Have you ever felt as if the whole world is slowly crushing down on you? There’s nothing you can do to stop the increasing pressure. The pressure squeezes your chest, deflating your lungs. You gasp for breath but find there’s no air to take in. The world closes in. Soon you start feeling nauseous and faint. Still, the pressure increases and there’s still nothing you can do. You try to call out for help but find your mouth is too dry – you can’t even part your lips. When will the pressure let up? Your vision blurs and you can’t help but pray to pass out. Still, the pressure continues…
Do you ever feel as if your brain is full of terrifying cobwebs and no amount of dusting can remove the anxiety? Will you pass the next exam? Will your GPA drop? Will you have a job after graduation? How long will you be in debt? Will your family be okay? Will you — STOP. Take a deep breath…
You try to stop the racing thoughts but they never fully come to a halt. You lay in bed, praying the racing thoughts will come to an end so you can make it to your 8AM the next day.
The alarm clock goes off… Should you bother getting out of bed today?
Even with the lack of motivation you force yourself out of bed. You dress nice and paint on a smile. Go through the motions – it’s what is expected. Laugh when prompted. Smile when acceptable. Act “normal.”
Sometimes you can’t always act “normal” though. Those times are when you feel the sadness creeping in like an eclipse. You can try to run from the darkness but, deep down, you know you need to let it run it’s course.
Your eyes begin to fill and your nose starts to burn. You can feel the back of your throat tighten as your stomach drops to your toes. As much as you’re tired of crying, you can’t stop the tears from falling – nor do you truly want to.
Can you relate to these problems? Do you know someone who can relate to them? If so, here are a few ways to cope through the suffocating darkness. I use the word “cope” because even during the darkest moments, you will eventually find a light. The sadness isn’t going to be the end of you (even though I know it feels like it).
When you feel like the world is closing in, try some different coping skills. Distract yourself by writing, drawing, watching a funny TV show/movie, or exercising. Say at least one reason why everything is going to be okay in the end (even if you don’t believe it). Make lists — gratitude lists, goal lists, “people who love me” lists, solution lists and even to-do lists.
When you feel an anxiety attack coming on, try to ground yourself. Play the 5-4-3-2-1 Game, where you look around yourself and name 5 things you see, 4 things you feel, 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell and 1 thing you taste. Or, try out the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). One way to do this is the “Tapping Solution.” Tap your fingers in a rhythm and try to solely focus on the tapping. Finally, take a piece of paper and write down every single thing that is on your mind. Once it’s written down, take a deep breath and rip the paper up.
When you can’t stop crying, let yourself. Cry as hard as you possibly can – let it out. Don’t place judgment on when or why you cry, either. Sometimes you’ll find yourself happy one minute and crying the next – this is okay. Finally, and most importantly, remember to focus on your breathing – don’t let yourself hyperventilate.
It’s okay to not be okay. But, it’s not okay to stay that way. If you know someone who is struggling, don’t baby them or treat them differently – just support and love them. If you are struggling, don’t feel ashamed to reach out for help. There are people who want to help you. Here is how you can reach some of them:
*All images courtesy of Pinterest