I will be posting six days a week for the month of April - (with a rest day on Sunday).
Each post will begin with the corresponding letter of the alphabet beginning with A and finishing with the letter Z.
I began participating in this challenge in 2012. With the exception of last year, I believe I completed the challenge each year. Last year I lost steam somewhere around the letter W.
Nervous Nelly
I suffer from anxiety. Although there are times when I can't tell where the anxiety is coming from, most of the time it is situational. I imagine it is not unusual for most people to feel anxious under certain circumstances.
When I tell those who don't know me well that I am "very nervous" they are surprised and often say, "but you seem so calm." I suppose internalizing is not the best way to manage anxiety.
When my anxiety flares, it spreads like wildfire. I'm not sure whether I am in flight or fight mode. During those times no amount of deep breathing, closing my eyes or listening to soothing piano music helps.
When I am experiencing an attack, my symptoms are rapid heart beat, shaking and nausea. It's then that I must rely on medication. While I wait for the medication to kick in, I do try to calm myself.
I will wrap myself up in a warm robe, plug my earphones in, listen to a boring book, and pick up my knitting.
Some say that Yoga and meditation are ways to practice calmness so that it becomes second nature. I've never been successful with meditation and I've yet to try Yoga.
My doctor has recommended a daily medication. I did give it a try and it made horribly nauseous.
I am still interested in meditation and am willing to seriously consider it once again.
One of the things I have found out about myself, though, is that when I am faced with the most serious of times, I find the strength to handle whatever needs to be handled at the time.
After the crisis is over, though, I give in and basically crash.
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I share your feelings and I truly understand. I suffer a lot from anxiety and was on medication for it in the past but not these days. I usually have to remind myself everything is okay and I also quote scripture at times.
ReplyDeletebetty
I'll have to give the self reassurance a try.
DeleteI hate it when I get anxious for no discernable reason. That's the worst. I think we all get anxious now and again, though. It seems to be in the zeitgeist. It might be nutritional, too.
ReplyDeleteYes, when I can't understand what is making me anxious is the worst. I've been reading and hearing a lot about how the gut rules the mind.
DeleteI've never had a panic attack (thank goodness) but have incorporated them (via PTSD attack) in one of my mystery books. I also never considered myself a nervous person - preferring to plan how to attack the issue. But as I age, I realize the angst I experience over certain things as well as my OCD tendencies prove otherwise.
ReplyDeleteYoga does help, in particular learning how to breath in a particular way. I have used while waiting for surgery to calm myself and I use it to turn my brain off when I need to go to sleep.
DB McNicol, author
A to Z Microfiction: Night
I often wonder if my anxiety is a form of PTSD as I had some hard times during childhood.
Delete