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Anxiety Extremes
Navigating The Ups and Downs Of Mental Health
My anxiety can manifest in two extremes. I either have lots of energy and motivation and accomplish all kinds of things. On the other hand, I can completely freeze up and get nothing at all done. Over the years, living with mental health issues has taught me many things. I have developed coping strategies, and they help me to keep moving when I have no motivation, but nothing is a foolproof method.
Some days are harder than others, and I have learned to rest when I cannot find motivation to perform the most simple tasks. Life with mental illness struggles is never easy, even on my better days.
“I’m the kind of person who can paralyze myself very easily by over-thinking decisions.” Charles Forsman
Paralysis
When I am overwhelmed by the enormity of obligations, my first response is usually freezing. So often, I feel like I never meet my own expectations and goals for the day. At the end of every day, I reflect on what I accomplish and feel I let myself and everyone who depends on me down by not accomplishing my goals for the day. Usually, this will trigger a cascading chain. When I neglect the tasks for the day, the next day I am even more overwhelmed by the tasks pile on top of each other, until the clutter and chaos reach their…