Let's talk anxiety!
I have suffered anxiety since I was 12 years old. People ask me with my mental health does it ever go away? My answer is quite simply '"no".
Don't get me wrong I have the odd bad day but it is mostly good days for me. When I do have a bad day it hits me hard. When I am left to my own devices for too long that's it, my brain goes into overdrive. I overthink every little comment, whether I can run a business, why is my fiancé with me, you name it I overthink it. Anxiety can come in so many forms and for me it makes my heart race, I feel physically sick, exhausted and I generally think I am ill. The only way I can help switch my thoughts off is if I go to sleep, that's great the thoughts strop, however they come back in full force as soon as I wake up. Then the loop starts again. The funny thing is the next day I can be back to the Emma everyone knows and yesterday was just 'one of those days'
I always think is someone who has anxiety born with it? My answer is "yes" I do think you are born with anxiety. People say why label yourself? Is it a label though? Days I have bad anxiety I don't say "oh I am having bad anxiety today" I say '"I don't feel well today"
People who are born with anxiety are those who are perfectionists, high achievers, clever, wears their heart on their sleeve and a peoples pleaser. Does this sound like you? If so then you too probably suffer with anxiety like myself as I tick all those boxes stated above.
Question is how do we cure anxiety? Quite simply we don't. We don't need to be cured it is the way we are programmed, medication can help I have been on medication for years however I still have my 'bad anxiety' days. I believe acknowleding the thought, knowing it is anxiety and that you are not ' just feeling unwell'
The key is channeling that thought process and breaking it down into smaller steps. Acknowledge what the thought is, what's the logical thinking behind it? How likely is that thought going to actually happen? How can we change our thought process? What has triggered this thought?
Cooling down the thought I find helps me over come that moment of panic or that morning suffering with anxiety and ending up going to bed just to shut the thoughts up. My brain becomes overwhelmed so breaking the thought down makes the thought more manageable and eventually I realise how unrealistic that thought is and bring myself back to reality. Don't get me wrong some days I can't do this on my own, sometimes it takes my Fiancé' to say "Emma I think its your anxiety" I then think, "yeah you're right I need to channel the thought that is causing this"
How do you feel about your anxiety? How do you deal with your anxiety? Do you too think people are born with anxiety or do you believe otherwise? There is no right or wrong answers as we are all individuals and we are all unique. Having a voice is what we are built to do, sometimes we just need a little push and someone to say "you can do this" to help you speak up.
When it comes to Mental Health ''Lets keep it real"

Comments