Did you have an imaginary friend growing up? I don't specifically remember having one, but I do remember Anxiety being with me since I was little.
My friend Anxiety was one of those friends that was ok in small doses but extremely frustrating if you hung out with him too much. Anxiety liked accompanying me on any days that involved something new, unfamiliar, or uncomfortable, like a first day of school or going to the dentist. Anxiety especially liked to be with me when I would have to give a speech in a class, or be in any setting with new people. As with any imaginary friend that kids have, everyone said I would grow out of having Anxiety show up, but that never happened. Anxiety followed me through high school, college and even to this day anxiety likes to be by my side for life's most stressful moments. Anxiety even makes some random appearances on days that are not frequent visitation times, like a normal day at work or while I am out with friends. Now that I am older I have tried more and more to hide my imaginary friend because an imaginary friend is ok if you are 5 but is embarrassing when you are 29. As much as I tried to hide Anxiety, he was a devoted friend who didn't back down from a fight. The more I would fight with Anxiety to go away, the more Anxiety got frustrated and it just made things worse. Many times I felt like I was the only one who had ever known Anxiety, but apparently Anxiety is quite the social butterfly.
If you have dealt with Anxiety in any way, shape or form I am sure you can relate to my story. The greek word for anxiety is translated as “to go to pieces.” Fitting, considering when Anxiety presents himself I feel like I’m easily shattered into tiny glass pieces that don’t know how to go back together. Many times I wish I could be more like plexiglass; Strong, pliable, and when broken it at least breaks in large chunks instead of being shattered, leaving a jagged mess behind for others to clean up. However, Anxiety has shown me that allowing others to see my struggle and help pick up the pieces is not weakness but strength. Instead of ignoring Anxiety, I now listen to him and what he is trying to say. I have learned that instead of working so hard at getting rid of Anxiety, I should be adapting to how Anxiety affects me and learn better strategies for dealing with him. As I have become more aware of my triggers I am better able to manage Anxiety before it is too late and I become a shattered mess. There are layers to Anxiety and when I begin to see Anxiety popping up more and more I now use different coping strategies to try and keep Anxiety at a manageable level. I have come to realize that Anxiety might be a lifelong friend for me, but we have been working on setting better boundaries with each other when it comes to our friendship.
Here are some holistic strategies I use for dealing with Anxiety:
Mental/Emotional
-Play my guitar and sing
-Take a bath with candles, epsom salt and calming music
-Talk openly about my anxiety with my husband or friends
-Practice mindfulness exercises
-Work on being present in my thoughts instead of catastrophic thinking/ruminating
Physical
-Go for a walk with a friend or by myself
-Avoid sugar and caffeine
-Go to Pilates
-Surf
-Eat well balanced meals
-Bring snacks with me to avoid getting hangry and more irritable
Spiritual
-Pray
-Journal
-Read my bible/do a devo.
-Talk to a mentor
-Listen to worship music
Aaaaaaand last but not least here are my top 3 favorite homeopathic remedies
for days when I need some extra help......
