How I Am Working Through My Anxiety

I have been avoiding my blog. I’ll be honest I am avoiding everything. I have so many emails, text messages, IM’s and blog posts to write I have been ignoring because even thing about them is overwhelming. All I want to do is lie in bed and watch late 90’s television shows.

I want to be clear about what I mean when I say anxiety. I am not talking about a fleeting feeling of fear or nervousness right before a big event or difficult situation. What I am talking about generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). I talking about feeling restless & never relaxing, having a hard time falling asleep & staying asleep, and having a very difficult time concentrating just to name a few. I don’t know of a part of my life that GAD doesn’t have an impact on!

Generalized anxiety disorder is something I have dealt with my whole life. I would say 90% of the time I can do more than cope in fact I think I thrive with GAD. However, there is that 10% where I am crippled by it. And right now I happen to be stuck in that 10%.

I thought it was seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This winter has been especially brutal! We got 44.6 inches of snow in February 1st – March 1st! It was cold and gray most of that time as well. I also thought it was work. Recently, I have been extremely busy and it had a ton of added stress. However, I know when I am avoiding everyone and thing. It is more than SAD or work.

As much as I want to stay in bed and watch late 90’s television shows, I know that isn’t going to address the issue. With that, I also want to share the steps I am taking to climb out of my GAD hole.

Steps I Am Taking to Work Through My Anxiety

1. Just Doing It – I have been avoiding everything. Today, I am taking control back and doing the things I have been avoiding. I am starting slow and working my way through it. I know I can’t respond to every email or write all the blog posts. But I can do some of it. So, my first step is getting it all out in this blog post.
2. Creating a Fitness Routine – I am sure a big reason that my GAD has such a strong hold is because I haven’t been working out. Fitness has always been an outlet for my anxiety. It is a place I can process everything. However, since the snow and ice aren’t allowing me to run outside I just don’t do anything. But that is changing, I started working with a personal trainer. Again, I am taking it slow but I am making myself do it.
3. Meditation – I used to fight this one! I hated meditation!! I hated being mindful. When you have anxiety the last thing you want to do is spend more time in your head! But over the last year, I have seen the benefits it provides me. So, I am following Aaptive’s 21 Days of Meditation.
4. Taking a Vitamin D Supplement – A few years ago, I found out I was Vitamin D deficient. However, last summer since I was running outside again I stopped taking my supplement because I thought I was getting enough through the sun. I started taking the supplement on Thursday of last week and within hours the fog I have been fighting had thinned. It just goes to show I will be staying on it here on out!
5. Self Care – I would like to think I am pretty good at this one. However, I let it slide sometimes. I am going to be limiting the hours I work, making myself take much-needed breaks, and finding more me time. I am going to use my massage package and start taking lunchtime walks!

So, why am I telling you the steps I am taking to work through my anxiety? Because I think it is important to share that I struggle with a mental illness. I am impacted by it daily and it doesn’t make me less of a person. I want people to know it’s okay to talk about it. In fact, talking about it can make it easier. We need to get rid of the stigma around it! If I can help one person I will have made a difference!

Do struggle with anxiety? How do you work through it?