Weekly Prompt #5: How has your experience with anxiety shaped your perspective on mental health and self-care?
Hello everyone, I hope you are all being easy on yourself this week.
Last week we discussed How do you find a balance between pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone and honoring your limits? Thank you to all who participated and shared their thoughts for discussion. I enjoyed them. I hope you all did too. If you didn't share yours, please share them here and I look forward to reading and discussing them with you.
This week's prompt: How has your experience with anxiety shaped your perspective on mental health and self-care?
Remember, everyone's experience with anxiety is unique, and there's no one-size-fits-all solution. By sharing our stories and strategies with one another, we can create a supportive community of understanding and resilience. Let's continue the conversation and support one another on the journey toward greater wellness.
Also, you can join the Anxiety Group Support Chat every Monday and Tuesday.
Check: 2023 Mental Health Awareness Group Support Event
I've dealt with severe anxiety for many years and I only recently learned thats its better for me to recognize my anxiety and validate it and then wait for it to pass rather than trying to force it to leave.
I always thought of anxiety as something that had to leave right away, but now I validate its existence and wait for it to pass in its time.
@ASilentObserver
"How has your experience with anxiety shaped your perspective on mental health and self-care?"
Most of my life, I have heard about it but never understood what it was and/or how real it was.
I remember talking with a therapist many years ago, explaining what was going on and then that was when that label came up. I didn't see the connection but as time came along and the many discussions. That was when a switch flipped or a light switch moment happened and saw the meaning and connection.
I don't like it but am more understanding.
@Barltik2065 It sounds like coming to this realization has been a process for you. Can you please share more about how you are feeling now that you have this understanding?
@ASilentObserver
"share more about how you are feeling now that you have this understanding?"
Anxiety, the word alone brings increased stress.
I hate it. I hate it. I hate it.
I am still learning all the triggers, it changes ever level of my life, like a cancer: Emotionally, physically, spiritually, professionally and personally. Nothing is untouched.
It has become this "thing", this dreed, ugly beast, that you are constantly building walls to contain it.
And then in a single instance of "life" it all crumbles to dust and the beast is free wandering.
I would love to pain a picture of flowers and white roses with fields swaying in the wind. But from my I would be lying. But I personally would rather know, then be blindside, which has happened
@Barltik2065 I sense there are many difficult emotions surrounding this anxiety you're experiencing. The words you use to convey how overwhelming and consuming it can feel at times. Anxiety leaves you feeling like "cancer" that impacts so much of your life. It's understandable this causes suffering.
@ASilentObserver
Hi, ASO,
My experience taught me that mental health care teaches us skills to help pull us up out of bad mental health. It doesn't always work but we have to keep using the skills until they become second nature to our functioning. And it's a long road. There are no quick fixes.
I also learned that not everyone wants to be healed. And you can't force people to want to be healed. Sometimes you have to let them go.
To be honest sometimes I get really intense anxiety while engaging in normal everyday things. I just feel like something really bad is going to happen, and I tend to exaggerate the effects of minor inconveniences that take place in my life. I just stay with my anxiety and try to calm myself down, I'm still very new to this weird feeling in me. But I still try to push through and get whatever I can done without pressuring myself to do more or getting mad for not having done enough. That usually makes it worse anyways.
Everyday posses a challenge to even get out of bed. My anxiety has turned me into a recluse and I don't seem to mind being alone. I want to be outgoing like I used to be and meet healthy creative friends to help me grow out of being anxiety ridden. I am moving in with a roommate and have all kinds of anxiety about this move. What if I tend to isolate because I don't want to deal with others and their drama? I don't have much in common with most people because I've had many adult bad experiences that left me a fragile human. It's hard to trust my own feelings because naturally I expect bad things that happen to me. Feel free to respond if you have good criticism. I'm down for change in my life. Little bits at a time.
Wow! Great question, but hard to answer. I think anxiety has given me a lot more empathy toward anyone suffering from any mental illness. I was definitely raised with a “oh your sad, choose to be happy then” mentality. My own experience with anxiety really started in my mid-twenties and I realized this isn’t a choice. This is literally not in my control at all. Panic attacks feel like near death experiences and will you have multiple a week it’s hard to go on honestly. If I could control it, I wouldn’t have it.
It’s also made me so much more aware that I need to take care of myself, because no one else will and they’ll all just judge me on my choice either way. No way to please everyone. I’ve stop being such a people pleaser. My family comes first, but I come second and I don’t care if that pisses other people off anymore.
@ASilentObserver
"How has your experience with anxiety shaped your perspective on mental health and self-care?"
@swanlistens27 I get this big time; I try to suppress my anxiety to function all the time and it works until I wind up having a massive panic attack at work or something!
@swanlistens27 I'm glad you've gained valuable insight through your experiences. What impact has this new perspective had on your daily life?
@ASilentObserver
It's helped me have a more positive outlook on life. That something good will happen. That things will get better. Once I learned how to manage my anxiety, I've just been happier overall. I hope anyone going through anxiety right now understands soon that it's okay to have anxiety and that you can't keep pushing it away....
@ASilentObserver I can say that anxiety can be a debilitating condition that affects a person's mental and physical well-being. It's essential to recognize the signs and seek professional help if needed. Self-care practices such as exercise, meditation, healthy eating, and getting enough sleep can also help manage anxiety symptoms. It's crucial to prioritize mental health and seek support when needed.
@ASilentObserver
Anxiety is something I have struggled with for as long as I can remember and for me, it has had ripple effect on my behavior, the way I see and handle things and even the way i see myself.
As a result of everything I have been through, I frankly think that everyone needs to pay attention to their mental health and not let anyone make them think that they are overreacting or everything they feel is just in their head. Things like that can be triggering and has personally made me question my sanity.
@ASilentObserver I think with regards to self care, I am always relearning the humbling lesson that I can't afford stress that I'm creating for myself
