High Functioning Anxiety?

 The first time I came across the term "High Functioning Anxiety" was in a TedX video on YouTube. As the speaker began to explain what the term connotes, you needed to have seen me, I was constantly nodding my head " Like woman, you get it, this could be me she is describing" 

I think you would understand what I am saying because there would have been one or more times when something a speaker or writer as the case may be said something that made you say "hmmm" which could mean she hit the spot or you're dumbfounded by the level of understanding and the fluency at which a communicator passed his/her information.

Lately, I have been under a considerable amount of stress (who isn't these days) and honestly it hasn't been easy mentally. I would suddenly experience a burst of strange emotions at the mention of a presentation which  I was probably not 100 percent prepared for or be suddenly overwhelmed by the amount of work I have to do and at the same time fearing failure. I would later come to realize this was anxiety.

At times like that, I would find myself almost crying in the middle of a class or presentation, it was embarrassing sometimes. Moments like that I would excuse myself with the brightest smile i could summon, strut to the bathroom and talk to myself staring at the mirror, telling myself of all the beautiful qualities that makes me me and reminding myself of what I could do. this helped mostly. 

Times when I could not be excused, I would say all those things counting my fingers or repeating a particular movement. The rhythmic movement helped shift my focus from the "not so positive feeling"

Talking about it helped tremendously, apart from the joy of having people to share such dilemma with, the talking process can be very unraveling. In the sense that, as I talked, I began to understand why I felt that way, when I usually felt that way, things I could do to overcome the feeling and a way forward.

Why am I saying all of this, you might be experiencing something similar and might be finding it hard to deal with, some of the things I have talked about has helped tremendously and I am hoping it could be of help to you as well. If you are experiencing this at all, there's a lot you could do; for instance checking on people like that and listening to them .

It amazes me how much influence our mental space has on other aspects of our lives; it is either diminishing our productivity, negatively affecting our social interactions or doing the opposite!

I would end by saying, Your mental health is very important, take care of it, protect it fiercely💝

Do well to share with someone today and leave a comment😉

                                                                                                                Yours in Progress,

                                                                                                                Ifedolapo