“My anxiety comes like every day in every situation I have”.
At the beginning of 2011 when prepared to enter university, I studied very hard every day and exercise from many books. That situation made me frustrated, stressed, and had insomnia for almost one month. I never had that kind of feeling before. My self-esteem decreased and I am afraid to go out and meet people.
Luckily I have my family support me all the times. They pushed me to go out and socialize with friends. My family introduce me to yoga, meditation, and how to relax and just enjoy every moment I had. Then, I accepted in university and entered psychology major. But nothing was changed, I still got anxiety and panic attack.
In psychology, I learn many things about anxiety, the symptoms, how your brain works, impact your brain and behavior, treatment, and many things. Once, when I had psychopathology class and the topic was anxiety. I went to the bathroom to talk to myself that everything gonna is okay because I can’t handle it. At that moment I felt like losing my confidence.
Anxiety actually is a common problem for all human in this world. Anxiety is an unpleasant feeling, often accompanied by nervous behavior, such as somatic complaints. We need to differentiate anxiety and fear because isn’t the same. Anxiety is the expectation of a future threat. Our behavior such us fight or flight response and defensive, or escape are related to anxiety.
But don’t be afraid if you have the same condition as me, sometimes we do need anxiety. This state helps us to cope with upcoming negative events.
So what I do to overcome with anxiety? I’m becoming a friend with anxiety. Every time I feel a panic attack or anxiety, I take a deep breath and open it for them to come inside my house. But like a visitor, they will go afterward. Inhale and exhale, move my body to make it relax, and try to think just about the present. I try to focus on many people around and start to think that I love myself, my friends and my family always support me. So then the visitor will go.
I’m also trying to make treatment for myself:
- meditation every morning (15 minutes is wonderful)
- stretching regularly
- I love art, and I try to make mandala to overcome it.
- walking and strolling around
- socialize and give me time for yourself.
I still learn and search for another way to overcome my anxiety. I believe when we make friends with anxiety and try our own way to cope with it. Anxiety will always be our “good” best friend.
