When we feel anxiety, sometimes it is the body's way of distracting itself from REAL issues. Something will trigger the anxiety response within me (often without me even realizing it). I start feeling a general feeling of anxiety, and I feel anxious over trivial things. I sit and worry about this and worry about that to the point that I'm practically paralyzed.
It's important to recognize the UNDERLYING causes or the REAL issues that we truly do need to deal with and pay attention to to be able to bring us back into a state of balance. This can be an uncomfortable process because in reality there is a reason I don't want to deal with the issue that needs to be dealt with...IT'S PAINFUL!
Let me share a recent experience to help illustrate what I'm talking about. Lately, I've been really feeling anxious. I have felt less excited to start the day, more tired, more worried and overwhelmed about every day things... I put off things that would not normally be a big deal to do.
I tried to think about what I had been eating (we'll talk about DIET on a different post). When that didn't seem to be the main culprit, I had to dig deeper. You see, this can be a little tricky because the anxiety does a great job of distracting and creates so much noise that I can't think straight. Sometimes I just "check out" mentally to not have to deal with it all, and then I can't even tell what I am feeling any more! Getting to the bottom of things requires checking in and observing. For me, it involves prayer and meditation. It involves grounding and truly listening to my body and to myself!
As I slowed down enough and really asked myself what is going on, I found the actual culprit to this latest "anxiety spell." It was something that I thought I had dealt with already.
Almost one year ago, my youngest daughter was badly burned by a marshmallow roasting stick. She was burned on May 13 (stupid Friday the 13th). The next day was my second youngest daughter's birthday party. We had invited like 20 or more kids, and I didn't even have a way to contact all the parents if we were going to cancel. My youngest was still at the hospital (about to be released), and I was running on very little sleep. We decided to still hold the party to keep things as normal as possible for our other children.
It was the hardest party that I have ever had to get through. Thank goodness I have amazing friends who helped me set up and helped things keep running. I was frazzled. I don't even know how I got through that day. I just wanted to cry or throw up or crawl in a hole. I didn't want to be throwing a party (even though I dearly love my second youngest daughter and wanted her to have a good day).
So guess what time of year it is again? Birthday party planning time. All these feelings of panic and anxiety resurfaced, and I was actually surprised because I truly thought I was past this! I didn't expect a birthday party to trigger all that trauma. Once I recognized the problem, I could deal directly with the problem instead of flitting around in an anxious flutter!
Recognition is a very important step. It directs your energies in the right direction and can allow you to then acknowledge feelings that you have, express them in a healthy way if necessary, let them go (there are many different techniques to do this), or take action to correct the problem.
This has been huge to help me get through those times when my anxiety is flaring. I can actually say that I'm even getting excited about the upcoming party! I do love parties after all!
Much Love -
Heather
Let me share a recent experience to help illustrate what I'm talking about. Lately, I've been really feeling anxious. I have felt less excited to start the day, more tired, more worried and overwhelmed about every day things... I put off things that would not normally be a big deal to do.
I tried to think about what I had been eating (we'll talk about DIET on a different post). When that didn't seem to be the main culprit, I had to dig deeper. You see, this can be a little tricky because the anxiety does a great job of distracting and creates so much noise that I can't think straight. Sometimes I just "check out" mentally to not have to deal with it all, and then I can't even tell what I am feeling any more! Getting to the bottom of things requires checking in and observing. For me, it involves prayer and meditation. It involves grounding and truly listening to my body and to myself!
As I slowed down enough and really asked myself what is going on, I found the actual culprit to this latest "anxiety spell." It was something that I thought I had dealt with already.
Almost one year ago, my youngest daughter was badly burned by a marshmallow roasting stick. She was burned on May 13 (stupid Friday the 13th). The next day was my second youngest daughter's birthday party. We had invited like 20 or more kids, and I didn't even have a way to contact all the parents if we were going to cancel. My youngest was still at the hospital (about to be released), and I was running on very little sleep. We decided to still hold the party to keep things as normal as possible for our other children.
 |
| May 13, 2016: This still triggers anxiety at different times. |
It was the hardest party that I have ever had to get through. Thank goodness I have amazing friends who helped me set up and helped things keep running. I was frazzled. I don't even know how I got through that day. I just wanted to cry or throw up or crawl in a hole. I didn't want to be throwing a party (even though I dearly love my second youngest daughter and wanted her to have a good day).
 |
| Thanks to friends, we still had a great party...I think...it's still kind of a blur! |
So guess what time of year it is again? Birthday party planning time. All these feelings of panic and anxiety resurfaced, and I was actually surprised because I truly thought I was past this! I didn't expect a birthday party to trigger all that trauma. Once I recognized the problem, I could deal directly with the problem instead of flitting around in an anxious flutter!
Recognition is a very important step. It directs your energies in the right direction and can allow you to then acknowledge feelings that you have, express them in a healthy way if necessary, let them go (there are many different techniques to do this), or take action to correct the problem.
This has been huge to help me get through those times when my anxiety is flaring. I can actually say that I'm even getting excited about the upcoming party! I do love parties after all!
Much Love -
Heather
This is helpful for me today, Heather. I would like to get to the bottom of my anxiety, and I think the trigger is probably slightly different every time. Or maybe it's the same, who knows? But taking time to be quiet and pray and let the Lord help me figure it out sounds like just what I need so I can address the real issue, whatever it is. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting, Beth! I know for me, I have a lot of different triggers. I think because I have anxiety, my body responds almost automatically with a stress response. I also have chemical triggers that I know of (food being a big one)! I am always learning more ways to handle it! The Lord truly is the best resource! Hope you can figure it out :)
Delete