high functioning

i have been teaching myself about healing and am amazed to learn about “high functioning anxiety.” it describes my condition to a tee. to everyone else, I appear supremely competent, confident, and accomplished. internally I feel constant fear, self-doubt, and worry.

i have had this condition my whole life and it has driven me to accomplish a lot of great things, albeit painfully. over time, I have adopted most of the suggested treatment methods: therapy, meditation, exercise, medication. I’m amazed by how much I was able to do while dealing with such a challenging (and potentially paralyzing) condition.

i recently listened to unwinding anxiety by judson brewer on the audible app. it was very helpful and I have been applying the practical tools to stop the mental chatter in my mind from hijacking my moods and days. i have also been using the curable app which supposedly is for dealing with chronic physical pain, but which I have found also can be applied to mental health issues and anxiety. my back carries most of my pain and anxiety to the point where the area between my shoulder blades gets so tight that I cannot focus again until after I get a massage.

it’s very exciting how the disciplines of therapy, technology, and research are coalescing to help people heal themselves and upgrade their own lives. present company included!