I want to start this post with a thank you to everyone who reads. Even if we don't talk about it - or maybe we do - knowing that you're out there reading and understanding is great. And maybe even this is helpful for you, I don't know. But just being heard is great. And … Continue reading Asking for help is hard
Life with Anxiety
Spring cleaning
Let's just take a second and talk about how amazing sleep is. SERIOUSLY. I slept a lot last night and I feel way, way better. In therapy yesterday, we were talking about how the last couple of days have been and I was saying that I'm glad that the bad days are better and how in some … Continue reading Spring cleaning
Or maybe not
I think the thing I love/hate about anxiety the most is how quickly it changes. For instance, yesterday, I was all super pumped about how well my anxiety checklist worked and how proud I am of myself for managing it. Today, I started my morning with an oversize dose of pepto bismal and am eating … Continue reading Or maybe not
Success!
GUYS. Something pretty damn cool happened today. First, you need a little context. So, NYC teachers get observed by the principal and/or assistant principal multiple times per year. Then we get rated according to a research-based rubric by a big education guru (hey Danielson), and that gets put into our file. At the end of … Continue reading Success!
Some things I’ve learned about anxiety
I was looking at my Symple data the other day and I noticed that I've only had one panic attack in the last six months. And while I've clearly felt some anxiety in that time, it's been pretty mild. (That blip in the data is the month where I felt like Symple wasn't helping me anymore … Continue reading Some things I’ve learned about anxiety
It’s ok and you are ok and it’s not your fault.
Huffpo is really kicking ass on the whole mental health front lately. They published an article today that is a collection of studies that show that mental illness is biological, not a personality flaw or something you can just "get over". Three cheers for Huffpo swinging its weight in the fight against stigma. For the 75% … Continue reading It’s ok and you are ok and it’s not your fault.
The two mes
For a long, long time, I've felt like there have been two mes. One is a kind of persona; the other the expression of my internal life. We started talking about this in therapy yesterday, and it's been on my mind. Why are there two? Is one more authentic than the other? Are these different … Continue reading The two mes
Seeing it all come to fruition
My awesome sister is due to give birth in a month and a half, and last weekend, we threw her a baby shower. Since I'm her little sister and we're best friends and generally just love the crap out of each other, she asked me to host. Obviously, I did (and I did a kick … Continue reading Seeing it all come to fruition
Withdrawl: hiding or healing?
Guys. I'm so sorry that it's been a while. I've been really wrestling during the last couple of weeks with the effect that anxiety has had on my social life. For the last two years, the only people I've seen regularly are the dude, my sister, my dad, and my step-mom. And the only people outside … Continue reading Withdrawl: hiding or healing?
Highly Sensitive People
I took the week off yoga last week, and boy was that an eye opener. I've known for a long time that yoga helps to manage the anxiety and panic attacks, and this year when school started I tried to really commit to a regular yoga schedule. Last week I thought I was getting sick … Continue reading Highly Sensitive People
it's only fear 