“Just because I can’t explain the feelings causing my anxiety doesn’t make them less valid.” — Lauren Elizabeth
IT’S a battle inside the mind to prevent a young teenage girl’s thoughts from being controlled by anxiety in this scene from “Inside Out 2.” Honestly, the majority of people can relate to this scene, especially those who have been struggling with mood disorders for years.
As I watched the film with my sons, brother, and sister-in-law, it struck me that Inside Out 2 reminds me of one of the anxieties that have been with me through thick and thin for more than 20 years. I also felt compassion for Riley as a representative of real people I know whose unstable emotional worlds loom dangerously vast in their sense of identity and overarching purpose. Also, this is the fruit of contemporary definitive identity, which has beckoned us to distinguish ourselves on our terms, favoring inner impulses and deeply felt desires over external significances, standards, and expectations. Riley's emotions intensify as she tries to maintain her relationships with her best friends while trying to impress a new group of friends. This story demonstrates how social expectations and norms affect our emotions and behavior as Riley shifts between the two groups.
The Inside Out 2 movie makes us open our eyes as witnesses to the miraculous wonders of human consciousness. There is a point when wonder about our inner life goes beyond grateful awe and reaches unhealthy obsession. How can we live with Anxiety in the real world?
So.. What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worry, and fear. Let me give you an example. Think of anxiety as an internal smoke detector. But instead of warning you of only smoke, it warns you of any perceived threats. This “alarm” warns us of any approaching danger so we can protect ourselves. Nonetheless, if a smoke detector isn’t calibrated properly, steam from a shower might falsely trigger the alarm. Furthermore, your anxiety may be perceiving danger where none exists. Once the smoke detector gets triggered, it keeps going until you turn it off. In terms of anxiety, it keeps on going until the threat is relieved, disrupted, or eventually goes away on its own.
Now you know anxiety is like a smoke detector that alerts you of any perceived danger. Now, you might probably be wondering why does it happen and where does it come from?
Anxiety is an evolutionary trait that helps protect us from danger. Our brains are not designed to solve problems in a postponed rescue environment.
Anxiety isn’t just negative thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Anxiety is a distressing mental illness that can cause both mental and physical symptoms. You can experience physical symptoms such as sweating, nausea, racing heart rate, insomnia, and stomach pains. These symptoms can take a toll and make it difficult to focus and be productive, make you feel fatigued, and make you more at risk of a physical illness.
Anxiety doesn’t discriminate and affects people of all ages.
Explaining your anxiety to someone is not going to be easy because you can't just share it with people to avoid being misunderstood and stigmatized by people who don't have any knowledge regarding anxiety and mental health. If ever you share your experiences with someone, it is ok to share what and how you feel. Since anxiety is unique to each person there is no sole justification for this…
"Feeling trapped in a relentless cycle of opposing emotions, where I attempt to relieve myself, it seems hopeless and it only contributes to feeling being stuck. It is overwhelmed and restless. I am in mental distress, logical thinking becomes challenging, and it affects my everyday functioning and productivity. I feel uncontrollable negative thoughts and reactions. There's a sense of being constantly judged or humiliated, exposed to rejection. It also feels like you are underwater, where short moments of relief are swiftly pursued by being submerged again. Logic and anxiety thoughts are like children, and being a referee all the time and being in a pervasive state of panic at the same time… Physically, It can feel paralyzing, like weighing heavily like a chest compression. Every thought tends towards the worst-case scenario, escalating distress and fear into outrageous spirals."
Living with anxiety can be very difficult, but there are steps I might share that might help you.
First, Cognitive therapy a.k.a. talking to someone you can trust. Talking to someone you trust about what's making you anxious could be a relief. It may be that just having someone listen to you and show they care can help in itself.
Second, Try to manage your worries. This is one of the challenges for me and took me years to practice this, even if it is a slow pace with progress. Also, identify your triggers. Anxiety can make it hard to stop worrying. You might have worries you can't control. Or you might feel like you need to keep worrying because it feels useful – or that bad things might happen if you stop.
Third, Looking after physical health. You heard me right? Yes. Looking after physical health helps you stay occupied and less worried. If anyone asked me, how? First, get enough sleep. It gives you enough energy to cope with difficult feelings and experiences. Second, Diet and Exercise. Write it down or put it in a reminder notebook, if you must. Eating healthier foods has been shown to help boost moods, improve memory, and prevent or manage the symptoms of depression and anxiety. while exercise is important for people with mental illness – it not only boosts our mood, concentration, and alertness but improves our cardiovascular and overall physical health.
Fourth, Try breathing exercises. Breathing exercises can help you cope and feel more in control. Just remember… Breathe.. Always remember, to take time to inhale. It is the simplest thing, but it is forgotten in anxiety attacks/panic attacks.
And lastly, keep a diary or journal. It might help to make a note of what happens when you get anxious or have a panic attack. This could help you spot patterns in what triggers these experiences for you, or notice early signs that they are beginning to happen. You could also make a note of what's going well.
Living with anxiety can mean you think a lot about things that worry you or are hard to do. It's important to be kind to yourself and notice the good things too.
