Happy Birthday, Karen! I hope it has been an amazingly wonderful day for you!
The weather was great today. Not a cloud in the sky. But I'm afraid that there was still a cloud in my soul.
I'm not one who loves to revel in sadness, tragedy or depression. I bring it up because the anxiety is a strange symptom for me. One that I've never had before. I'm not sure where it is coming from. If any of you have suffered with anxiety, I would love to know what you did for it and what it stemmed from.
I am concerned about where it is coming from. I am still working on whether it is a physical problem, spiritual problem, or emotional problem. Interestingly enough, the ulcers in my esophagus have acted up again. I am sensitive to things: medicine, being out of balance, clutter, etc., so I am trying to discern what is the problem so that I can fix it. Any wisdom is greatly appreciated. (If you'd rather respond in an email, my email addy is on my profile.)
I will leave you with some beauty from my Saturday's venturing:
Yoga. Do yoga. Seriously. Or sit and meditate and just try to clear your mind. As thoughts come to you, notice them, don't berate yourself for thinking, and just let them go. After 15 minutes of that, my anxiety is much, much less.
ReplyDeleteI still don't know all my triggers. Sometimes they are very, very tiny and snowball into something much bigger. Still, 15 minutes of meditation helps A LOT. Especially right before scriptures or right in the morning, facing the brightest part of my house or window.
Feeling trapped (like you have to control things that are possibly out of your control, for example) is a common anxiety trigger. Other common triggers are negative news (Stay away from news for a week. No internet news, no television, no radio. You can go back to it when you're not feeling overwhelmed and anxious.), money pressures, and relationships with a spouse or children.
Beyond meditation, some great & natural soothers are: hot baths/showers, sunlight, some essential oils (tangerine and grapefruit are two of my favorites - very cheering), and deep breathing.
Sometimes anxiety approaches PTSD and/or paranoia. If you start to feel like life is out of control and you're pulling away from everyone, counseling is invaluable. For PTSD, dream counseling is especially helpful.
Sheesh. Can you tell I've had to deal with stuff like this a lot? Still, knowing is half the battle. Go, GI Joe!
I always can coordinate my worst anxiety attacks with PMS. Maybe it will go away in a few days.
ReplyDeleteIf you are concerned, it may help talking to a Christian counselor to try and figure out where it is stemming-whether it be emotional, spiritual, or physical etc. It could be a combination of those things. I have gone through this and talking to someone really helped me. Praying with others is helpful, too.
ReplyDeleteAlso, be sure that you are resting, eating well, and in prayer. (I know that this isn't always easy.)
Take care. I will be sure to lift you up this evening in my prayers.
Jen
Creative and Curious Kids!
God's Shining Stars