Anxiety is a common occurrence, especially in hormonal teenagers like you and me. Everyone in your city, state, and the country has, at some point in their life, experienced anxiety. Whether you’re nervous about an upcoming test, a job interview, or a plane ride, anxiety can manifest itself in many hideous forms. For many people, that manifestation is called Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or G.A.D. Generalized Anxiety Disorder is a psychological “fight or flight” response, even when there is no immediate danger. This response causes different reactions such as increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, and a choking feeling in the throat. The many symptoms of anxiety are extremely frightening for whose who don’t understand it, so here are the 7 things I wish I would have known when I was first diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
1. Take a deep breath.
Being diagnosed with a disorder of any kind is daunting. It’s easy to spiral into a place of confusion due to society’s stigma against mental illnesses and therapy, however, take a deep breath. Realize that anxiety affects everyone, and it does not mean you are crazy or less than someone without anxiety. Just focus on yourself and don’t make comparisons to those around you. As hard as it is, try to relax and concentrate on the steps you can take to ease your anxiety
2. Avoid Google at all costs.
The worst possible thing to do when you have anxiety is googling your symptoms. Just because your throat hurts or your stomach feels odd does not mean you have a rare or undiscovered illness. Google is not your friend when you have anxiety. Instead of googling your symptoms, look up how you can ease them at that moment in time. Search for meditation or breathing techniques and not for a list of illnesses on WebMD.
3. Like anything, anxiety takes time.
Sadly, there is no magic pill or 100% guaranteed way to get rid of anxiety. Sometimes medications can help, but sometimes you have to control it on your own. Take the medications your therapist prescribes you and don’t feel odd or like you rely on medication to function. Taking medication for anxiety is very common and it can help you more than you might know. If you don’t take any medication for anxiety, try meditation and mindfulness. These practices can help you refocus your brain to avoid some of your more harrowing thoughts.
4. Anxiety won’t kill you.
A common misconception in people who suffer from G.A.D. is that somehow having anxiety will kill them. I’m happy to tell you that it won’t. At times, it will feel like you can’t breathe or swallow and that your heart is racing at a thousand beats a minute and you’re shaking but take a deep breath. Focus on the things around you and distract yourself. Countless times I, and all those who suffer from anxiety, have felt how you feel. We have felt helpless and scared and, most of all, anxious. We felt like that panic attack would be our last but we are still here. Sometimes it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel during a panic attack or anxious episode, but you have to remember that it will always get better and that you will always prevail.
5. Sometimes you’ll need to take a day off.
I know this seems counterintuitive. When I was first diagnosed with anxiety, I wanted to completely ignore it and fight it tooth and toenail to get better as fast as I could. I would crowd my schedule with activities and workouts and it was extremely draining. Occasionally, it is 100% okay to wallow. It’s okay to just lay down in bed and watch an entire season of your favorite show. It’s okay to eat ice cream and cry because it feels like you’ll never feel better. However, you have to be able to dust yourself off and move on. You have to be able to hold your head up high and decide that the time for wallowing is over and that now, it’s time to go back to kicking anxiety’s a**.
6. Don’t be afraid to tell other people.
If you get diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, the most common, knee-jerk reaction is to hide it. Although you may have a great group of friends, it’s a scary thing to tell someone. Still, it’s important to let those closest to you know that you have a mental health issue so that they can help you. Building a healthy support system when you have anxiety is crucial to coping with its effects. You might not be able to control when you have anxiety, and if you’re with friends, it’s important to have someone around that knows what’s going on and how to help you. Plus, you never know which of your friends is experiencing something similar to you and is scared to tell you about it.
7. Focus on the things you can control.
Unfortunately, you can’t control whether or not you get anxiety, so it’s important to concentrate on what you can control. Finding tangible distractions for anxiety can help you deal with panic and stress. Things like meditation, mindfulness, breathing techniques, and even coloring books can help you to better handle daily and general anxieties. When you’re having a panic attack and feel like you can’t control your breathing or heart rate, focus on controlling your hands and your feet. If you focus on relaxing parts of your body that you can control immediately, and it will be easier to forget the things you’re panicking about.
Anxiety is a scary thing at first, but over time, your anxiety will begin to fade. For people who have recently been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, I hope that these pointers will help you to understand and cope with your anxiety over time. For people who have experienced anxiety for a longer time, I hope that revisiting these tips can help you to remember that it will get better.
