Vanessa Tsang Shiliwala

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