Mark

There are many strategies I use to relax. I’ve learned these ways are the best for me over the course of many years struggling with panic attacks and anxiety. Learning how to control my anxiety and panic attacks took many years, and they’re still a hassle to deal with whenever attacks come, but I manage them pretty well.

At first, I was prescribed to anti-depressants from 8th grade until sophomore year. This was a terrible idea, because medicine actually made them more frequent and overwhelming. Eventually, I realized that the medicine was one of the causes of my anxiety, so I discontinued to take them. I was put on more medicine, Xanax, to be exact, but I only take one whenever I’m having a severe panic attack to the point where I feel like my breathing is impaired. Medication isn’t the best way to go about relaxation.

What I found that really works is controlling my breathing by counting them, listening to music, taking hot bubble baths with sea salt, reading, painting, and shopping. Listening to music is a must when relaxation is needed. Music causes many different types of emotions depending on the genre. Music can fill you with joy, or sadness, or motivation. Taking hot baths is extremely relaxing, because during this time you can also listen to music or read. They go hand in hand. Painting is relaxing because you can put so much emotion behind something that you’re making, even if it has no significance to what you’re going through. Acrylics are my favorite to work with, and you can create destruction to beauty with them. Shopping definitely has gotten me through a lot of hard times in my life, as terrible as it sounds. Whenever I’m shopping, or even looking at clothes, I feel so much better. Clothes make me feel confidence, and lack of confidence is what most of my anxiety is derived from. When I shop, I can think about everything and my thoughts will be organized. The clothes aren’t a distraction, but almost like a helping hand. These are the many strategies I use to relax.