Do you or someone you know have anxiety? I know I do! I feel the older I get, the worse it becomes. When I was younger, nothing bothered me, I never worried about anything, I never thought bad things could happen to me. I never anticipated the worse happening. Which I guess is normal because when you are younger you are so carefree. Now, I feel like I am constantly playing the worse scenario cases in my head.
My mind is always thinking about the “what if’s.” Especially when driving. I drive my husband absolutely nuts when he is driving and I’m in the passenger seat. I know he is a good driver, it is the other people I worry about. Not being in control while in a car is a horrible feeling. I don’t know if he sees what I see, or if other people see him. This probably stems from the two car accidents I have been in. There is a time in our lives when we think we are untouchable and nothing horrible will happen to us. When something horrible does happen, it changes the outlook on everything.
Sometime during college, I started to have panic/anxiety attacks. I did not realize what they were until later in life. It first started happening when I saw blood. I would just pass out. Years later I had an infected ingrown toenail. (I know, gross.) I had to get it removed over an over again and there were a couple of times when the doctor was finished, I would pass out. My older sister was with me one time and that is when she freaked out because when I passed out I had a seizure. I had no idea I had seizures when this happened.
Thankfully, I have not had any episodes like this in a couple of years. My poor husband witnessed the last one and I think it scared him a little bit. He heard my stories from before but I don’t think he really believed until he saw it himself. He tries to help me by thinking of other things, or he tries to make me laugh if I’m having some sort of procedure done. I’m always in my head thinking about the worse thing that could happen, or the pain I might be in.
I knew I had anxiety, but I did not realize how bad it was until one of my friends mentioned it to my husband. So of course now I’m worried about other people being able to see my thoughts and fears. I know I show signs of anxiety more so than I have in the past. Does this mean it is getting worse?
I know there is a lot of medication out there that can help me out, but I’ve never been one to take a lot of meds. So I have been trying to find ways to help myself naturally.
Meditation
Meditation is one way I try to soothe my anxiety. I am not consistent with it, but hopefully, I can get into a morning routine and begin my day in a calm carefree way. Right now I am using the app “Simple Habit.” I can set a notification to remind me when to meditate if I forget in the morning. There are many meditations for different things. In the mornings I listen to one called, “Easing Anxiety.” They are about 5 mins long so waking up 5 minutes earlier is worth it!
At night, you know when your brain is going through every minute of the day, and thinking about 500 things for the next day? This app has meditations for that as well to help me sleep. It helps me focus on my breathing and quiets my brain. There are so many other meditation apps out there. If you have not tried one, try this one. If you know of another good one, share in the comment section.
Juicing
Juicing is another natural way to help fight anxiety. Green juices are the best way to go. Vegetables such as kale, cucumber, celery, green apples, lemon
Healthy Diet
Eating healthy is a given. I consider myself to be a healthy eater, however, I do consume a lot of food that could possibly be causing some anxiety. Coffee is a big one. I love my coffee and I feel like my morning (and those around me morning’s) would be hell if I did not have my coffee. The sugar in soda will increase anxiety as well as processed food. So if you eat and drink a lot of that, trying cutting back and see how you feel. Stick with fruits and vegetables to control anxiety.
Daily Exercise
Getting exercise is a great way to help reduce anxiety. I enjoy walking to help clear my mind. (Walking meditation is awesome!) I also enjoy going to the gym and sweating it out. Getting those endorphins going is a great way to reduce anxiety. There is nothing better than being outdoors and in the sunshine. I always feel a million times better when I am outside, whether I am just sitting on my porch, walking, kayaking, whatever, as long as I am outside.
These are just a couple of things I am trying to help ease my mind. There are good days, and there are bad days, but hopefully, if I stay consistent doing these things, I will get better. I need to be aware of my conscience so I can calm my voice within.
I hope this has been helpful. If you have any remedies you do yourself, please share. I love hearing your thoughts and trying new things. Thanks for reading.
Awaken Your Inner Self,
Carol
Recent Comments