When Anxiety Hits…

When anxiety hits me, everything within me feels affected… Physically, mentally, and emotionally.

My muscles in my whole body tense up. My fists are clenched, my legs are stiffened, and my stomach is tightened. My heart begins to beat faster by the second. My lungs struggle to grasp at the air. I start to feel as though I am being weighted down by anchors sitting so inconveniently on my shoulders.

My head feels cloudy and hazy. I feel distant from this moment. I start to panic as I realize I’m struggling to breathe, walk, speak. I begin to internally tell myself to “calm down.” I’ll say, “Breathe in slowly, breathe out slowly.” I’ll promise myself, “It’ll pass soon.” Do I actually believe this in the moment?

Emotionally, I am drained as I attempt to fight with myself in this moment. I’m fighting to win against this anxiety, as it takes hold of my entire being. But when anxiety hits, I fall.

When Anxiety Hits, Hit Back

When I first started experiencing severe anxiety, I’d feel thankful when the anxiety would let go of me. I gave anxiety power and control over my life and I recall feeling as though it was a losing battle during every anxiety attack. However, after learning about various self-care techniques and healthy coping skills, I found myself feeling empowered during each anxiety attack as I utilized these tools that I had learned to physically and mentally calm myself down. It was in these moments that I began to take my life back.

I will always experience anxiety, but when you have proper tools to help cope with it, it doesn’t feel so overwhelmingly powerless. When anxiety hits, hit back. Keep fighting. ✨