Anxiety Does Not Have to Win
By Angel Coleman
What is anxiety?
If you google the definition, it is like a laundry list of things that will likely cause you anxiety, and make you question yourself and your feelings. It may look something like this:
Anxiety is a Unique Experience for
All of Us
But it all comes from the same thing, negative thoughts, that make us feel something and make us behave according to how we feel. There is good news, Anxiety will not kill you and anxiety itself is not painful! Recently I came across a definition for anxiety that, to be honest almost seemed too simple.
In the book Anxiety Rx by Russell Kennedy, he defined anxiety as a thinking process of the mind: really? For someone who used to experience anxiety daily and felt like they were going to suffocate from it, this definition made me feel silly. I wondered if someone had given me this definition 20 years ago when I first experienced a panic attack, instead of all the other words to define anxiety, would something so simple have made me feel less overwhelmed and more normal?
You are Not Alone
Believe me when I tell you there is no way before I met with a counselor that I ever would have accepted what seems like such a simple and now, realistic explanation of anxiety. I will not bore you with all the details of those counseling sessions and the work I had to do to get to a point to manage what felt like suffocating on a regular basis. But what I will share with you is that I did not die from anxiety and today, thanks to healthy coping skills, I no longer feel like I am suffocating.
Therapy for Anxiety Helped Me Break the Cycle of Panic
I learned how to manage the feelings I had and manage those negative thoughts that caught me up in the cycle of anxiety and took control over how I lived my life for a while NO I was NOT living my best life because I felt I had no control. This is what that cycle of anxiety felt like for me:
You can manage anxiety!
Is managing symptoms of anxiety easy, NO! Does your anxiety feel like it will control your life forever, YES! That does not have to be the case because YOU have the ability to change the way you allow your thoughts to make you feel. I can provide you with a laundry list of things that you can use to help you manage your anxiety, but we do not need to make it hard or overwhelming. I will share what helped me.
Support System Through Anxiety Treatment
First, just having someone to talk to helped me feel “normal”, not judged for feeling like I was failing at life.
Adequate Sleep
Second, sleep, my anxiety caused me to experience insomnia, my brain did not want me to sleep and that made the feelings worse.
Journaling
Third, Journaling, once I was able to begin identifying the things that contributed to why I was feeling the way I felt, I felt like I was gaining more control over them.
Physical Activity
Lastly, Exercise, yes, I know, it is hard, and it takes time that we do not seem to have, but I had to make myself and my mental health a priority. Walking was my saving grace, it almost became a form of meditation for me, and I was able to become more present and identify what I did and did not have control over.
Accepting That Some Things Are Out of My Control Was Freeing
Honestly, once I was able to accept that I did not have control over many of the things I worried about, my anxiety was no longer controlling me, I was taking control of my thoughts back, and I no longer felt like I was suffocating.
Taking Care of You
I know it sounds like this journey was easy, but believe me, it was not. Your journey will not be easy either, but I can promise you it will be worth it, YOU are worth it. When you decide you are the priority, and you want to take control of your anxiety we will be here to help guide you through your journey. You are not alone, this is not abnormal, this is your life, this is your normal, and that is okay. At Core Counseling, we want to help you live your best life through Therapy for Anxiety!
Begin Anxiety Treatment in St. Louis, MO and Online Throughout the State of Missouri
Anxiety is something that everyone experiences now and then. But, it shouldn't consume your life. We understand the stress you may be experiencing and would be happy to offer support from our St. Louis, MO-based therapy practice or online anywhere in the state of Missouri. To start your therapy with Core Counseling, please follow these steps:
Contact Core Counseling to get scheduled
Complete intake forms and meet with a caring therapist
Begin your healing journey
Other Services Offered at Core Counseling
At Core Counseling, we offer a variety of mental health services in support of your mental health. These include anxiety treatment, counseling for teens, family therapy, depression treatment, play therapy, online therapy, therapy for trauma, and couples counseling. Our therapists are also experienced in treating grief, trauma, addiction, anger management, relationship issues, and ADHD. We are also happy to offer support with mood disorders, emotional issues, life transitions, low self-esteem, stress management, problem-solving, conflict resolution, and communication issues. Feel free to learn more about our practice by visiting our FAQ page, about page, our blog, and other resources. We currently offer Online Therapy and Face-to-Face therapy options! Contact us and Let's Talk!