Anxiety, where does one even begin with a battle that constantly makes us college students break down in the worst possible times? Many of us can have a mental break down, crying trying to explain what we feel and how sometimes it may feel impossible to cope with and there will still be someone who does not believe it or think that it is easy to get over and there is nothing to worry about. According to Anxiety and Depression Association of America, a survey in 2011, more than 62 percent of students withdrew from college with mental health problems. College is ultimately very stressful but trying to balance relationships, work and finances can overwhelm someone and lead them to feel like they are in a dark hole.
Do you understand how anxiety feels?
Coming from a personal experience, when I feel overwhelmed I tend to start having negative thoughts. I begin to start feeling anxious and lash out at others when I am trying to accomplish something. Then everything I read from an assignment starts to make no sense then I feel a sense of frustration. Then it leads me to start feeling hot and my heart starts racing until I break down and cry.Sometimes when I cry it leads to me feeling like I cannot breathe and start hyperventilating.The most common experience of anxiety is fatigue, restlessness, irritability, excessive worry, feeling of impending doom, poor concentration, palpitations, etc.
After my experience with anxiety attacks, I thought maybe it was time to seek help from a doctor. The only way they told me to deal with anxiety was to take antidepressants, for me I knew there has to be another way. I do not like depending on pills to make me feel better because I prefer natural remedies than medication.
What I do to cope with anxiety.
So far what I learned to do was make a plan for the week so that way I could stay organized and know what needs to be done. Then when I am doing an assignment, if I feel overwhelmed I close my laptop walk away for a couple of minutes and practice breathing techniques that I learned in my stress management class from this spring 2018 semester all you do is close your place your dominant hand on your belly and breathe in for three seconds then breathe out. It is a way of releasing the bad energy.Also going out and exercise is a way of coping in a healthy way. Drinking tea like chamomile and green tea help with calming your nerves.
Anxiety can be a difficult experience for many of us but trust me you are not alone.