In the last few years I’ve finally come to terms with the fact I’m anxious. HERE is HOW I’VE been HELPING to ease the anxious mind.
In truth, I wasn’t aware of how severe my anxiety was until I began to treat it. This is one of the issues which you endure and then when it becomes worse and worse , it becomes the norm until you are unable to remember the way things were prior to being in high levels of stress. The fear was consuming my life and preventing me from doing the normal daily activities which should be easy. I was the details of every thing I did or considered doing.
Things that create anxiety to the point of panic, not in any particular order such as driving, my inbox of emails gathering in large groups, sharing on social media, traveling on planes going to the doctor, working deadlines and group discussions grocery shopping. Things that were once enjoyable or routine became becoming a burden. I was constantly in a state of overwhelming. The exhaustion was constant.
When I began to feel better I realized the amount of mental and physical pain I was experiencing every day. I suffered from back and neck pain that was chronic for at the very least, for six years. When I couldn’t reply to messages and emails, I was considered to be a bit sloppy and undependable, but in reality it was simply that I didn’t have the energy to deal with most days. I suffered from insomnia that was terrible and struggled with getting up in the morning. I also was a snob and had a lot of important tasks I didn’t perform, which caused lots of shame and guilt. It’s hard to believe that I did that all of my adulthood. It wasn’t necessary to be this difficult.
There are a myriad of kinds of anxiety, and what I am experiencing may not resonate with you. For instance I’m not really experiencing anxiety attacks. I’ve experienced a few in the air however that was many years ago. My anxiety did not transform into social anxiety until about three or four years since. My anxiety is heightened when it’s mixed with depression, which has occurred at least a couple of times throughout my life. Mental well-being, I say!
I’m just leaving the doctor’s clinic inquiring about fatigue that was not related to my condition (no I’m not expecting and don’t advise me to do to me that I’m like everyone else) and she asked me to complete a questionnaire about depression and anxiety. The results of my anxiety were shocking and she stated that my anxiety was completely under control! The words she used were “You don’t suffer from anxiety” but that’s not true however it does prove that I’ve not experienced any anxiety at all in recent times and that’s a huge growth. She also praised all the things I’ve done to improve my physical and mental well-being, saying that she’d have advised exactly the things I’ve done up to the supplements I’ve taken. So I am confident that I’m able to write this article with the assurance that these methods have helped me , and I’m hoping that my fellow anxious warriors could benefit from incorporating some of these items to your daily routine (only when you haven’t yet take them on, of course!).
Here are a few of the basics I’ve tried to do to cope an anxiety-related issue:
Therapy
I wrote an article about my first therapy sessions and have been attending therapy on a regular basis since January. Therapy is a way to invest in myself and has been a huge help throughout my life. A neutral, non-judgmental party as a built-in emotional support system has helped me tremendously in my quest to a healthier mind. It eased my anxiety quickly and she’s provided me with a variety of exercises and techniques to cope with stress with stress outside of our sessions. If you’re thinking of therapy, you should just go! Do it!
Yoga
The benefit of a routine similar to yoga, is that it encompasses all I’ve been striving to live a life that is truly. It helps you feel compassion for you and others, gratitude, remaining well-anchored and focused in mind/body awareness, as well as overall strength. I’ve not felt this comfortable in my skin since the time I was a child. Be open to changes and uncomfortable on the mat could be the catalyst for achieving greatness and strength you didn’t even know you already
How To Get A Dog
Reggie has been a huge help to me with my depression and anxiety. He has helped me get off my couch and walks me out and be social when we go out. The most important thing is that my appreciation for his kindness has filled my heart to the point that it’s bursting with joy. It’s clear that not everyone could or should purchase a pet for health If you’re an animal lover perhaps consider offering dog sitting or walking to an animal rescue group or friend occasionally.
Confidently relying on a friend
What’s so insane? The moment I began talking about my anxiety to family and friends It turns out that many suffer from anxiety. The feeling of being accepted and supported is extremely powerful, and it’s wonderful feeling like we’re sharing the same experience. I love being able to contact people who understand during those times when I’m overwhelmed with anxiety. They can assist me in calming off of catastrophizing, or justify the way in which the situation was handled or handled, etc. Speaking about it has increased communication between all the people that I have, since I’m now able to inform people that the way they’re speaking (or, if they’re not saying) can cause me anxiety. Let me tell youthat my brain is much more calm without unanswered “are there any time to speak?” texts.
Changes in Thinking Patterns
It’s the repetitive, mostly unfounded thinking that really bothers me. I’d never really been able to tap into my inner dialog when I was younger, and when I was able to do so, I realized I was at fault. My anxious thoughts were sending me into bizarre thoughts that encouraged anxiety. Becoming aware of this was the first step and now it was an opportunity to cut the cycle. I listen to a variety of podcasts that encourage healthier mental habits, and I’ve found Brooke Castillo to have some very powerful information. Counseling is essential, she has made me conscious and interested in the thoughts and fears I had not noticed were bothering me. Though it’s not the greatest application yet but Think Ladder has also been beneficial in helping help me overcome these thoughts.
Meditation
It’s true that meditation is an integral aspect of yoga too however, it’s my own category. I’m not a fan of silence, and so I need a guided meditation regardless it helps me relax my mind and keep my focus on the present when I feel like things are spiraling. A lot of people are fond of Headspace and I’ve discovered that the Mindful Motion on YouTube extremely useful. In particular, at nights when I’m unable to sleep, or on days I am sure will bring high stress, I simply go through a guided meditation and I feel much better.
Paying Attention To Diet
What we consume and drink isobviously going to have an impact in the way we feel. I didn’t even realize that I was fueling my anxiety that much. I’ve had the need to limit my caffeine intake to one per day. The body is impacted by caffeine just like stress , increasing blood pressure, heart rate as well as the levels of stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine. It can also mess with your sleep. So, to maintain my sleep patterns I’m going to avoid drinking any caffeine after 11am. I’m hoping I will be able to eliminate it completely, but this is definitely not that day. LOL.
Consuming more water, reducing your intake on processed and sugary foods and being mindful of the nutrients you consume is certain to do great improvements to your health, and as a result, your brain. Adam as well as I have cooked at home for a while and have a lot of control over the amount of time we spend in restaurants. This has been a huge benefit for us both. I’ll tell you more about it in the next post!
Relaxing and taking time to Play
When I was most nervous I was also drowning in my schedule and overbooking my days like a madman likely as a means to not deal with the anxiety that was threatening to take over my life. I didn’t allow myself time to rest or play, which was creating more fuel for the fire.
In the past six months, I’ve realized that I needed to change my perception of what was relaxing. I’m at my computer throughout the day and thought that my television time or endless social media browsing was my “zone out’ time with myself however, we know this isn’t true. The information you read online the brain is taking in it, therefore even a simple timeline scroll can be taking up space in your brain.
Adam and I have been trying to cut down on our screen time and have worked on making other activities available to allow us to mentally step off work or responsibilities for a few minutes. I’ve been reading quite a bit (which is ultimately beneficial to my writing, it’s funny how it can work) and have been doing more coloring and arts and crafts, taking more walking, exercising classes as well as other activities. I’ve even been doing some puzzles since I’m 95 in my heart and enjoy a good puzzle. Since it’s summer time and we’re working to go out and enjoy the long evenings outside with a picnic or walk instead of watching The Office for the millionth time.
Becoming Acquainted With the Signs
When I was at the peak of anxiety was out from control with my life and my emotions and was completely overwhelmed. Today, I am able to recognize symptoms of anxiety instantly and am confident that have the tools I need to assist me in coping. I am aware that there is no solution to make the anxiety disappear (without the use of anti-anxiety medications that I’ve never tried) However, having these tools at hand allows me to feel in control of my health. You know what? Sometimes, we’ll have anxiety and/or stress-inducing day, or even a week, but it will end eventually. It’s especially important to do what you can to ease the mind!
Do you struggle with anxiety? What can you do to manage it? We would love to hear from you in our comments!