I had depression and anxiety for several years starting around the beginning of the 2010s. I had anxiety attacks that could last a week or more. A week of constant adrenaline, elevated heart rate and feeling like something indefinable is about to go wrong is not a fun time.
I’m not a person who is any good at stopping or shutting down. So I kept living as nearly normal through the attacks. If I had talked to the anxiety, it would have gone something like this:
Anxiety: AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!
Me: Hey, Anxiety. It looks like you’re here again.
Anxiety: QUICK! HIDE!
Me: And it looks like you’re hanging around for a while—
Anxiety: AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!
Me: and it doesn’t seem like there’s much I can do about that.
Anxiety: AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!
Me: But I have stuff to do.
Anxiety: DON’T DO THINGS!!!!!
Me: So here’s the deal. Come along if you must, but I’m the driver and you’re sitting in the back seat.
It’s not the happiest way to get through the day. But it is a lot better than hiding under the duvet. Usually, once anxiety realised it wasn’t going to be in charge, it calmed down a little.
I didn’t actually have conversations with anxiety. Then I heard Elizabeth Gilbert talk about talking to her fear. She gave me the language and mental picture for what I wrote today. I’m pretty sure this is the episode where Elizabeth Gilbert talks about talking to her emotions and who gets to drive.
Important note: everyone’s mental (un)health experience is unique. Just because a thing worked for me, doesn’t mean I’m prescribing it for you. Nothing I write about mental health should be taken as medical advice. Nevertheless, I hope that some of it is useful.
—Jeff
Anxiety has a way of making the days we plan to be the most productive seem impossible. I think it’s important to note that it only makes it seem impossible. It is not really impossible.
Productivity starts with one small thing.
Grow slowly
Skyler
I have Gatekeepers I use to relieve anxious thinking. They remind me to breathe, feeling the temperature of warm and cool in my nostrils. Another says ride your bike. I do a few turns around the block and I forget I was uptight. Cleaning between the ears is ongoingðŸ§