How to live with anxiety

If you were expecting an easy solution, there is none. Of course, you will have to work to find your solution. As you probably know, each human is different, so it would be impossible to have one solution for everybody.

First, what is anxiety? Anxiety can take different forms, either it is through a phobia, a panic disorder, social anxiety or many other disorders.

A phobia is an extreme fear of something that is changing the course of someone’s life. The most known phobias are Arachnophobia (fear of spiders), Claustrophobia (fear of small spaces), Acrophobia (fear of height), Trypanophobia (fear of injections), and many more. More than 9.1% of Americans have a specific type of phobia, which represents more than 19 million people. 

A panic disorder causes repeated panic attacks for no valuable reason. The symptoms of a panic attack are pain in the chest, shorter breath or hyperventilation, sweating, choking feeling, hot or cold flashes, etc. Just remember that panic attacks can also be due to a stressful situation not necessary a panic disorder. In 2002, Canadian Community Health Survey made a research and the results were that 4.6% of Canadian women over 15 years old had suffered from panic disorder.

Social anxiety or social phobia is the fear of being embarrassed or judge. It also has an impact on school performances. It is the third largest mental health care problem in the United States, preceded by depression and alcoholism. According to epidemiological studies, about 7 % of Americans suffer from this disorder.

Before really getting on the subject, it is important to say that if you think you have an anxiety disorder, you should go see a therapist just to be sure. DO NOT DIAGNOSE YOURSELF, but you can still use the hacks down below.

I have been living with anxiety for over 5 years. Last year, I was diagnosed with ADHD. It was a bit of a shock, but it was not severe so I did not have to take medication. I read a lot on the subject and tried to understand what was wrong with me. The last year of primary school was a little harder than the ones in the past because my teacher got sick . This is when everything started. I had repeated panic attacks and stopped eating. My mom was worried so she took me to a therapist and this is when I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Since then, I found some hacks to reduce stress other than yoga or meditation.

First tip: ORGANISATION

Plan your weeks or even your months in a planner. Write down important things that you don’t want to forget. That way, you will not be constantly stressed out about that. Get a color code to help you prioritize and keep track of what you must do. If To Do lists can help you, write them in your planner, that way, when you open it, everything will be at the same place.

Second tip: SLEEP

When you are tired, you tend to exaggerate situations, which can stress you even more. If you have trouble sleeping because you have too many things on your mind, you can try keeping a notebook and a pen beside your bed so that you can write little notes. Also, you should try putting your phone away at least 30 minutes before going to sleep, that way, your brain will not be overstimulated.

Third tip: PASSION

To keep your mind busy without worrying, find a passion, something that always makes you feel better when you do it. Choose something that you can do anywhere, it can be a sport, art, reading. Do not forget that worrying will not change the result. If you are super anxious for an exam, you will not have a better grade.

Last tip: GIVE YOURSELF A CHANCE

Don’t get mad at yourself for something you can really control. Instead, just say you’ll do better next time. Don’t hesitate to try again and again. Also, learn your limits and respect them. If you know you can’t work more than three hours straight, don’t wait at the last minute to do your tasks.

To conclude, I hope this article helped you and don’t forget to take time for yourself, enjoy Life!