Being blindsided by unexpected anxiety!
I have struggled with various aspects of anxiety most of my life. At some point in the not too far past, I got on some medication which helped tremendously! And when I got off the medication, I was still doing really really well.
Now, I have been facing an immense amount of work stress lately, but had been working through it okay. And then suddenly, about three weeks ago, I was in the middle of working and boom! I was on the verge of a panic attack.
It came on so suddenly, it scared the crap out of me. I hadn't felt that way in so long, and almost never had something hit me so quickly like that. I forgot what it felt like!
I managed to calm myself down, but I got pretty upset afterward. I had been doing so well for so long, and got really scared about having a feeling that intense again. But I reminded myself, that life isn't full of easy fixes, and just because you have gotten better at something, doesn't mean you'll never regress occasionally.
So here's a gentle reminder to you all(and certainly myself!) that lifelong anxiety won't necessarily be fixed overnight, and that's okay! Life is a journey, and you will have times of progress mixed in with times of stagnation. Be patient with yourself, and remember to acknowledge the progress you have made, regardless how small.
-Silkie