Anxiety: IYKYK
Anxiety is HORRIBLE. If you don’t have it, you definitely don’t understand it.
It’s the epitome of the Jaws music playing, building to the moment, &&& the shark never shows up. You just keep hearing the music endlessly on a loop.
Heart racing, can’t sleep, or the thought of having a conversation at a party makes you want to vomit. Girl join the club!
Let me “TRY” to help you by sharing all the things I do to “TRY” to calm the F down.
For me, always trying to control something has a lot to do with my anxiety. I stress about the outcome or why is this happening. But guess what? As I’ve learned, what other people do or say has nothing to do with you.
I know it’s extremely hard to believe because, on some level, we all like to think we are the center of the universe, but what other people do has nothing to do with other individuals. It’s their sh*t.
Everyone is operating from their own past, their beliefs, and their habits. Good and bad.
It’s hard to remember, especially when someone we’re close to says something sh*tty to us or does something sh*tty to us. Like when a boyfriend wouldn’t stop showing up late (or not at all) when I was 19, I thought it was because he didn’t love or respect me enough. Yeah, that had nothing to do with me, but at the time I had no idea. He was projecting his feelings onto me. He was insecure, so he had to have some semblance of control.
So when you want to fight back, or you get upset, try to remember it’s not you IT’S THEM! So to them, I say live and be well far away from me.
Ugh, Anxiety!!!
When trying to explain anxiety disorder to people who don’t have an anxiety disorder by saying it isn’t just the feeling of nervousness before a test or adrenaline from fear if you’re in a dangerous situation. It’s persistent and challenging. I will have irrational thoughts that cause a worrying marathon that can last for days. So yeah, it’s non-stop. Anxiety disorders can also cause physical symptoms like headaches, stomachaches, shaking, feeling dizzy, and my personal favorite, waking up in the middle of the night in a full-blown panic attack bawling your eyes out and unable to breathe. These mental and physical feelings are not fun, and they can really screw up your life. So I have a few tricks that help when you’re feeling anxious or feeling a panic attack coming on, and you can do them right NOW!
11 Ways to TRY (&& I emphasize “TRY” because I know it’s not easy) to Calm Your Anxiety Right Now
You && I BOTH need to get off social media. Looking at your high school frenemy’s pictures from her trip to Greece is not going to make you feel peaceful.
PLEASE!! Do not watch the news. This one is obvious.
Get rid of anything distracting. Turn off the TV. Turn off your phone. Hide from your kids.
Ask yourself what you’re feeling in the moment. When you are aware of what you’re feeling, then ask yourself what triggered it. Maybe write your triggers down so you can avoid them. Unless your trigger is your mother. That’s a whole other post.
Breathe. Put your hand over your heart and say the pledge of allegiance. Just kidding. You want to feel your heartbeat. This can help to calm your anxious state and make you aware of how it is affecting you.
Put on your favorite music and make it loud! Then take all your clothes off and dance around. Now ask your anxiety, “who’s the captain now??”
Get rid of clutter. You don’t have to go all Marie Kondo, but clean up some of your shit. Do one thing at a time, so you don’t get overwhelmed. Maybe do some dishes then take a break. Throw out some old papers then take a break. Baby steps.
Raise your heart rate and get your free happy chemicals going (serotonin). It will help relieve stress and calm your mind.
Get a massage. ( I’ve personally never tried a massage, I don’t want anyone touching me.. But… )
Try Journaling – Write, Write, WRITE!! Lots of people are journaling so you might like it. Get your stressful thoughts down on paper so you can observe the whys. Why are you feeling this way? What is realistic about your feelings? What is unrealistic? What would it take to change your feelings?
Call a friend. But remember, friends are not therapists, so you can’t rely on a friend for your entire emotional well-being. (They are basically tired of my sh*t, but still, love me anyway).
Author of this image - Unknown
