Sometimes I get terrible anxiety that I can’t seem to make go away. I try my usual coping mechanisms like eating (bad idea), and obsessing on the computer (bad idea), but those don’t help. Sometimes I plop down in bed and try to relax my way out of the anxiety. It probably doesn’t help that I drink a lot of coffee, but I really feel like the coffee doesn’t do much to me. It feels more like a different kind of anxiety than a coffee-induced jittery type anxiety. Lately, I’ve tried focusing my anxiety into doing productive things like making cats and cleaning and doing homework. Sometimes I can harness it and actually get stuff done. Other times I’m too agitated to concentrate. The making cats thing seems to help a lot, because it involves using my hands and my imagination and I can sort of zone out on it. I also have to focus on details which is helpful. I feel guilty that I’m making cats instead of doing my math homework sometimes, but there are times when I just can’t motivate myself to do math–like tonight. I really really need to do my math, but I’m not doing it. So, I could either start on a new cat or just fritter away my time doing nothing. I think I might start a new cat despite the guilt of not doing my homework. I do take Buspar, which is an anti-anxiety medication, but it doesn’t seem to do all that much. I think part of it is that I need to figure out why I’m so keyed up. I know that part of it is that I’m worried about my school work. Perhaps another part is that my parents just came back home after being gone for three months to Arizona and I’m having to go through some adjustment having people back in the house again. It is just an adjustment I think I need to get used to. Anyway. Writing about it has helped a little I think.
DONT STRESS!!!! take a break now and again to do what you enjoy or to do nothing at all and DONT FEEL GUILTY!!! life is’nt just about homework , when you are relaxed you will do it and be motivated to do it.
Good advice!!! :) Thanks! :) HUGS :)
Alternative nostril breathing. Mindful meditation. Googling other ways to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. The amygdala & sympathetic nervous system are setting off your anxiety. I’ve been working on the above things for a year. BIG difference. I started having anxiety 4 yrs ago due to life circumstances and this really helped. Wish I’d found it sooner. Hope this helps. Best wishes :)
M in NYC
thank you! :)