Something that everyone struggles with, regardless of whether or not it’s publicly discussed, is stress and anxiety. Throughout my life, I’ve been known to over stress and worry about the smallest little issues. However, since coming back for the spring semester, it seems that I’m incapable of doing anything without a deep sense of foreboding. It’s reached a point where I am unable to do one of the most simple pleasures in life: nap.Â
Even though I’m frequently asked what might be causing the anxiety, I’m unable to formulate a reasoning. One reason this unreasonable amount of stress may be occurring is due simply to issues with the neurotransmitters in my brain. Another reason might be because of my upbringing, I never knew what proper danger was, so now, I react negatively to assignment deadlines rather than true danger such as mortal harm.
Everyday, I attempt to curb the anxiety by creating an extensive checklist. Every single thought that comes to mind is immediately written down for my reference at a later time. Even if it’s as simple as texting someone back, I write it down as an item on my to-do list as I know having a physical marker for my accomplishments will calm me. When I have the time, I go to the gym to allow myself to give my physical body a workout and to pause the workout my brain is undergoing. After doing so, I come back and attempt to cook and put together a meal filled with foods that seem appetizing and genuinely excite me to eat them. At random times throughout the day, my mother will also call me with encouraging words and even though her anecdotes are tangential, hearing her voice is enough to calm me down.Â
A lot of people have remedies for anxiety, and I would like to believe that I’ve implemented multiple of them. I’ve improved my diet so it contains higher protein and less processed food. I attempt to participate in some form of physical exercise at minimum every other day, and I’ve begun to avoid excessive amounts of caffeine. However, I’ve also come to realize that dealing with these feelings of stress is not a linear journey. Somedays, it will be extremely high and other days I’ll be able to function without any feeling of doom. Since it’s the first time I’ve had such extended feelings of anxiety, I’ve slowly begun to give myself grace. I can’t expect myself to wake up the next day and immediately feel better, I know that it’s something I have to slowly work. Writing things down and visualizing my tasks aids me in confronting the unknown, as knowing what I have to do makes things more tangible. Everyone’s journey is a little different, but finding what works for you is important. As I grapple with my emotions and try to find ways to curb the issue, I know that I just have to take it one day at a time.Â