On the topic of anxiety.

If you, like me have trauma in your past and continue to work through the physiological effects of anxiety, the pandemic has been and continues to be… difficult.

Anxiety manifests itself in different ways for different people. It’s hard speak generally to someone with anxiety as there is a broad range of symptoms which makes suggestions to get past the anxiety, a bit of a shot in the dark. I’m am not a doctor or therapist, just someone who lives with anxiety, so take this post as editorial content/personal experience and not specific advise to your current position.

As stated, everyone experiences anxiety in different ways. Personally, my main symptoms include physiological manifestations of the following: heart “ache”, heart pangs, difficulty breathing, tightness in chest, and when full panic attack happens the inability to catch my breathe and a spiked heart rate. Symptoms hit with or without any trigger (internal or external), though I’m getting much better in preventative behaviors and anticipating triggering events to stay away from.

The tools I utilize, as directed by my Therapist and Cardiologist include: daily exercise, weight maintenance to control blood pressure, breathing exercises to reduce heart rate, sleep routines, and meditation to be proactively in the moment and out of my head. I’ve tried perscription drugs to help reduce my anxiety and found them to be to altering to my person. There was too much change in personality and physical function for me to be comfortable with the benefits. They work for others, you be you. Again, I am not a doctor.

Some people think that those with anxiety are “broken” in need of a fix/healing. I don’t ascribe to that line of thinking. Many high functioning people live with differing levels of anxiety, brokenness may be state of being in a moment of time, but I don’t believe it has to be the default state. I think much of the “brokenness” label comes from the theological position that we are all born sinful, broken, and doomed for eternity in Hell if we do not find a Savior — that we are in need of healing to be whole. And if you have anxiety you are in more need of a Savior, because you are depending too much on yourself, and should let Jesus carry you across the sands of difficulty… Ok, not trying to trigger anyone here, but these judgements are real. They are direct…