--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had a year of panic attacks. I was…" description: "\"I had a year of panic attacks. I was feeling really pressured, like I could never do it again. With a first novel, you put things on hold because it ta..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/naomi-alderman-2604_again_i-had-a-year-of-panic-attacks-i-was-feel_312586.png" --- # I had a year of panic attacks. I was feeling really… ![“I had a year of panic attacks. I was feeling really pressured, like I could never do it again. With a first novel, you put things on hold because it takes so much mental energy and self-belief to keep on writing.” quote by Naomi Alderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/naomi-alderman-2604_again_i-had-a-year-of-panic-attacks-i-was-feel_312586.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/naomi-alderman-2604_again_i-had-a-year-of-panic-attacks-i-was-feel_312586.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/naomi-alderman-2604_again_i-had-a-year-of-panic-attacks-i-was-feel_312586.png) > “I had a year of panic attacks. I was feeling really pressured, like I could never do it again. With a first novel, you put things on hold because it takes so much mental energy and self-belief to keep on writing.” [Naomi Alderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-alderman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative work drains mental energy and self‑belief, causing anxiety and pressure that can halt progress. **In simple terms:** Writing can feel exhausting and scary. Key Takeaway Prioritize mental health and break projects into tiny steps. Themes creativity anxiety self‑belief productivity Mood reflective determined hopeful Type advice motivational personal When to use this quote - starting a novel - managing panic attacks - maintaining writing routine Key Concepts psychological resilience energy management self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - How can you protect your mental energy while writing? - What small habit could sustain your creative flow? A Different Perspective Progress can be stalled by perfectionism and fear of failure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Panic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/panic/) [Panic attacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/panic-attacks/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Most people think anxiety as panic attacks. That's not entirely accurate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-wilde/most-people-think-anxiety-as-panic-attacks-that-s-not-entirely/) [Jen Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-wilde/) > [The panic attacks - I still have them. They started when I was around 8. They always have to do with my death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/the-panic-attacks-i-still-have-them-they-started-when-i-was-around-8/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) > [ It can hit at any time \[anxiety/panic attack\]. You feel like you're in an open field, and there's a tornado coming at you. And… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-basinger/it-can-hit-at-any-time-anxiety-panic-attack-you-feel-like-you-re-in/) [Kim Basinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-basinger/) > [I'd had a relationship with a woman when I was 20, but nobody cared then. As it came out at the same time as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sia/i-d-had-a-relationship-with-a-woman-when-i-was-20-but-nobody-cared/) [Sia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sia/) > [Well, unless you've suffered from panic attacks and social anxiety disorders, which is what I was diagnosed as having, it's hard to explain it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donny-osmond/well-unless-you-ve-suffered-from-panic-attacks-and-social-anxiety/) [Donny Osmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donny-osmond/) > [I get panic attacks in big crowds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liev-schreiber/i-get-panic-attacks-in-big-crowds/) [Liev Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liev-schreiber/) > [During a panic attack, I remember that today is just today and that is all that it is. I take a deep breath in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-greenfield/during-a-panic-attack-i-remember-that-today-is-just-today-and-that-is/) [Max Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-greenfield/) > [Panic attacks and Anxiety. When you lose control, cant think straight, cant stop shaking and totally break down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemant-smarty/panic-attacks-and-anxiety-when-you-lose-control-cant-think-straight/) [Hemant Smarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hemant-smarty/) > [I developed claustrophobia when I was about seven. And I am no stranger to panic attacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-front/i-developed-claustrophobia-when-i-was-about-seven-and-i-am-no/) [Rebecca Front](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-front/) > [When you work at home, fellow alums, discipline is the supreme virtue. Suicidal self-loathing lurks behind every coffee break. Activities must be expertly scheduled,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-lipsyte/when-you-work-at-home-fellow-alums-discipline-is-the-supreme-virtue/) [Sam Lipsyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-lipsyte/) > [If we can't have comedy books written about aspects of womanhood without going into a panic attack about it, then we haven't got very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/if-we-can-t-have-comedy-books-written-about-aspects-of-womanhood/) [Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) > [Sci-fi is definitely something that I've been wanting to do again since Panic Attack and I want to do it on a feature scale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/sci-fi-is-definitely-something-that-i-ve-been-wanting-to-do-again/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [At sleepovers I would have panic attacks trying to break it to girls that they didn't want to kiss me without outing myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/io-tillett-wright/at-sleepovers-i-would-have-panic-attacks-trying-to-break-it-to-girls/) [iO Tillett Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/io-tillett-wright/) > [I didn't introduce thug life to America. Thug life is America. I don't get why the whole world is fearing me. I am scared,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/i-didn-t-introduce-thug-life-to-america-thug-life-is-america-i-don-t/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [I have panic attacks here and there, like in the weirdest places ever, and I've learned to deal with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/i-have-panic-attacks-here-and-there-like-in-the-weirdest-places-ever/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) ## More by Naomi Alderman > [“Gender is a shell game. What is a man? Whatever a woman isn't. What is a woman? Whatever a man is not. Tap on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-alderman/gender-is-a-shell-game-what-is-a-man-whatever-a-woman-isn-t-what-is-a/) [Naomi Alderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-alderman/) > [“That is how a man speaks. And that is why.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-alderman/that-is-how-a-man-speaks-and-that-is-why/) [Naomi Alderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-alderman/) > [Our culture tends to denigrate things that are associated with women. It's OK for women to wear trousers, for example, but not OK for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-alderman/our-culture-tends-to-denigrate-things-that-are-associated-with-women/) [Naomi Alderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-alderman/) > [I was there on 9/11. I watched the towers falling from my office window, at which point I decided I would give up my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-alderman/i-was-there-on-9-11-i-watched-the-towers-falling-from-my-office/) [Naomi Alderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-alderman/) > [The value of the arts cannot be measured by its ability to preserve life but rather to enhance existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-alderman/the-value-of-the-arts-cannot-be-measured-by-its-ability-to-preserve/) [Naomi Alderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-alderman/) > [I've got the brain for systems and a head for figures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-alderman/i-ve-got-the-brain-for-systems-and-a-head-for-figures/) [Naomi Alderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-alderman/) > [Our body is there right now. You did not have to earn a thing. It is a gift. You are a hero every time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-alderman/our-body-is-there-right-now-you-did-not-have-to-earn-a-thing-it-is-a/) [Naomi Alderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-alderman/) > [We all know that the desire for perfection can get in the way of authenticity and enjoyment; it's the same with games. There's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-alderman/we-all-know-that-the-desire-for-perfection-can-get-in-the-way-of/) [Naomi Alderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-alderman/) > [I hated sports at school. Almost everyone did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-alderman/i-hated-sports-at-school-almost-everyone-did/) [Naomi Alderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-alderman/) > [Games don't cause racism. 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So everybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-everly/you-couldn-t-get-me-to-go-travel-around-and-sit-in-a-hotel-room-again/) [Phil Everly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-everly/) > [In theater, one of the biggest problems when you're rehearsing comedy over and over again is that you stop laughing at each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-ashley-carter/in-theater-one-of-the-biggest-problems-when-you-re-rehearsing-comedy/) [Lauren Ashley Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-ashley-carter/) > [I'd like to do some female roles again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/i-d-like-to-do-some-female-roles-again/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [Death is a sniper. It strikes people you love, people you like, people you know - it's everywhere. You could be next. 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