I’ve dealt with anxiety for the past five years, as have many of you. As a child, we were all put in a uniform line going from class to class fingerpainting and watching kids snort milk. After a day of being constantly occupied, you got off the school bus, did some homework, and headed off to practice. If you had a cool Mom or an older brother, you got to play some Call of Duty before bed, and you repeated this every day for nine months out of the year. Nowadays, shit has hit the fan. It’s important to remember that the only reason you have anxiety is that you’re smart. You understand that actions have consequences, and you’re fearful of how things will play out. I’m here for you though; there’s a lot of us on the internet who are going through the exact same thing. I’m going to give you some tips about dealing with anxiety that isn’t the corny bullshit advice you’ve already read a million times on WikiHow.
Do Something That Sucks:
If you read that out loud, it sounds really stupid, but it’s not. Doing something that makes your body uncomfortable can take your mind off of having an existential crisis—for instance, running—running sucks. Nobody likes running. Even runners can admit that. But when you’re outside, sweating your balls off listening to music about murder and jewelry in your Flynit Nike running shoes, you’re not thinking about the bills you have to pay or the project that’s due that you haven’t started; all you can concentrate on is the now. Sometimes when I’m having a really bad panic attack and I’m out to eat, I lay on a thick amount of hot sauce. It’s pretty hard to worry about the future when your mouth is on fire now. Do something that would make you sweat out a hangover.
Call That One Person:
We all have that one friend. It’s not the person that makes us most comfortable or the person we trust the most: it’s the person that will never fail to make you laugh. During one of my worst cases of Sunday Scaries, I woke up with no money in a hotel an hour and a half away from my Airbnb. Sitting on a Fort Lauderdale sidewalk, torturing myself with my thoughts, I called my friend, who proceeded to tell me about his previous night that consisted of rolling six points of molly, cheating on his girlfriend, and getting his wallet stolen. Comedy is adversity’s best coping mechanism. If you’re lucky enough to have a friend who’s hilarious, cherish them.
Open Your Mind:
I tried everything before starting a blog. Therapists, medication, breathing techniques- you name it. Nothing worked. I spent YEARS convincing myself I was having heart attacks and feeling hopeless. I’ve spent many nights abusing alcohol and struggling to get out of bed many mornings. I didn’t start blogging because I wanted to make money. I started blogging because it was inexplicably therapeutic. One day I was hungover in bed, freaking out and for some reason, I just started typing. I don’t know why. And maybe it’s not blogging for you, maybe it’s not making content at all, but there’s something you are MISSING and you don’t know about it. Anxiety has no cure; anxiety can only be maintained. I still struggle mightily, but it’s apples and oranges to how hopeless I used to be. So, maybe the next time your friend who doesn’t shut the fuck up about squash asks if you’ll join him, try it. Maybe the next time your Mom wants to play a game of chess or your psychologist wants you to try something new, do it. If you’re REALLY struggling with anxiety, there’s no excuse for you to call things “stupid” or “a waste of time” when they might lead you down the right path. Because you are not the first person who has been anxious, and you won’t be the last. If someone offers you a potential solution, it’s worth a shot- you feel like your dying a few times a week as is.
