And just like that, the long weekend is over. Well it felt like I finally got a full weekend seeing that Saturdays are another work day.
So the heritage was celebrated across the country. I ended up celebrating my heritage subconsciously…I cooked a curry…and all(sambals) hahaha.
It came in handy as a hangover cure. Then the braai meat upon braai meat. Oh so good! I have my iron intake for the rest of the year…not an avid red meat eater.
All that goodness aside… I have noticed the word “anxiety” being used a lot more, of late. I was diagnosed last year with anxiety and depression and after much reflection, therapy, reading and practice, I recovered and no longer had to be on medication. So today is the day (another day) I share what I have learnt and realised and, where the anxiety all stems from.
I have realised is that anxiety doesn’t exist if we are living in the present. Yes it all comes back to living in the present. I have talked about being present in the previous blogs, so we are all on track. So, after the realisation of it having to do with living in the present, I learnt how to live in the present (also in previous blogs).
Okay, so you thinking that it is not as simple as that. Nope it isn’t. When we become aware of our thoughts and what exactly it is that is causing the anxiety, that is the first step.
Self awareness! I can recall feeling anxious over a meeting coming up later in the week. I began thinking about all the possibilities and feeling fear based on the possible outcomes of that meeting. How can one predict such? It is absolute rubbish! Once we learn to be patient(and present), when the time arrives we will be able to deal with whatever the outcome is.
Anxiety comes from anticipation, from being a perfectionist, self-doubt, not feeling good enough, not believing in yourself and thinking the worst. When we acknowledge
what we are feeling, we can tackle those feelings one by one until we no longer feel that way. Even obsessive compulsive behaviour is a symptom of anxiety. All that muscle tension, that too. Lack of sleep, yeah you guessed it.
Anxiety can become debilitating. I used to experience anxiety attacks that were so severe that I would clench my jaws, my airways would feel like they were collapsing and I would black out. I learnt coping mechanisms to manage the symptoms but what good was that when the cause was not being treated.
If there is something that is due, what good does stressing about it to the point of no return do? All you can do is make sure you prepare yourself. There is nothing else that you can do. Remember clock time and psychological time…ding ding ding. (Go read last weeks blog if you don’t know about it. It will put a lot into perspective.) What good does stressing out to such a severe extent do to you? Fresca (Nothing! For the kids that don’t know what the heck Fresca is.) We do not have control over anything(except our thoughts)! Nada! Niks!
There is a lot of acceptance that comes with releasing anxiety for good. You don’t have to live a life with depression and anxiety. You can recover from it and never relapse again. I did! I had several relapses last year but after learning what I have learnt, which I have been sharing with you via these blogs without divulging into details about my personal journey, I have not had a relapse since and I know that depression and anxiety won’t ever rear it’s ugly head in this life ever again.
Contact me if you want to know more about the specific things I learnt that brought me to where I am. I am always happy to share but I also learnt that not everyone wants help so I learnt to offer my advice and share my journey when requested.
Here I was, thinking that I would keep it short today…
To anyone living with anxiety and depression…you are not alone and I promise you, it is not a permanent state of mind, irrespective of what the doctors say. The good ones will tell you that you can recover, but none of them will tell you that you won’t relapse. I am telling you, from personal experience, that you can recover and never relapse again.
keralotinspired 