Do you remember that commercial from YEARS ago that had the little kid voiceover and it was a very close up shot of a goldfish flopping around gasping for air? Yeah, well for those of you lucky souls who have never had an anxiety attack that's e x a c t l y what it feels like.
I have had severe anxiety since I can remember and if you know me personally and have never talked to me about anxiety you are probably going " What?!? YOU Arielle?!? NO WAY!" Yes way. I may seem calm and collected on the daily but it hasn't always been this way.
The first time that I can remember having an anxiety "attack" was when I was dropped off at vacation bible school with my God sisters and we were gonna be put in different groups. I could feel my cheeks boiling, my chest was getting tight and I was contemplating whether it would be a good idea for me to pass out right here literally in front of God and everyone OR if I could just run. So I took the high road and suffered in the bathroom for 5 hours.
Later after self-diagnosing myself ( like we all do), I figured out I had social anxiety. But like most parents (especially christian parents) that was nothing a little prayer/ you will grow out of it couldn't fix. But thats the thing prayer didn't fix it. I didn't grow out of it. So I learned to cope and now I can share my secret with you.
My number is 7. At any given time in the day my emotions and everything I can control is at a 7. Why 7? 7 is that nice calm number that isn't too low or too high so in other words I am always mentally keeping myself at a 7. Now thats not to say I am not happy or dead inside, I just learned how to control my emotions.
Well thats all dandy Arielle but what happens when something you can't control happens?? Great question. I focus, and I mean really focus. Like Ariana Grande focusing on not changing her hairstyle for the past 29384209 years focus.
I focus on my breathing and remind myself that everything is temporary and that I will soon again be at my happy place. 7
Now I am no expert and I know I'm not the only one who has crippling anxiety, so how do you cope? Do you take medicine? Do you meditate? Did prayer work for you? Are you Ariana Grande??
I wanna know! Let me know in the comment section.
Focusing on cloud 7,
Girlllll STAHHHPPP! I literally died at the Ariana bit, dead.
ReplyDeleteI have just recently started delopving social anxiety and I hate it so much. I don't wanna be that person who can't bring herself to speak to other humans cause I wasn't that person for most of my life. So thanks, I needed another suggestion to figure this out.
- Kayla
lol! But yeah I have struggled with it and knew I couldn't be the only one so I'm glad I could help! <3
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