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I had a breakthrough in thinking about anxiety last night and maybe this will be helpful for someone else?
TL;DR: physical and mental anxiety are two separate things and it's possible to experience one without the other. And realizing that has been a HUGE help.
TL;DR: physical and mental anxiety are two separate things and it's possible to experience one without the other. And realizing that has been a HUGE help.
For me, anxiety is very physical: tight chest, can't breathe in fully, jittery.
Just talking about/reading about anxiety triggers those feelings on a small scale.
Sometimes I can shake it off/breathe through it, whatever.
Sometimes it just liiiiiiiingers. Uhg.
Just talking about/reading about anxiety triggers those feelings on a small scale.
Sometimes I can shake it off/breathe through it, whatever.
Sometimes it just liiiiiiiingers. Uhg.
Especially if I'm actually mentally anxious about something.
Like yesterday, my husband and I had a really intense conversation about my novel-in-progress. Those conversations are always fruitful, and a necessary part of my process at this point.
But they're stressful as hell.
Like yesterday, my husband and I had a really intense conversation about my novel-in-progress. Those conversations are always fruitful, and a necessary part of my process at this point.
But they're stressful as hell.
All that day (having the convo) and the day before (anticipating the convo) I was anxious, mentally.
Yesterday night? Conversation's over, but my body is still wrecked. Chest tight. Can't breathe. Jittery.
Mentally, I'm no longer stressed, but physically? A wreck.
Yesterday night? Conversation's over, but my body is still wrecked. Chest tight. Can't breathe. Jittery.
Mentally, I'm no longer stressed, but physically? A wreck.
My husband asked why I was still anxious, and normally I would have tried to come up with a rational reason. A mental reason.
A reason that, if I thought harder about it â if I was a stronger person â I'd be able to Just Get Over.
A reason that, if I thought harder about it â if I was a stronger person â I'd be able to Just Get Over.
Instead, last night I answered that I was still anxious because my chest was tight and I couldn't breathe.
And it was such a revelation to me.
Because *that* was why. Not because of some mental thing I could Just Get Over if I was a better person.
My body was anxious.
And it was such a revelation to me.
Because *that* was why. Not because of some mental thing I could Just Get Over if I was a better person.
My body was anxious.
My body was still anxious after a stressful day, and I didn't have to justify that to him â or myself â any more than I would have to justify why my legs are still sore because I worked out that morning.
All that to say, I've lost a lot of days to letting my inability to calm my physical anxiety symptoms drive me into a mental frenzy.
It's a cycle, and it's tough to break.
CBD oil has helped me break that cycle. Breathing exercises. Distracting myself with friends/going out.
It's a cycle, and it's tough to break.
CBD oil has helped me break that cycle. Breathing exercises. Distracting myself with friends/going out.
But realizing I don't have to justify physical anxiety feelings is huge.
I don't have to drive myself into a state of panic trying to mentally overcome a physical sensation.
I can't think my way out of a strained muscle, or physical anxiety symptoms. And that's really freeing.
I don't have to drive myself into a state of panic trying to mentally overcome a physical sensation.
I can't think my way out of a strained muscle, or physical anxiety symptoms. And that's really freeing.
Anyway, realizing that yesterday took a ton of pressure off me, mentally.
And finally having the words to explain to my husband that he didn't need to talk me out of my anxiety because mentally I wasn't stressed out was helpful.
I pulled my anxiety muscle, and it needed rest.
And finally having the words to explain to my husband that he didn't need to talk me out of my anxiety because mentally I wasn't stressed out was helpful.
I pulled my anxiety muscle, and it needed rest.
