What Anxiety Feels Like + How To Cope

Do you struggle with anxiety? For as long as I can remember, anxiety has been a huge struggle of mine. Anxiety can be suffocating and it can consume your everyday life. In this blog post I am sharing what anxiety feels like to me and tips on how I cope with my anxiety. If you are wanting any bit of anxiety relief, these tips might help.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is both worry and fear. It’s the feeling of nervousness and unease. Anxiety is compulsive behavior and panic attacks. It’s staying in while all of your friends go out because thoughts of leaving your house make you overwhelmed. Anxiety is saying no to trying something new because you are constantly overthinking and afraid of failing. Or is it when you are sitting alone in your room and suddenly this feeling of abandonment takes over your body, for no reason at all?

Anxiety, it tries to take over your everyday life making it harder to do the things you love. You are battling your fears, fears of failure, fears of getting hurt, fears of what could happen. It’s worrying about the future and things that didn’t even happen yet.

Anxiety, it suffocates and suddenly you find yourself in panic. Your body aches, you begin to feel a loss of balance. You begin to feel tired. You’d rather lay in bed alone simply because your body refuses to move. Your chest feels heavy and your mind is fogged.

Anxiety, it’s pushing people away because you are too afraid to get close. You begin to think the worst and suddenly you believe you aren’t good enough. Not today, or tomorrow. Or perhaps it’s when you just feel self doubt and you can’t seem to find what triggers it all.

Anxiety, it’s trying to explain to those who care about you just what it’s like. The truth is you don’t understand it yourself. You feel so much worry and unease and at times you can’t pin point why. You feel as if you are going crazy, as if no one understands what it’s like.

You begin to panic and everyone around you begins to say, “breathe, your fine, everything’s fine.” You can’t seem to shake it, and you think to yourself, “fine? What is fine?” You try and breathe through the panic and pain but nothing seems to work. Why doesn’t anyone seem to understand? You think to yourself. You wonder, am I the only one that feels this way? Why me?

Anxiety, it’s trying to find the strength to be productive but instead you find yourself silencing your thoughts, taking deeper breaths, and calming your racing heart. Every little thing makes you panic and suddenly your thoughts are controlling your body.

Anxiety, It’s staying up tossing and turning wanting to sleep but your mind won’t let you. You can’t push your thoughts aside. They eat you alive.

Let me tell you this, it isn’t your fault. You are not alone. You are not crazy, and you are strong. You can and you will get through this. You will achieve your wildest dreams and you will push fear aside. You will take those leaps and you will move mountains. Believe in yourself.

How to Cope With Anxiety:

1: Breathing/Meditation: Practice this to help calm and ease your body, especially during times of panic and anxiety.

2: Hold an Ice Cube: They say extreme changes in temperature helps to bring the brain back to present.

3: Take a Bath/Shower: This helps to reset the mind. Any form of self care is a positive coping mechanism.

4: Talk to a Friend: Friends help to give us the encouragement we need to push through.

5: Exercise: This increases serotonin while releasing pent up energy and endorphins.

6: Leave Situation: Taking yourself away for a break to regroup can help get you grounded.

7: Listen to Upbeat Music: This helps to turn your mood around and put you at ease.

8: Spend Time Outside: Get that vitamin D, take a walk to clear your mind.

9: Keep A Journal: Write your thoughts down, get them on paper so you aren’t constantly thinking about them.

10: Use Positive Self Talk: Don’t use negatives, turn your can’ts into cans. Positive self reinforcement is key.

11: Color: Sounds crazy but coloring helps to calm anxiety, it is very soothing.

12: Limit Your Social Media Time: Studies show that excessive time spent on social media increases anxiety. If this is a trigger for you, limit your social media time.

13: Drink Water: It is important to stay hydrated, dehydration can actually trigger anxiety.

14: Invest in Yourself: Learn something new, whether it be a new hobby or just something you’ve always wanted to try.

15: Focus on Your Blessings: I know sometimes you feel down and can’t shake all the negative thoughts. Start focusing on all the good in your life, and what makes you truly happy. This will take your focus off of your anxiety.

Anxiety is real and not everyone fully understands how difficult it is to control.

I hope these coping mechanisms help to ease your anxiety and remember you are not alone.