How does anxiety affect us? Let's talk about it!
Mental health has currently been the topic of conversations everywhere, and mainly the conversations consist of the lack of mental health in certain communities, such as generational and racial communities. Now for those of you who did not know, I am a black woman who lives in America, and I have noticed in certain racial and generational communities mental health is not real. The older generations of these communities have constantly overlooked the importance of mental health in our day to day life. I know in my family mental health was prolonged treatment due to seeming weak or inadequate for certain positions in life. Mental health is a real thing and we all need to talk about it and learn to understand it.
Anxiety Can Ruin Your Life... If you let it
Anxiety is a weird part of mental health that a lot of people have, and what is worse about having it, is not realizing you have it. About 2 weeks ago I went to a psychiatrist, and after our session was complete she gave me my diagnosis. She stated I have ADHD, which I already knew, and she said I have a bit of social anxiety, that was news to me. When she said I had social anxiety I was in a bit of shock but it started to make sense very quickly. I avoid public outings with a lot of people, especially when I am not there first to see people walk in. Shockingly enough I am never on time due to my time management skills and ADHD. This actually prevents me from going to a lot of places, but recently I have had the courage to go out and explore the world and I realized it’s not as bad as I made it seem. I actually enjoy connecting with a lot of people and I don’t even mind being late anymore because no one is going to stare at me when I walk in unless they think I look good, which typically they tell me I do which eases the fear. So a tip for dealing with anxiety is to dive head first into the situation you’re afraid of, unless it’s insects, which is a very reasonable situation to be anxious in. Once you dive right in you’ll realize it’s not as bad as it may seem.
"And it can feel at times, if you let your anxiety get the better of you, like everybody’s waiting for you to really mess up- then you'll be done." - Taylor Swift
Indulge but Don't Wallow
Some days with anxiety can seem like eternity and that is okay. Sometimes my anxiety can get the best of me and cause me to want to sit and do nothing, nothing at all! I just want to binge eat and watch tv all day or scroll on my tiktok. That is also okay! Do not feel obligated to get up and clean or cook or even shower, sometimes the most productive thing you can do at that moment is rest. Take a deep breath, and indulge in your anxious cravings, and binge that YouTube or television series. 9 times out of 10 the next day you’ll want to do something more productive than the last. Even if it’s just cooking yourself a meal, and taking a shower because you haven’t in 3 days! We all have those lazy days where we barely want to get up to pee. In a few days you’ll get up and be more prepared to take on the world than you were yesterday, which is progress. Be proud of the progress you make, because progress is better than perfection!
"Every breath is labored. You are dying. You’re going to die. It’s terrifying, and when the attack is over the depression is still there." – Sarah Silverman
Talk it Out, You Never Know Who You Can Relate To...
Finding someone to talk to about your situation can honestly make a world of difference in your life. This person can genuinely make you feel heard and understood, and that simple thing can truly help to change your life for the better. Whenever I talk to my friends about my issues I feel heard by them and understood, but sometimes I can’t help but feel like they only understand because we’re young and sometimes they rather agree with what I am saying versus tell me when I am going crazy. Luckily when I went to a psychiatrist, I truly felt heard and understood! She understands when I say I don’t like people doing random pop ups at my residency even if you’re my closest friend. She also helps me to realize that it is okay to be the way I am, and there's no need to jump out of a moving plane to conquer my fears. Sometimes jumping a tiny step onto the ground is the biggest step I need to take at that moment because I am still making progress.
Remember you're not alone!
If you’re feeling anxious or like your mental health is shit, understand you are genuinely not alone. So many of our favorite people have bad days and just need a break. If you don’t believe me, watch Revolt: Cross Generational Conversion Crossover and watch how Michelle Obama and so many other women talk about having anxiety when meeting new people. I hope you guys enjoyed this read and hopefully it helped you to understand you're not weak for asking for help or dealing with this. This is common in a lot of people. Keep your head held high and own your anxiety and conquer it! Thank you for reading.
Signing Off,
- Clueless
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