This post makes me a little nervous. It’s a very vulnerable post. But it’s an important post.
If you know me or have followed along for any amount of time, you know I’ve struggled with anxiety for a while now. Anxiety comes and goes in waves for many people. It can vary from just feeling a little nervous, feeling fine, to full-on panic attacks. I want to share some of my story in hopes of helping others.
Everyone battles with things in life and you are never alone. Anxiety does not discriminate, it does not matter who you are, how much money you have, what you look like, or how well your life is going. You may have an amazing life, amazing friends, family, coworkers, etc, and still, have anxiety. If you struggle with anxiety, you know that it can hit you at any moment, for any reason. Sometimes you don’t even know the reason why you’re having anxiety.
Before I share some things that have helped me cope when I am feeling very anxious, I want you to know what I mean by “anxiety”.
So many people say “that makes me anxious” or “that gives me anxiety”. I feel like sometimes the word is just thrown around and in return, people do not know how serious and raw the real meaning is.
Everyone deals with worrying here and there, but when it becomes extreme and affects your day to day life, that is when it becomes anxiety.
Anxiety does have many meanings and varies for many different people. I want to share my experience and how I feel when I’m dealing with severe anxiety and/or panic attacks. Here are some of the things I feel when I’m going through bad anxiety:
- Trouble sleeping or staying asleep
- Thinking too much (overthinking)
- Feeling as if you will never figure it out
- Feeling as if you are failing
- Restlessness, yet tired
- Nervousness/Worrying
- Loss of appetite
- Fear
- Difficulties concentrating
- Loss of interest in hobbies
I know this list looks overwhelming, and it is. But this is real.
As someone who has dealt with anxiety for years, I do have some things I’ve learned, that help me cope.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor and none of my recommendations are from a doctor. These are just things that I have found help me. I hope they can help you too. If you are struggling with anxiety, please visit your doctor.
- Exercise– Sometimes this is the last thing you want to do when your feeling anxious, but it does help. Even if you don’t want to do a workout or run, go for a walk. Get outside. Get some fresh air to help clear your mind and work off the excess energy.
- Weighted Blanket– These can be expensive but I have found that it helps. I use one on my bed at night. “Weighted blankets help ground your body during sleep by pushing it downwards. This process, known as “earthing” or “grounding,” may have a deeply calming effect. The blankets also simulate deep pressure touch (DPT), a type of therapy that uses firm, hands-on pressure to reduce chronic stress and high levels of anxiety.”
- Essential Oils– I was always skeptical of essential oils, but I’ve found them to be a great aide when dealing with anxiety. My favorite oils are Thieves and Lavender from Young Living. I also love using Dr. Teals Lavender Epsom Salt bubble bath and body wash.
- Relaxing Bath– Sometimes a hot bath can help relieve tension and calm our body. I love using Dr. Teals Epsom Salt and a bubble bath.
- Tea– When your experiencing anxiety, try to ease up on the caffeine intake. I find that caffeine can make me jittery when I’m feeling anxious. I usually try to drink some kind of tea instead. Chamomile tea is great for night time and relaxing.
- Talk it Out– You need to make sure you have a support team to talk to. When you’re feeling anxious, it’s important to let others know how your feeling so they can help you. Talk to your doctor about how you’re feeling and how you can manage it.
Something that has helped me is training myself to live in the moment, take it day by day, focus on NOW. You do not need to figure out your whole life right now. You do not have to be perfect. You do not need to know every answer. You need to focus on today.
This is a very hard task for someone with anxiety, but if you try your hardest to focus on the day your in right now, it will help your anxiety.
Anxiety comes when your thinking about everything at once. It’s ok to not know the answer right now, it’s ok to not know how to do everything, it’s ok to mess up, it’s ok to get knocked down, what matters is that you always get back up again.
“Fall down seven times, stand up eight”
I hope this post helped you find something to try that will help manage your anxiety. Just remember, you are not alone. Reach out for help. Feel free to reach out on social media to connect with me.
XOXO
CR
