Testing and anxiety
Posted on | May 6, 2010 | 1 Comment
I’m a firm believer that we all have some hint of test anxiety; unfortunately, some cases are work than others. I’m preparing for finals as we speak… at 2:12 in the morning, yeah it’s a little late, I know. At any rate this post will be short and sweet:
I want to hear some instances where you have experienced test anxiety. Personally, I have never had test anxiety DURING a test, but I have had it before or after. What’s your story?
Ten Things That Make me Anxious….
Posted on | May 4, 2010 | 3 Comments
So I’m going to try to post on here pretty much daily from now and until the end of the world. Last night while lying in bed, I came to the conclusion that today’s topic should be about things that cause us to be anxious. With that being said, I won’t delay any longer.
Ten things that make me anxious:
1. Movies- Not just any movie, either. We’re talking movies that has mass destruction, or in some cases, extinction. Movies that have very sappy themes; the ones that TRY to make you feel like crap, kind of like The Notebook. *puke* Movies where loved ones die, particularly the old and the young.
2. Any high risk activity- I play my odds when it comes to life. I don’t go sky diving, I don’t drive recklessly and I don’t have surgeries unless I’m going to die.
3. Medical Forums- They have symptoms; I have symptoms; we all have symptoms. You get the idea.
4. Work Load- Any time I have a lot of work to do, you can bet on me being nervous and jittery.
5. Money- I want a lot of it; I never do.
6. CNN- I don’t want watch CNN or any other channel, although I do because I feel like it’s my duty as a citizen to know what’s happening in the world.
7. High fat foods- Yeah, I think about it while I’m chomping on a greasy burger. Unfortunately, this would also make the, “Ten Things that Makes me Happy” list.
8. Social settings- Only if there’s a lot of people. Participating in group activities with people I don’t know.
9. Tests- Enough said.
10. Interviews- With me or by me, I still don’t like them.
Tell me some things that make you nervous or anxious. I would love to see them.
How to Handle Depression
Posted on | May 2, 2010 | 1 Comment
Many individuals who are afflicted with anxiety issues tend to have episodes of depression. I thought it would be a good idea to post this article I wrote some time ago on depression and how to deal with it.
I feel at one point or another we all have small episodes of depression. Please remember, nearly every one will have a case of depression at one point or another. However, some people can become, what is considered to be, clinically depressed. In order to be clinically depressed, your episode has to linger longer than a two week period. If you think you are clinically depressed, it would be advised you talk to your doctor. Remember, depression is a treatable illness and you’re not alone.
Every one’s symptoms will differ in regards to depression, some will give up on life, and some will simply be annoyed all the time. Depression isn’t something that only affects you; it also affects your friends and family. Treating it, or learning to manage it yourself, is a must. The last thing you want is your condition affecting your work or home life.
My personal advice to any one who is currently in a depressed episode: Set a goal for yourself and work for it. It can be anything: Something you want to get done around the house to something related to your job. The number one thing you need to do is get your mind engaged in an activity, and off the unknown reason as to why you’re feeling blue.
Sit down and have a long talk with a friend. Make sure it’s some one who will take your condition seriously, having that long overdue “life” talk is a sure fire way to make you feel better. Listening to other people and relating your experiences together allows you to realize that you’re not alone.
Make sure your activities are productive. Do things that better you. Sitting on the couch, eating chips and watching television all day will cause any one to feel horrible. Do something creative or exercise. Physical work is also something that will make you feel better through out the day, so trim up those bushes next to the house your wife has been killing you about.
The previous steps are things that make me feel better when I’m feeling down. Every one has their own style of coping with life, but I hope they can help you as well. Remember you’re far from alone. Millions of people in the United States are depressed every day. Work to manage your depression, so you can be one of millions who are not.
I would love to hear other methods you use to deal with your depression. Advice is good, it only helps everyone!
Anxiety… and video games?
Posted on | February 5, 2010 | 3 Comments
Promptly after my first anxiety attack I made a trip to the Doctors office. Needless to say, it was to be the first of many in a “help Doc, I think I’m dieing” series. At any rate, after explaining to him what had happened, he told me that I had experienced a panic attack, and that VIDEO GAMES are what had contributed to it. He also noted the ridiculous amount of soda I take in on a daily basis (caffeine 
) probably didn’t help the issue.
According to my Doc, playing games such as Halo (first person shooters), can cause the brain to get worked up and mimic other things as well. For example, he says that when you’re playing and the opposing player shoots at you and you abruptly shift your head to avoid the virtual bullet, your brain is reacting to something that it only thinks is real.
Interesting.
So I vowed to quit playing as many games and consuming so much soda.
That lasted a few hours. Oh well.
Has anyone else seen a correlation in anxiety/panic attacks and video games and/or any other form of multimedia? OH and don’t forget I would love to see some comments on previous posts I have written. I check them all daily, so don’t forget to backtrack!
First post with a first theme:
Posted on | January 30, 2010 | No Comments
Ok, I find it appropriate to tell my readers a little about myself before I begin posting a like middle-school aged teen on Facebook. My name is Jonathan, but you can call me Jon. I’m a mole checking, lymph node feeling, internet browsing, doctor visiting, paranoid hypochondriac who has generalized anxiety disorder… and well… that’s about it. I figured the best theme for the launch of my new website, Let’s Talk Anxiety, would be one of first time experiences.
The first time I realized I had this horrid condition, I was in grade school. After an epic day of video game playing and Mt. Dew drinking, I began feeling a little odd. Nothing hurt, I had no pain, and yet, I began losing my breath. Needless to say, it scared the living hell out of me. I had no idea why, so I immediately stood from the leather computer chair I was sitting at and began pacing frantically around the room. My cousin, who isn’t exactly the calmest person in the world, was asking “what’s wrong!” rapidly, and although I was gasping for air, I managed to exclaim, “Something’s wrong!”.
I burst out the front door of the double-wide trailer we lived in and ran next door to my Grandmothers. Everything seemed so surreal, I was numb from head to toe, the color in my skin had vacated me to leave me a ghostly hue and I was SURE these were my last moments alive. My family greeted me in the living room of my Grandmothers house and, after taking a look at me, started asking me what had prompted my intense shade of white. I was trying to tell them, but I was too scared, and in my hysteria continued to pace about the floor. I figured if I could just keep moving I would be OK… it’s stupid, but I was in grade school!
After forcing me to sit down, I began to control my breathing. My feeling, color and perception to the world around me began to come back into view. From that day on I began to ponder my health. I searched forums learning more about illnesses that I needed to know. Now I know too much, and I regret searching for things that I thought were wrong with me.
I’m interested in your first experiences with anxiety. What’s your story?