If your anxiety is interfering with your everyday life, making you feel isolated and completely defeated, you need to seek professional help. I'm not going to trick you into believing that there is some miracle cure. There are situations in life when you need the help of another person. Mental illness is a very serious issue and it shouldn't be ignored.
However, if your anxiety is not life-threatening and seems manageable, I do have a few pieces of advice on how you can decrease anxiety not in the moment, but in the long run. I have lived with intense social anxiety for as long as I can remember and for the first time I actually think I'm succeeding at battling it. I really hope this article can help you too.
Exercise. Whatever you like: walk, swim, play sports, do yoga. You can do it Dwayne Johnson style or go gentle, the intensity doesn't really matter. Staying active is very important for both physical and mental health. This is one of the easiest ways to decrease everyday anxiety and boost your self-esteem.
Be productive. Another vague thing that you can customize and adjust to your lifestyle however you like. The point of this is avoiding procrastination. Don't let yourself stand on the same spot for days and weeks, do something for yourself. Do laundry, treat yourself to a home-cooked meal, clean up, go out, make plans. Make a list of your errands and follow it. Even if those things seem insignificant, they can have a very big impact on how you feel about yourself.
Stay hydrated. I have absolutely no explanation for this, but I've noticed that the weeks when I drink a lot of water are generally the good weeks. Water even calms me down when I'm panicking. Definitely give it a go.
Eat healthily. I'm sure you've already noticed that a lot of my suggestions have something to do with caring about your physical health. There is a very strong correlation between body and mind. You can't take care of one and neglect the other. I'm not asking you to turn your life around and get super fit. In fact, I think you should aim at being happy before aiming at being ripped. Looking healthy and being healthy are two different things.
I can't advise you on your weight or the exact alimentation. I've struggled with both all my life. But educating yourself about proper nutrition and making better choices so that your body is well-supplied is never a bad thing to do.
Learn something new. There are two reasons for this. Acquiring new skills and knowledge is progressing and improving yourself. It has a huge impact on your self-perception and self-esteem.
The other reason is improving your critical thinking and opening your mind. If you are able to filter false information, identify unqualified advice and rationalize the situation at any given time, you'd be much more protected from stress.
Talk about it with somebody. Share your experience. One of the reasons I love tracking, analyzing and talking about anxiety is that it really helps. Sharing the details and peculiarities of your anxiety gives you a sense of belonging. Hearing other people talk about their experience will let you know that you are not alone. Telling the people closest to you about it is very reassuring.
The fact that my husband knows everything about my anxiety is so comforting because I don't have to explain anything. He sees me and knows exactly what's going on and exactly what's best to do. It's incredibly reassuring.
Be honest and advocate for yourself. You can build up quite a bit of tension if you constantly try to suppress and hide your anxiety. Sucking it up for the benefit of another person is really not a good thing for your health. Be upfront about your struggles and the world will be a less scary place.
If somebody makes you uncomfortable, don't be afraid to tell them. Of course, don't be rude. Just be honest. "I struggle with anxiety and this particular subject/place/distance makes me uncomfortable". It's nothing personal and you shouldn't be ashamed of it.
Challenge your anxiety. Sometimes the fear of having a panic attack can prevent you from going somewhere or doing something. Avoiding something unpleasant is a very natural thing and a lot of the time you should trust this instinct. However, if this is causing you to stay home and do nothing, it's not healthy in the slightest. I've recently discovered that actually doing exactly the thing that makes you anxious on purpose has had some positive effects on my anxiety levels. The thing that makes me extremely uncomfortable is transport. I know that taking a bus somewhere or flying will most definitely make me anxious and quite possibly result in a panic attack. And yet if I have an opportunity to do it, I take it without even thinking. I go there knowing that I will feel bad. It almost feels like anxiety is a real person that's capable of understanding me, and I'm telling it: "Screw you, you are not controlling my life no matter how hard you try".
Weird, I know. But it works in the long run.
Travel. Getting out of your daily routines, seeing something new, hearing another language, getting in touch with another culture and even just meeting new people is very nice. You're hearing it from an introvert, so you've got no excuses.
Getting away from your "normal" helps you really see it critically. When you are not there, all of your fears and problems temporarily seem not threatening at all. Travelling can help you reflect on what you really want for yourself and think about whether you're happy where you are or something needs to be changed.
It can supply you with fresh thoughts and give you a boost of creativity. I think it can really improve mental health. Truly, I do.
Form healthy relationships. The lack of a support system can ruin everything. Having the wrong kind of people around or having no one at all can make you feel isolated and worthless. Investing your time and effort to form meaningful connections with people can make a big difference in your life. Look for something based on mutual respect, honesty and trust. It's a bit harder to find, but it is absolutely possible and 100% worth it.
Finally, the hardest one of them all. Pursue your scary dream. We all have this picture of a better version of ourselves that we really want to become. That better person is probably more confident than our normal-self, stronger and more successful at achieving his/her goals. Taking a step in that direction can be the scariest thing in the world. And you should do it.
I don't mean go and conquer it all in one day. Getting good at something takes a lot of hard work, it's always a gradual process.
I'm saying you should take this very first step towards it. The one that you've been thinking about in your wildest dreams but never dared to make. Try to apply for that job even if you are not likely to get it, go and talk to that boy/girl that you can't get out of your head, post that picture on Instagram or that video on YouTube, start that hard conversation with your parents/partner/friend. I promise you, the only scary thing is this first step. Once you make it, you'll be already on your way to success. Whatever this word means to you.
Sharing my thoughts on this blog was incredibly scary. I felt exposed, vulnerable and always thought: "What if I'm not good enough?". But I always knew what my passion was and it didn't really matter if people liked it or not, because it made me happy anyway. If you've made it this far in my post, it means that I've succeeded in one of my micro-teeny-tiny-goals. Thank you for that.
I wish you nothing but luck, beautiful stranger. The world can be scary and people can be cruel, but it all depends on how you look at it. You have the capacity to be anyone and do anything. You want? Well, you can.
I hope this was helpful. I hope even if none of these things can work for you, they've given you an idea of what might.
Have a great day. I'll see you next Thursday.
However, if your anxiety is not life-threatening and seems manageable, I do have a few pieces of advice on how you can decrease anxiety not in the moment, but in the long run. I have lived with intense social anxiety for as long as I can remember and for the first time I actually think I'm succeeding at battling it. I really hope this article can help you too.
Exercise. Whatever you like: walk, swim, play sports, do yoga. You can do it Dwayne Johnson style or go gentle, the intensity doesn't really matter. Staying active is very important for both physical and mental health. This is one of the easiest ways to decrease everyday anxiety and boost your self-esteem.
Be productive. Another vague thing that you can customize and adjust to your lifestyle however you like. The point of this is avoiding procrastination. Don't let yourself stand on the same spot for days and weeks, do something for yourself. Do laundry, treat yourself to a home-cooked meal, clean up, go out, make plans. Make a list of your errands and follow it. Even if those things seem insignificant, they can have a very big impact on how you feel about yourself.
Stay hydrated. I have absolutely no explanation for this, but I've noticed that the weeks when I drink a lot of water are generally the good weeks. Water even calms me down when I'm panicking. Definitely give it a go.
Eat healthily. I'm sure you've already noticed that a lot of my suggestions have something to do with caring about your physical health. There is a very strong correlation between body and mind. You can't take care of one and neglect the other. I'm not asking you to turn your life around and get super fit. In fact, I think you should aim at being happy before aiming at being ripped. Looking healthy and being healthy are two different things.
I can't advise you on your weight or the exact alimentation. I've struggled with both all my life. But educating yourself about proper nutrition and making better choices so that your body is well-supplied is never a bad thing to do.
Learn something new. There are two reasons for this. Acquiring new skills and knowledge is progressing and improving yourself. It has a huge impact on your self-perception and self-esteem.
The other reason is improving your critical thinking and opening your mind. If you are able to filter false information, identify unqualified advice and rationalize the situation at any given time, you'd be much more protected from stress.
Talk about it with somebody. Share your experience. One of the reasons I love tracking, analyzing and talking about anxiety is that it really helps. Sharing the details and peculiarities of your anxiety gives you a sense of belonging. Hearing other people talk about their experience will let you know that you are not alone. Telling the people closest to you about it is very reassuring.
The fact that my husband knows everything about my anxiety is so comforting because I don't have to explain anything. He sees me and knows exactly what's going on and exactly what's best to do. It's incredibly reassuring.
Be honest and advocate for yourself. You can build up quite a bit of tension if you constantly try to suppress and hide your anxiety. Sucking it up for the benefit of another person is really not a good thing for your health. Be upfront about your struggles and the world will be a less scary place.
If somebody makes you uncomfortable, don't be afraid to tell them. Of course, don't be rude. Just be honest. "I struggle with anxiety and this particular subject/place/distance makes me uncomfortable". It's nothing personal and you shouldn't be ashamed of it.
Challenge your anxiety. Sometimes the fear of having a panic attack can prevent you from going somewhere or doing something. Avoiding something unpleasant is a very natural thing and a lot of the time you should trust this instinct. However, if this is causing you to stay home and do nothing, it's not healthy in the slightest. I've recently discovered that actually doing exactly the thing that makes you anxious on purpose has had some positive effects on my anxiety levels. The thing that makes me extremely uncomfortable is transport. I know that taking a bus somewhere or flying will most definitely make me anxious and quite possibly result in a panic attack. And yet if I have an opportunity to do it, I take it without even thinking. I go there knowing that I will feel bad. It almost feels like anxiety is a real person that's capable of understanding me, and I'm telling it: "Screw you, you are not controlling my life no matter how hard you try".
Weird, I know. But it works in the long run.
Travel. Getting out of your daily routines, seeing something new, hearing another language, getting in touch with another culture and even just meeting new people is very nice. You're hearing it from an introvert, so you've got no excuses.
Getting away from your "normal" helps you really see it critically. When you are not there, all of your fears and problems temporarily seem not threatening at all. Travelling can help you reflect on what you really want for yourself and think about whether you're happy where you are or something needs to be changed.
It can supply you with fresh thoughts and give you a boost of creativity. I think it can really improve mental health. Truly, I do.
Form healthy relationships. The lack of a support system can ruin everything. Having the wrong kind of people around or having no one at all can make you feel isolated and worthless. Investing your time and effort to form meaningful connections with people can make a big difference in your life. Look for something based on mutual respect, honesty and trust. It's a bit harder to find, but it is absolutely possible and 100% worth it.
Finally, the hardest one of them all. Pursue your scary dream. We all have this picture of a better version of ourselves that we really want to become. That better person is probably more confident than our normal-self, stronger and more successful at achieving his/her goals. Taking a step in that direction can be the scariest thing in the world. And you should do it.
I don't mean go and conquer it all in one day. Getting good at something takes a lot of hard work, it's always a gradual process.
I'm saying you should take this very first step towards it. The one that you've been thinking about in your wildest dreams but never dared to make. Try to apply for that job even if you are not likely to get it, go and talk to that boy/girl that you can't get out of your head, post that picture on Instagram or that video on YouTube, start that hard conversation with your parents/partner/friend. I promise you, the only scary thing is this first step. Once you make it, you'll be already on your way to success. Whatever this word means to you.
Sharing my thoughts on this blog was incredibly scary. I felt exposed, vulnerable and always thought: "What if I'm not good enough?". But I always knew what my passion was and it didn't really matter if people liked it or not, because it made me happy anyway. If you've made it this far in my post, it means that I've succeeded in one of my micro-teeny-tiny-goals. Thank you for that.
I wish you nothing but luck, beautiful stranger. The world can be scary and people can be cruel, but it all depends on how you look at it. You have the capacity to be anyone and do anything. You want? Well, you can.
I hope this was helpful. I hope even if none of these things can work for you, they've given you an idea of what might.
Have a great day. I'll see you next Thursday.
No comments:
Post a Comment