Being diagnosed with anxiety
Want to hear the good news? I haven't experienced a single panic attack since I consciously decided to make changes a year ago. Now, don't get me wrong, I still suffer from anxiety and have to work at managing it and preventing panic on a daily basis. And some days are harder than others. But I'm in a much better place today than I was over a year ago.
Now, I might as well manage your expectations from the outset - I'm very blunt and probably not politically correct I also don't sugarcoat things because, really, what's the point of that? I will likely get emotional in some of my posts because dealing with anxiety is some tough shit . Oh, yeah, and I will likely swear from time-to-time.
Also, this blog is not intended to give advice on how to "strive and thrive" with anxiety. Though there will be ample positive posts on this blog, I will always be honest. Do you want honesty? If not, this blog is probably not for you. If you believe anxiety is a good thing, then this blog is probably not for you. Though I will have posts related to the benefits of anxiety, I genuinely believe that my life would be much better without anxiety and the constant worry that is intertwined with anxiety.
For my first post, I thought I would simply give the reader an idea of what to expect from this blog:
1. This blog is intended to provide tips and advice that I've learned over the past year relative to managing and preventing anxiety/panic. For the reader's purpose, I use the terms "anxiety" and "panic" as different disorders. Though they are related, panic is a more severe and debilitating form of anxiety that is usually accompanied by physical manifestations.
2. And, selfishly, this blog is intended to get tips and advice from my readers. My journey is nowhere close to being finished! I want to hear from you about what works for you. In fact, one of my main reasons behind starting this blog was to help myself as well as others. In essence, this blog is meant to be a forum where we can collectively help each other.
3. I will update this blog every week. Each weekly post will discuss a single management and/or preventative strategy that I've found successful over the past year.
4. Some posts, particularly my first few posts, will provide background information relative to anxiety and panic disorders. I will also discuss typical symptoms and the diagnosis process.
5. Each weekly blog will provide a "preview" of next week's blog. For instance, my blog next week (if I even have any readers next week) will be about my diagnosis, the diagnosis process in general, and how you can start to handle being diagnosed with a disorder that has no cure.
As I mentioned, the journey for me is still underway. I have a year under my belt and that year has provided a lot of guidance and insight. I'm excited for this blog. My hope is to have at least one reader that wants to take this journey with me. Because, let's be honest, being an adult is hard enough. and going through that journey alone is overwhelming. Toss anxiety and panic on top of that, and it's enough to make you want to stay in bed everyday.
See you penguins next week!!
SUCKS!!!!! There is no better word to describe that diagnosis. I received that formal diagnosis a year ago. I suffered my first panic attack in the fall of 2011 while sitting on my couch watching a movie. Most recently, I suffered four intense panic attacks over a two-week span during the summer of 2014. All of these attacks happened when I was relaxing at home. Anxiety and panic have no rhyme or reason. That's one of the reasons they are awful and if I could, I would physically punch both disorders in the face.Want to hear the good news? I haven't experienced a single panic attack since I consciously decided to make changes a year ago. Now, don't get me wrong, I still suffer from anxiety and have to work at managing it and preventing panic on a daily basis. And some days are harder than others. But I'm in a much better place today than I was over a year ago.
Now, I might as well manage your expectations from the outset - I'm very blunt and probably not politically correct I also don't sugarcoat things because, really, what's the point of that? I will likely get emotional in some of my posts because dealing with anxiety is some tough shit . Oh, yeah, and I will likely swear from time-to-time.
Also, this blog is not intended to give advice on how to "strive and thrive" with anxiety. Though there will be ample positive posts on this blog, I will always be honest. Do you want honesty? If not, this blog is probably not for you. If you believe anxiety is a good thing, then this blog is probably not for you. Though I will have posts related to the benefits of anxiety, I genuinely believe that my life would be much better without anxiety and the constant worry that is intertwined with anxiety.
For my first post, I thought I would simply give the reader an idea of what to expect from this blog:
1. This blog is intended to provide tips and advice that I've learned over the past year relative to managing and preventing anxiety/panic. For the reader's purpose, I use the terms "anxiety" and "panic" as different disorders. Though they are related, panic is a more severe and debilitating form of anxiety that is usually accompanied by physical manifestations.
2. And, selfishly, this blog is intended to get tips and advice from my readers. My journey is nowhere close to being finished! I want to hear from you about what works for you. In fact, one of my main reasons behind starting this blog was to help myself as well as others. In essence, this blog is meant to be a forum where we can collectively help each other.
3. I will update this blog every week. Each weekly post will discuss a single management and/or preventative strategy that I've found successful over the past year.
4. Some posts, particularly my first few posts, will provide background information relative to anxiety and panic disorders. I will also discuss typical symptoms and the diagnosis process.
5. Each weekly blog will provide a "preview" of next week's blog. For instance, my blog next week (if I even have any readers next week) will be about my diagnosis, the diagnosis process in general, and how you can start to handle being diagnosed with a disorder that has no cure.
As I mentioned, the journey for me is still underway. I have a year under my belt and that year has provided a lot of guidance and insight. I'm excited for this blog. My hope is to have at least one reader that wants to take this journey with me. Because, let's be honest, being an adult is hard enough. and going through that journey alone is overwhelming. Toss anxiety and panic on top of that, and it's enough to make you want to stay in bed everyday.
See you penguins next week!!