A Writer’s Journey

I don’t have a personification of anxiety yet.  Though I think it would be a small child like creature, one that can’t seem to sit still.  I know I feel like that when I’m feeling stressed sometimes.

I wanted to create a character for anxiety, but have not been able to visualize what he or she may look like.  With a little more thought though I should be able to come up with something.

I have decided to continue with the coping skills for this blog entry.  Today I actually needed them, but not for anxiety.  I have been feeling a little depressed the last few days, though I don’t know the specific reason why.  Perhaps it is boredom or maybe it because I’ve been job hunting…

I have been practicing my abdominal breathing; it is suppose to be more relaxing and calming than breathing from the upper portion of the chest.  So far it seems to be somewhat helpful.  Anything that helps even a little is worth trying (within reason).

I have been trying to put into my own words the coping skills that I have been taught and have been trying to master.  The first coping skill was acceptance, which I discussed in the previous entry.   I have a portion of a book that deals with coping with anxiety.  The 5 steps to coping with anxiety spell out aware, the 5 steps are Accept the anxiety, Watch the anxiety, Act with the anxiety, Repeat the steps, and Expect the best.

Watch the anxiety means to be an outside observer of it.  It is about becoming detached from the anxiety, and /or depression.  I believe these coping skills can work for depression as well.  When we become an impartial by standard, we can become more aware of our thoughts and feelings.  As the book puts it “Be in the anxiety state, not of it”.

Act with the anxiety entails normalizing the situation.  It is about functioning with the anxiety.  Taking a moment to slow down, breath normally and slowly, and relax.  If you follow these steps without retreating from the situation that has made you anxious, your anxiety will go down.  Avoiding the situation entirely will only make you more fearful of it in the future.  That I can say that is true from experience.

Repeat the steps…  I believe that needs no explanation.

Expect the best for what you fear most will rarely happen.  The piece goes on to talk about accepting that the anxiety will return, and expecting it.  As with the both the anxiety and depression, I have come to realize that they will both be my constant companions in life, whether I like them or not.  I must accept that they will return and deal with them when they decide they want to take over.  With the coping skills that I am learning I hope to learn not only to function with them, but to live a fulfilling life whether they are there or not.

It will be difficult and challenging, but worth all the effort in the end.

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