How does one shake off an unpleasant feeling? Like anxiety. I deal with anxiety every morning. When stuck in traffic while going to work, when I have to stand in a slow moving queue, or any queue really, with more than three people ahead of me awaiting a certain service. Sigh. What else makes me anxious? Oh, when in a public service vehicle and I’m forced to listen to some music I’m not a fan of. I could Google up ways to deal with anxiety and share with you, but I’d be lying. I’d be lying because I haven’t learnt how to deal with mine. And I would not want to preach water. When I learn how to deal with it, properly, then I’ll share.
For now I’ll tell you how I deal with my anxiety. I try to breathe and take some water. That’s when I’m at work. I try to listen to some calming music. If none of that helps, I pop pills. I know L I don’t like that method much but it seems to work fast. It’s not working today though.
How do I deal with anxiety in a queue? I try to distract myself. I keep counting the number of people ahead of me (not encouraging). I read something on my phone, look around, have conversations in my head, listen to music… though music does not help me much lately… I’m too lazy to yank my earphones out, plug them in and scroll through my playlist to look for an appropriate song to soothe me. I bite my nails, I swing my feet if I’m seated.
How do I deal with anxiety when using a PSV going home? I take a hundred matatus, literally (okay not a hundred) but, I will take as many vehicles to try and cover the shortest distance possible in the least amount of time. The problem with this is that I end up spending a lot of money on fare. This might not make sense to you but it is something that I do to feel better.
Do you struggle with anxiety as well? What makes you anxious, and how do you deal with it?