Anxious? Just Do It!

Don't think about it! Breathe and just do it!

If you have to do something that petrifies you, here's the secret to getting it done with as little anxiety as possible: Just do it. Don't even think about it. Forcing yourself to 'just do it' allows you no time to create worst case scenarios in your head or find a way to back out.

Yesterday I had to have a blood test. I'm not scared of needles, but I'm terrified of the way I feel after getting one. I feel faint, nauseous, sweaty. About six months ago I actually blacked out after a blood test.

So yesterday when my doctor told me I'd need a blood test to help figure out what's causing my new chronic pain symptom, I froze. And said no. And then, "can I take an Ativan and ask someone to come with me?". She said, "Why don't you do it now? Get it over with. Don't think about it. You can do this".

I shook my head, but then I considered it. Wouldn't having the test now, even if my worst fears came true, be less scary than waiting a week, imagining passing out over and over, and then having to deal with the test? 

So I agreed. I did the test. It was awful. It took half an hour to find a vein and I almost passed out again... But I did it. And the triumphant feeling of knowing I faced my fear and came out on the other side was worth every moment of anxiety.

Beating Panic Disorder: Stop Giving Into the 'Shoulds'

We have so many shoulds in our lives-- from who we should be right down to how our days should go. But when you have an anxiety disorder, things don't always go to plan.

Tuesday morning, I get on the bus expecting an uneventful ride, but there's a guy picking his nose and wiping it on the back of a chair, then coughing. A germaphobe's nightmare. So I get anxious.

Then I walk from the coffee shop to the grocery store, and it's hot out compared to the temperature inside, and I have a slight headache. Instead of thinking the weather's wonky today, I think "I'm sick, I'm gonna panic, and I'm gonna die". It's irrational, but it's often the anxious person's thought process.
 
And I feel so small. I had a panic attack today! That's pathetic. I'm pathetic.

But... If we stop giving into the shoulds and start embracing how far we've come, how many panic attacks we haven't had today, we'd be a lot healthier and happier.

I think I'll give that a try. Will you?

How To Cope With Travel Anxiety

I'm a classic example of a person with travel anxiety. I get nervous before I leave for a trip, and often have panic attacks on the road.

But I love to travel.

My anxiety isn't as bad as it used to be, and that has taken a lot of effort. 

To read my top tips for coping with travel anxiety, check out this mental health article I wrote for Examiner.com.

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