Do you have certain people in your life that create anxiety before they even arrive? Just knowing that they are coming or that they will be there ramps up your anxiety level to DeathCon 5?
Anxiety, doesn’t just pop in for a quick visit. When anxiety drops in, like our vacation this summer, I know that it will be around for a while. Even if it starts with a Panic Attack – there are the after attacks. Like an Earthquake, it’s all the little aftershocks in the next few weeks that freak you out the most. OMG! It’s the BIG one??
Anxiety is a result of all kinds of unbalance: physical, hormonal, emotional, and spiritual. Isn’t that the key to life? Keeping it all in balance. It’s just so freaking HARD. There are times when all the deep breathes, yoga, meditation, journaling, sleep, and whole foods are not enough. Because life is complicated, and hard, and unbalanced.
I’ve recently been introduced to a term called an Omnivert. A very interesting term that describes an individual who swings aggressively from Extrovert to Introvert depending on the trigger. Kind of describes Anxiety Disorder, A?
Have you ever been at a party or in a situation and everything’s fine one minute then all of a sudden Anxiety pops in the event, sidles up next to you, and all of a sudden you are racing to the bathroom. Your palms are sweaty, your heart is racing, and your thinking, “NO!NO!NO! What, what what?” You splash cold water on your face, grab the sink, steady yourself, and then decide to go back out. But the person emerging from the bathroom is not the same person who entered. This person is hesitant to jump back into a group conversation or any conversation. This person grabs cold water to sip and possibly a plate of food to look occupied as they park themselves in a corner.
If I am being honest I was more than a little offended when I heard the definition of Omnivert only because I figured that’s what everyone has been saying behind my back for years. Maybe rightfully so. I guess my biggest beef with it is that, I didn’t choose this. I was born this way. And I don’t even know what will trigger it. I mean I know what most of my anxiety triggers are, but Panic Attacks don’t play by the rules.
If I haven’t recommended it before I will here – or again. Glennon Doyle has a podcast called We Can Do Hard Things. And most recently, the 2022 episodes, she is focused on Friendship. If you are not familiar with Glennon Doyle you can check her out but she is very open and honest about her anxiety, addictions, and all their relatives. About 12/13 minutes into the January 25, 2022 podcast they are discussing introverts vs extroverts sticking to just these two descriptions when they strike on something so profound, for me anyway. Glennon’s sister comments that interaction, like eating, is unique to each person and everyone needs different amounts. That our brain feeds off human interaction but that introverts get fuller, quicker. They need less “food.” Then there was some big science words like homeostatic set points blah blah blah and how when introverts are required to keep eating, they get resentful.
While that alone was a huge light bulb moment – it made me wonder – what other set points do I have? Is my brain pre-wired to misfire 30 minutes into any event due to system overload. And if it is a set-point – can I re-set it??
Ahhhhh, my scientific musings. I hope one of you can explain homeostatic! Enjoy the podcast… http://wecandohardthingspodcast.com/
anxietyoholic 