đâItâs Fine. Everythingâs Fine.â â But Is It?
- Tami West, PhD
- Jun 11
- 3 min read
âItâs Fine. Everythingâs Fine.â â But Is It?
If youâve been following along on social, you already know: weâve had some deep moments mixed with quirky ones this month.
Iâve used trivia, personal stories, and even balloons (yes, balloons!) to explore how mental health really shows up in everyday life. And I want to share a few of my favorite momentsâbecause these lessons are worth revisiting.
The Panic Attack POP
Iâll never forget my first panic attack at 9. I thought I was dying.This month, I used a balloon to explain it: your brain pops into fight-or-flight modeâeven if thereâs no actual danger.
We practiced:
Box Breathing â 4 counts in, hold, out, hold.
5-4-3-2-1 Grounding â using your senses to get back to now.
Your Brainâs Alarm System
Another balloon dayâthis time, to show the amygdala in action.The amygdala canât tell the difference between a tiger and a tough email. So I taught a few ways to hit the pause button:
Deep breathing with hand over heart
Comfort scents like lavender or peppermint (because your nose is a shortcut to your brain)
Yes, your nose knows how to calm your brain. (Thereâs a free download for that too!)
Tesla, OCD, and Language That Hurts
Did you know Nikola Tesla used exactly 18 napkins to clean his utensils?That wasnât âquirkyââit was likely undiagnosed OCD.
I shared a reminder I try to live by:đ Donât say âIâm so OCDâ unless you really understand it.Letâs talk about mental illness with accuracy and empathy.
Monica Geller and Hidden Anxiety
Confession: I am Monica sometimes. The cleaning. The control. The perfectionism.
High-functioning anxiety doesnât look panickedâit looks polished. But behind it is pressure. Fear. Exhaustion.
Courteney Cox chose Monica because she understood that. And I shared tools for learning to live without the all-or-nothing pressure. (Theyâre all waiting for you in the vault.)
Depression = Deflation
If panic is a pop, depression is a slow leak. No one should feel alone in their mental health journey.
Want More Tools?
Youâll find:
Panic attack grounding tools
Depression and OCD fact sheets
Scripts for tough conversations
Self-soothing hacks that actually work
Because âIâm fineâ doesnât always mean fine.
Engage with the full resources and assessments mentioned this week in my Resource Vault
Keep the Conversation Going!
Which of these topics helped you most this week? Drop a comment below or send me a messageâI love hearing your stories. And if you want downloadable quote cards, images, or deep-dive guides for any of these posts, just let me know!
Love & Hugs,
Tami
Social Media Links
Mental Health Resources:
Tami West, PhD
Stress and Mental Health Expert Dr. Tami West uses her entertaining and compelling style to shine a new light on how to transform your life and discover solutions to lifeâs challenges.
Tami has worked in a variety of industries including healthcare, school nutrition, corporate sales, and 10 years as a public-school teacher. In 2013 she received her PhD in Human Development, studying the connections among stress, emotions, and identity.
Dr. West has spoken in 48 states across the US, as well as the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. In any given year, Tami speaks to groups with audiences consisting of anywhere from 100 to 3,000 people.
Dr. West is the author of several successful publications including three books: The Stress Club, Life Without the Monsters and Thrive. When she's not speaking or writing, you might find her with her traveling with her husband and family, reading historical fiction, or watching Big Bang Theory.
Tami connects with audiences through real experience, cutting edge research, and transparent stories â all sprinkled with humor! She will make you laugh, cry, and shine a refreshingly new light on life's challenges.
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Contact Tami at tamiwest@tamiwest.comÂ
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