Finally Asking for Help with My Anxiety Feels Good

I have been struggling for a while, but asking for help with my anxiety hasn't really been important to me. But when I look back at my life and the things that I’ve done, I notice my anxiety symptoms become progressively worse year after year. My husband has been encouraging me to ask for help for the anxiety, and I finally brought it up to my therapist and psychiatrist.

I'm Asking for Help with Anxiety Because I Used to Be Fearless

It seems like I used to be fearless. I’ve traveled overseas alone and I’ve also taken road trips alone. I used to be a musician and I would get a rush from performing. Even the thought of these things makes me nervous now. I don’t even want to go to the grocery store without my husband.

It has gotten to the point where I don’t want to leave the house alone. Anxiety affects me every day. I feel a pit in my stomach and often become irritable. It has affected my work performance as well as my home life.

I Thought Asking for Help with Anxiety Would Take Away My Edge

Even though anxiety has affected me for a long time, I just recently talked to my therapist and psychiatrist about it. I believed for a long time that my anxiety gave me an edge. I’m picky and careful and I check things over a million times. However, my anxiety now consumes me and it’s uncomfortable, to say the least.

Why I Finally Asked for Help with Anxiety

When I was brainstorming for this article, I created a list of my fears. I divided the list into two columns: large or obvious fears and small or irrational fears. The result was eye-opening.

The large or obvious fears included things like health issues and financial struggles. There were only four items listed in that column. However, in the small or irrational column, there were four times as many items listed. They included things like the fear of the dark, running late, crowded places, deep water, and forgetting my phone. It’s hard to admit that these are things that really upset me.

I did ask for help with my anxiety, and my therapist and psychiatrist were receptive to my concerns. My psychiatrist prescribed a new medication and my therapist challenged me to do one thing that makes me anxious each week.

I’m glad I’ve asked for help with my anxiety. That step alone brought me a tiny bit of relief. Now comes the work – doing what my therapist asks of me and waiting to see if the new medication helps. I hope to feel a little more at ease soon.