Ever since I can remember, I have struggled with anxiety. My high school and early college years were the worst of it. I am the type of person who is almost always anxious or nervous, I guess you can say anxiety is just in my blood. Here are some of the things that I have had to deal with throughout the years and how I have been able to take control over my anxiety.
Social Anxiety
Whenever I have been faced with large groups of people, had to speak in front of crowds or meet new people, I am always overwhelmed with a tremendous amount of anxiety and i can hardly speak and start to shake. My social anxiety can be so difficult at times that when I know I am going to be put in social situations that will make me anxious, I would do my best to avoid them altogether. This is not a good strategy for handling social anxiety.
Eventually I realized that I need to face this problem and face my fear head on. I started to put myself in more social situations and force myself to hang out with people, even when I really did not want to. When I started doing this, I started to become a more social person and my social anxiety started to become less and less.
Hard on Myself
I hold myself to high standards when it comes to every aspect of my life, from my grades, to my job, to the way I dress, and how involved I am in my friends and families lives. When I hold myself to high standards, I get down on myself whenever I fail. If my grades are not what I want them to be, I get upset, if something is not perfect, I will work until it is. I am a perfectionist and sometimes it can get to be a little too much. I know that I need to slow down and take a step back and not be so hard on myself. It is easier to take one thing at a time instead of juggling multiple tasks at once.
School Stress
I have a drive to be successful and do as much as I can to be as successful as I can be. I take on a lot of roles and responsibilities, which sometimes leads to overworking myself. Not only am I taking classes full time, but i am also the president of a club on campus and also work a part time job. I put stress on myself to get great grades and to ace every test and assignment. I also want my club to succeed and for everyone to be happy.
Breathe
When I have a lot of anxiety, I forget how to function as a normal human being, including forgetting to simply breathe. I have to consciously remember to take a deep breath and continue to breathe. This calms you down more than you realize when you are having an anxiety attack. It will help slow you down and help you to be more present.
Give It to God
The best thing that you can do is give all of your stress and anxiety to God. He is the one who is in control. He has a plan for your life and will help you through all of your struggles. Pray and ask God for help. Whether it is with something big or small, he is always there to help when you call his name.
So many people are dealing with anxiety on a daily basis and even more people are dealing with mental illness. Remember that you are strong and have already gotten through 100% of your worst days, so you can face anything that comes your way in the future. Keep your head up.
