I suffer from Generalized Anxiety and Depression. Having this while running two businesses, taking care of a family, maintaining friendships, and trying to still to have a self identity is overwhelming. While I’m not perfect, I found a few tricks to help keep me afloat during the rough times. I hope this will help some of you too 🙂
Find A Great Therapist
Psychology Today’s “Find a Therapist” tool can help you do this!
Okay, this may not be feasible for everyone, but for those that have access to one, use it! You may find the perfect one off the bat, or you may have to “shop” around. Regardless, take advantage of the help if you can get it. I personally loved the ones I came across because they didn’t push medication as soon as I told them what was wrong. Every person is different. If you have severe depression or anxiety, it may be your best bet. In the end, you do have control over your life and what you choose to do.
Have At Least One Dependable Person In Your Corner
It’s important to have at least one person in your corner. While a therapist is great, having someone you can call or text anytime, vent to, cry to, laugh with, etc. is great for the soul and great for healing. If you feel as though you pushed everyone away, you didn’t. Been there, done that. A true friend will be there no matter what.
Join Social Media Groups
Maybe you really do not have anyone that understands what you are going through. There are groups on social media that are dedicated to helping and being supportive for those that need it. Yes, I’m saying sometimes talking to strangers can be a good thing. You can even find local groups and meet others that way. Of course, always use caution using the internet. From my experience, some groups were really helpful. I mainly used Facebook when reading and responding to posts.
One of my favorite groups for this is the Empowered Through Peace Community Group on Facebook!
Write Out Your Worries
Writing can be a huge stress relief. Buy a journal and keep account of everything on your mind. It can be for a release or you can use it to keep a list of possible triggers. Whatever the reason, be sure to write it down.
RELATED: Why I Journal Every Night
Keep A Schedule
This may be a little boring, but it is completely necessary. Writing out your days and setting time blocks can make a huge difference. What are time blocks? In simple terms, they are times you set for yourself to get something done. I use this a lot for work. An example would be setting out an hour of time. Out of this hour, I may work for about 45-50 minutes, then I would take a 10-15 minute break until the next hour. You can break this up as small or large as you want. It does not have to be exact, but it does help to keep everything in order.
And research shows that taking a break not only makes you more productive during your work time, but it is also important to prevent anxiety and depression from coming on.
Find Time For Yourself
Okay, this is easier said than done. Personally, I work from home during the school hours, then I’m off shuffling the kids to some sort of practice or on mommy duty. Finding breaks throughout the day can be tough, especially when I have a good bit of meetings & work to do. In order to keep myself sane, I get up around 5:30am to sit in quiet to enjoy coffee, listen to a podcast or squeeze in 10 minutes of meditation. If you don’t have that much time, taking two minutes to breathe throughout the day also does wonders!
RELATED: How to Make the Most of Your Time
Don’t Beat Yourself Up
Let’s face it. Some days are better than others. Even though I believe I have a good schedule going, there are some days where everything goes out of the window. It’s okay to have times like this. We aren’t perfect. The key thing is to not let it hold you down to the point where you feel as though you can’t regroup. Sometimes crying it out helps. Writing down what is bothering you also helps. Whatever you choose to do, don’t allow this moment of weakness to take over.
These are the times when having an awareness that you struggle with anxiety and depression is helpful. When you start with that awareness, then you can use these tips to help yourself feel better.
These tips may have been told over and over again, but they help me keep going when times get a little rough. Do you have any tips you want to share? I would love to hear about them!
To Your Best You!
Adriana
ADRIANA RICHARDSON
Adriana Richardson is from the beautiful Charleston area of South Carolina. There she lives with her husband and two children. Adriana has her Bachelors degree in Health Science, and she is a Virtual Assistant and writer by profession. Outside of this, she enjoys getting involved with her community, watching Netflix, has a small addiction to sweets and just likes to enjoy life with her family and close friends.
