Anxiety

Anxiety holds a lot of people hostage. There are many valid reasons why people suffer from this very frustrating ailment. Some people grew up walking on eggshells, or were expected to be perfect, while others seem to have a black cloud following them throughout life, either way, anxiety simply sucks!

When it comes to eating disorders, you cannot escape the feeling of wanting to jump out of your own skin. In other addictions, just as in EDs, the fear, worry, panic, and overthinking is so unbearable that we escape to the very actions and/ or behaviors that had us reeling in the first place!

I remember when I started starving myself. In a sick way, I looked forward to the times when I almost passed out, because it meant I didn't have to think or feel. Same with bulimia. Having that anxiety rise every time I knew I had to go to eat out or have dinner at a house that wasn't mine was torture ..Ugh!!!! The only way to stop those feelings was to engage in the harmful behaviors that I wanted to escape from! When I talk about this stuff with some of my ex-druggie friends, they always seem surprised that we were in the same frame of mind, with the same sick cycles repeating. They would want to escape bad feelings or uncomfortable situations, so they would go get their pills or needles. Sure, it would eliminate ALL feelings for a moment or two, but when you had to come back to reality, that shame from taking the drugs, drinking the drinks, or barfing the food would send you right back into those feelings!!! The cycle is maddening and creates anxiety at levels most people could not imagine.

What do we do about anxiety? Well, in today's society, we pop a pill. I'm not a fan. Pills don't get to the root of the problem. I used to call my anti-anxieties/anti-depressants, my "I don't give a sh**" pills. They numbed me up pretty good, but the side effects made me worse. Later, after getting my pharmacy technician education, I knew I could never lean on these things again, nor would I ever promote anyone to use them long- erm. I mean, did you know that a very popular anti-depressant consists mainly of fluoride?! Ya know, that same fluoride that calcifies the pineal gland?! No wonder I called them my "I don't give a s***" pills! (I never worked a day in a pharmacy by the way.)

Now, don't get me wrong, I think that some medications CAN be helpful, but just like in any stimulant, depressant, or regulator...if we lean on them too much or take them for too long, your body gets lazy and will no longer produce hormones that help regulate your functions (or emotions). We become hand cuffed to a pill or therapy that no longer helps us, but merely allows us to produce things our body should be doing on its own.

I have to admit, that with all the toxins in our food, water,

and air, it is virtually impossible to escape some negative hormonal issues, but there IS something we can do to combat anxiety and hormonal dysregulation.

Essential oils: Aromas are helpful and can stimulate function. Frankincense, sandlewood, and ginger help with your pituitary gland function. Myrrh and orange help with the thymus. Sage, lavender, and rosemary help with testosterone. Sage, peppermint, and rose are great for estrogen. And last, but certainly not least, we have Lavender, bergamot, ylang ylang, and vetiver for...that's right...ANXIETY!

Exercise: Aerobic exercise has the reputation of helping to relieve anxiety, but I beg to differ! I LOVE lifting weights. Not only can I release some of that negative energy; I can also keep my mind from wandering or overthinking, because I have to concentrate on form, reps, an changing up moves. Cardio tends to be more dangerous for me, because you don't have much to concentrate on, so I usually get in my head.

Food: Changing up your food is a must! I know for people with EDs this is tough to wrap your head around, but hear me out! You need to start looking at food as medicine rather than the enemy. There are plenty of foods that are packed with vitamins, anti oxidants, and GOOD fats (yes, fat is good....sugar is the real enemy)! Nuts, seeds, berries, avocado, green veggies, turkey, and anything fermented (kefir, kombucha, kimchi, sauerkraut, and pickles) can help get your hormones back on track, and help in the painful re-feeding time.

Music: Who doesn't love music? I like all kinds, but when I feel that stress bubble rising up in my gut, I will listen to something with a hard repeatable beat, classical, Christian, or hertz melodies with scripture being read over it. Having anything positive infiltrating your brain is going to help you through the roughest times.

Art and Writing: If you have tried everything to relax, but still can't, I recommend getting the paintbrushes out, or the good ol' pencil and paper. Write a poem, draw a picture, paint what you feel like on the inside! Make it detailed. The more you focus on your creativity, the less you feel the anxiety.

Anxiety is one of the hardest things to combat when you are trying to recover, or are IN recovery. You start having a clear mind, you feel all the things you once ran away from, and all the numbing agents are now gone. It's time to deal with issues, and it ain't easy! I hope that my tips on how to thrive through anxiety are helpful.

You never know unless you try!