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Managing Anxiety

Living with a mental illness leaves me with some painful and embarrassing memories I would rather not revisit. At the same time, they are a part of me I can’t escape. I want my daughter to know about all the twists and turns in my life that brought to where I am today as her mother, so I'll have to tell her some of my embarrassing memories in the future.
In the past few years, I've developed a crippling fear of driving, way beyond driving anxiety. People who know me now find it hard to believe that I used to drive every day in Los Angeles traffic. When I was younger, I was fearless. In my early 20s, I lived in Los Angeles, which now feels like a different planet compared to my present-day home in Toledo. I never had a fear of driving when I was younger and I'm hoping that my motivations to succeed in business will continue to help me overcome this specific phobia.
Getting organized is one of the best coping techniques I use to ease my anxiety. I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder in my early 20s, and I also struggle with anxiety. Anxiety can be crippling sometimes – to the point that I don’t want to leave the house and I avoid activities. I certainly don’t have a solution, but I’ve found one simple trick that relaxes me a bit – getting organized eases anxiety.
I have been struggling for a while, but asking for help with my anxiety hasn't really been important to me. But when I look back at my life and the things that I’ve done, I notice my anxiety symptoms become progressively worse year after year. My husband has been encouraging me to ask for help for the anxiety, and I finally brought it up to my therapist and psychiatrist.
Is it an anxiety attack or an asthma attack? This is a question that those of us with both frequently ask when we feel short of breath, have chest pain, and are light-headed (Panic Attack Symptoms: Warning Signs of Panic Attacks). If you are in doubt you should call 911 or whatever your emergency number is, but there are some ways to tell if it is an asthma attack or an anxiety attack.
Do you know there are herbal remedies for anxiety? I have an extremely annoying neighbor. He was up all night laughing last night, which means I didn't get any sleep. This has been going on for weeks. Talking to him hasn't done any good. My anger and annoyance, fueled by sleep deprivation, are rapidly approaching homicidal ideation. Fortunately, there are three herbal remedies I know that help ease the raging anxiety.
Noise sensitivity can be likened to nails on a blackboard. The constant buzz and whir of music, technology, the buzzing of Facebook notifications, ringing phones and loud conversations can be overwhelming. This sensitivity to noise is known as hyperacusis, a condition that arises from a problem in the way the brain processes noise.
Once upon a time, a woman confident upon the stage, attended a TEDx event.  The woman wove her way through the crowd to find her seat and settled in.  The speakers were engaging, the topics diverse and she sat at  rapt attention. At the 1st break, the woman stepped out for fresh air.  Except that it wasn't fresh and there was no air.  Everyone else was taking all of the air.  She found herself swallowed up in the crowd and each time she re-established her personal space, the school of fish moved in again like a moving wall.  She spent every break wishing for a few moments of silence.  Even going outside the building brought no piece, the fish simply found another route to the "food".  The woman in this story is me and the story is about social anxiety, panic and the effects of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) on the ability to persevere.
PTSD triggers. For those of us with a mental health diagnosis (diagnoses), the definition of a trigger is far more than a level with a catch or means of releasing it. Triggers are a response to stimuli and a result of past trauma. PTSD triggers can include certain odors, a particular tone of voice, certain objects, places and so much more. The brain creates a physiological response: increased heart rate and respiration, sweating, a need to escape, a need for silence, sleeplessness, hyper vigilance and so much more. Responses to triggers are unique to each individual. No cookie cutter responses here!