Anxiety is defined by me as worry, restlessness, nervousness, discomfort, which can sometimes manifest as psychosomatic pains, and panic about something that is about to happen (often something undesirable). It always leads to sudden deviations from normal life. A trigger for anxiety could be anything. I have suffered from severe anxiety and related issues for over 10 years. When it comes to the management of anxiety, since I have had a long experience with medications, I can say for sure that medicines are only temporary relief for anxiety. It is a relief for a few hours or days as long as you are on medication, but once you are off it, this devil appears in your life again.
Today, I have merely 10% of it affecting me. How did I get out of it?
Believing in myself andĀ working on it.
First and foremost, I began visualizing things and events from a third-person perspective. I told myself, "No one except me is going to help me come out of this mess." This strong self-belief was the first trigger. Second, I needed to have an anchor to keep me motivated. My life revolves around my kids and husband (I give them huge credit for helping me out of it). Whenever I experienced anxious moments, I reminded myself that I had to prevail for the sake of my family. Believe me, it worked wondersāonce I developed this anchor a few years ago, there has been no looking back. I stopped taking medication in 2013 and have been improving since then.
In the end, I would like to say, "Some amount of anxiety is always good." It helps you stay focused, achieve your goals, and be happy. It is only when it crosses the threshold that it needs attention.
But it is only I who can help myself.
- By Gurminder
--------------------------
P.S. GurminderĀ is a Peer on SoulUp. She chose to embark on a new career path for a better sense ofĀ fulfilment. Ā If you have had a similar journey and would like to have a 1-on-1 conversation with her, you can book oneĀ here.Ā
Ā
