Today we're going to jump right into anxiety, this blog my seem different from my usual posts because I am speaking from a very personal place, my request is to please keep an open mind as no one experiences anxiety in the same way.
According The Webster Dictionary the psychological definition of anxiety is "an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and/or fear often marked by physiological symptoms, (such as but not limited to: sweating, tension, or elevated heart rate), by doubt concerning reality and nature of the threat, and by the self-doubt about one's capacity to handle it." Anxiety can be caused by many things including mental disorders, depression, medications, situations that you are unsure of, being in very uncomfortable situations, or even overthinking.
There are ways of effectively controlling anxiety through both natural remedies, or speaking with your doctor about your anxiety and discuss further steps towards helping with controlling the situations. Personally I suffer from anxiety and the best trick that I have found to help calm myself down when I feel anxious is simply to distract myself for a while. Now I know that you can't walk away from every situation, but sometimes taking a step back and doing or thinking of something that you enjoy. Essential oils can also be great to have diffusing around the house, my personal favorites are Lavender and Jasmine, which both have amazing calming powers as well as make your home smell like a field of flowers! Meditation and yoga are some very soothing ways to help calm anxious nerves, find a calm, quiet spot where you wouldn't mind being for about 30-45 minutes and really let yourself unwind into your routine.
You do not need to feel like you are alone, although anxiety is sometimes considered to be "taboo" to talk about, and even a bit embarrassing, you shouldn't feel ashamed when you need help. If you have someone available and whom you feel comfortable talking to, sit down and open up to them, a listening ear can be a healing ear, especially for those struggling with feeling alone. Another great way to branch out and heal by talking about your anxiety is to look for local or online support groups or pages where people are welcome to freely talk about their experience with anxiety and depression, and how they cope with it. If you feel like you have no one that you can feel confident confiding to about these touchy topics please feel free to call The National Mental Health Association Hotline, available 24/7. 1-(800)-273-TALK (8255). Support is ready to talk or just listen to whatever is bothering you all day every day, because they are mental health professionals they can also give you resources to further help you.
Smiling more sounds like a cheesy cliche, but it can actually make a difference. I start my day most, if not every, by taking a few minutes to just close my eyes and think positive thoughts, and about the fun things that I am going to do with my day, I like to try to keep a smile on my face while doing this because I feel like it really helps boost my mood. Make it a personal goal to smile more each day, and focus on the positive sides instead of the negative, think of it as your own non-drug anti-depressant. After a few days or weeks of thinking positively, and giving everyone your best smile, you may notice that your anxiety bothers you less or that you overall feel better about yourself and your daily routine, and that is the end goal after all. Happiness is in your hands, when you begin feeling like you are losing control it may be time to take life by the horns and run with it; life is always going to hard, but make your battles rewarding, try to really take something positive from your bad experiences and you may find that what you have learned can help you cope the next time you are placed in a similar anxious situation.
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