Reducing Anxiety: You Are Not Alone

Hi! I'm Shealyn, Shea for short. Like many of you I have dealt or still dealing with anxiety. Anxiety can ruin a lot of things, friendship, relationships, peace of mind, it can also make you ill. Take it from me, my anxiety caused a really good relationship to end, I was constantly overthinking, didn't trust anyone, and was always crying. Anxiety can be very hard to control, (especially at a young age) I went through many episodes of anxiety attacks, panic attacks, it was so intense I would have two to three a day and also get on medication! The thought of having to take medication for my mental health was heartbreaking and terrifying to me... I know it may sound DRAMATIC but it happens. I would not wish this to happen to anyone because it is such an ugly feeling. That is why I wanted to share the things that I noticed to help me out, so maybe it will help others. Anyway, enough about me, lets help you out! :)

Things to do to help with anxiety:

1. Breathe: If you feel anxiety, even a slight sense of it, JUST BREATHE. Take slow, deep breaths until the feeling subsides.

2. Think of the Positive: I know that many people try to think positive when they are having anxiety about something. No matter what the situation is, THINK POSITIVE.

3. Keep Busy: I know, I know, you can't keep busy all the time, you have to sleep sometime. I thought the same thing, however, even if it is doing a little extra at work, or staying on campus to start working ahead on your upcoming assignment. It will help keep your mind off of any anxiety.

4. Clear Your Mind: This is another thing that is hard to do when it comes to anxiety, but it is definitely something that needs to be done. For example, to clear my mind I would go for a drive and make sure it is scenic, no music, just drive in silence and take in mother nature's BEAUTY.

5. Weigh Out an Unnecessary Conflict in Your Mind: Hence the 'Clear Your Mind' part of this story, a lot of times people with anxiety would overthink every situation. We tend to overthink the positive, negative, and even a completely different outcome of any situation, which makes our minds run (I know I do). Weigh it out, think about why you would think about something negative and decide if it is relevant (the answer is no, negativity is IRRELEVANT).

6. Confide in Someone: I found it best to confide in someone when you are feeling down or anxious. I confide in my boyfriend all the time, even though he doesn't understand what I am going through or feeling, he at least tries to be there and comfort/reassure me that everything is going to be okay. (oh and I am back with the boyfriend that was mentioned at the beginning of my story.)

So I finally wanted to say, try to find your own things that help, experiment with what calms you down (even just a little) and start from there. You DO NOT have to get on medication, you DO NOT have to be ashamed that you have to deal with severe anxiety, because we all have some sort of anxiety. NEVER feel like you are alone in any situation, you are loved and there are many people that would appreciate you seeking help or at least someone to talk to, a boyfriend, family member, friend, even another person that is going through anxiety. YOU ARE NOT ALONE.