Dealing with Anxiety

Anxiety is an unpleasant state of inner turmoil, often accompanied by nervous behavior, such as pacing back and forth, somatic complaints and rumination.^[2] It is the subjectively unpleasant feelings of dread over something unlikely to happen, such as the feeling of imminent death.^[3] Anxiety is not the same as fear, which is felt about something realistically intimidating or dangerous and is an appropriate response to a perceived threat;^[4] anxiety is a feeling of fear, worry, and uneasiness, usually generalized and unfocused as an overreaction to a situation that is only subjectively seen as menacing.^[5] It is often accompanied by restlessness, fatigue, problems in concentration, and muscular tension. Anxiety is not considered to be a normal reaction to a perceived stressor although many feel it occasionally. (taken from Wikipedia)

This is a topic that I really struggle with, this is something that recently I have been dealing with on a daily basis. Anxiety really does play a huge effect on your life, even things as simple as going to the corner shop becomes a big thing to do.  I am no way trying to give advice or anything here, I am purely just discussing my experience with anxiety and the steps and measures I am taking to try and overcome this.

During the week my focus is work, it’s the reason that I get up for work in the morning and keeps my mind off of other things that I am dealing with or not dealing with as the case may be. Over the years I’ve had this sort of mental box, you open it in your head when you have a problem and  you throw it right in there and close the box. Over time the box becomes too full and overflowing then you all the problems you have hidden away all come into view, which can be a lot to handle all at once instead of dealing with them individually.

At the weekend I have no commitments outside of work, there is no reason for me to have to leave my house and I don’t. This was something that started gradually, declining events and not going to things as simple as the cinema. Now unless I have to go I just don’t go. I make up a reason so I don’t have to face going outside. I know this sounds ridiculous but unless you’ve experienced it you won’t quite understand. It’s like you have a fear of going outside but you’re not scared of anything, this whole fear thing consumes you and you really just can’t push yourself past this wall that seems to stop you from going outside. Sounding familiar or sounding odd?

I have to take simple steps to get me out of this habit of thinking, because that’s all it is a way of thinking. The following exercises and goals I am setting myself, they may sound very easy to people who are not suffering from anxiety but for me and those who do the below will seem so daunting. I refuse to let this anxiety take over my life, it’s going to take time and it won’t just happen overnight, but I can do this. If you are suffering too, I hope this helps, even if it’s just the tiniest bit.

I’m not setting myself a time limit for these, saying they must be done within one week. It’s something that takes time, so no time limit is required. The more that gets marked off the list, the easier it should hopefully become for me.

·         Go food shopping on Sunday about 2pm, when the supermarket is at its busiest

·         Go on my own to a craft class or a craft group

·         Sit on the bus without my headphones in reading my kindle

·         Ask an assistant in a shop a question

·         Knit in public (something I have never been able to do)

·         Take photos in public

·         Go to a gym

·         Go swimming

·         Join the library and pick a book

·         Go for a coffee by myself

·         Go shopping by myself

·         Blog daily

These all seem like simple goals, but to me most of them are things I can’t seem to do on a daily basis, but I am wanting to change that. Positive thinking, nothing bad is going to happen if I ask a shop assistant a question. I will keep you updated on my progress.

Katy
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