Written by contributing blogger, Daniela Forte.
As a person who lives with terrible anxiety, there was a moment I was having recently that made me think about anxiety is and what it isn’t. How it has impacted my life both positively and negatively.
My anxiety or fears rather make me work harder. I am always afraid of something, so I work harder to prevent whatever I fear from happening to happen. But at times this can get exhausting. The fears are irrational most days, and often times none of it comes to fruition.
It makes the people seem like monsters and circumstances in your life seem catastrophic, when in reality none of it is. It makes it hard to sleep at night, it makes it hard to function during the day. I can tell you from personal experience it has done one of two things: put me into a deep silence where I can hardly say a word or it has brought me to uncontrollable tears.
What I am here to explain to you are just some of the things you should know about what anxiety is and what it isn’t.
It’s the Words: There are the words that can scare the bejesus out of you. Words like, “What if” or “Maybe” or “Probably.” For those of us that don’t suffer from anxiety, they’re everyday words, but when you couple these words with fearful thoughts, they become terribly scary.
It isn’t something to Be Ashamed Of: Let me start by saying that anxiety isn’t something you should be ashamed of. It also doesn’t define who you are. Don’t allow it to define you, because when it does it takes over everything you know to be good and true. Also, don’t allow others who don’t suffer from it tell you anything negative or hurtful.
It Can Be Circumstantial: Anxiety can be based on circumstances in your life that have allowed it to erupt into what your anxiety it is today. I do believe that while we are all born with a general disposition, anxiety is brought on by events and experiences in our lives. For example, I have this, “everyone is mad at me” anxiety brought upon a circumstance that happened almost two years ago. It has taken me nearly two years to get passed it and there are still some days where these anxiety beasts still creep up and try to scare me.
It Is Something to Talk About: Anxiety should be talked about and often. Whether it is to family members, close friends or a therapist. You need to find some outlet to release the anxiety you have. It should not be kept quiet. Not everyone mind you, will understand your anxiety, some will find you suffocating, some will find you to be too much of a burden on their lives. Just know that these people are not people you should be talking to about your anxiety.
It Isn’t Something That Just Goes Away: It takes daily efforts on your part to find ways to control the fears you have, the anxious thoughts that riddle your brain. You can’t expect that it will go away with the snap of your fingers simply because you want it to. This is the way you are wired and that is fine. You will need to find the tools necessary to help aid in your efforts to relieve these thoughts.
It is Your Friend: Okay, maybe not your friend, but I think if you accept your anxiety for it is, you can get the help necessary to quiet your mind. If you are constantly fighting your anxiety, you will lose the battle. There is no sense in fighting it, instead join it and work on ways to control it. Some methods can include therapy, meditation, yoga, exercise, support from family and friends, writing.
It Could Be Part of a Bigger Problem: Sometimes anxiety creeps into our lives out of nowhere, but sometimes it is part of a larger issue. I personally read recently that my having Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome causes anxiety and depression – fantastic! Add this to the list of things I wish I didn’t know. But yet, I am glad I do know this, because now I know there are ways of helping this issue. Instead of just trying to be rid of the anxiety, dig deeper into what may be causing it. You never know what you might discover.
#radiatedaily
image source – pixabay
