So I was planning out all of the work I have to do before the semester ends, and it has made me feel like a ball of stress. So, I’m going to kill two birds with one stone ( Metaphorically, I don’t intend to murder birds) and write a blog post- this way, I’m relieving stress by talking about it, and crossing off an assignment looming on my to-do list.
Everyone gets really stressed out sometimes, clinical diagnosis of anxiety or no. There’s this strange range of sensations I physically go through every time I get stressed out, which is often. I call it my “ball of stress”, because sometimes my anxiety feels like a heavy, huge ball rolling around frantically inside my stomach. I feel my stress mostly inside my belly, but it can often manifest to other parts of my body. Sometimes my anxiety and AHDH work together to make my legs bounce up an down rapidly while I’m sitting down. While I generally do this without the pressure of stress, it gets worse and more noticeable the more anxious I become.
Then there are Panic attacks. These are less common, but still pretty scary to deal with. My heart rate often increases rapidly and I start to forget how to breath. Sometimes I get weird aching sensations in my shoulders or upper arms, which make me feel like I’m having a heart attack. A friend of mine with a similar form of anxiety taught me a trick once: when it feels like you’re having a heart attack, press your fingers to your collarbone, right next you your heart. Putting pressure there is a way to remind yourself that you aren’t actually dying, and it often helps slow down my heart rate. Sometimes I get so stressed out during a panic attack that I suddenly become weirdly calm, as if my brain just shut off for a bit because I couldn’t process anymore. These are just a few of the ways my body processes stress and anxiety. I know I’m not everyone, so I’m interested in how other people embody their stress. How do you all feel when your stressed out, or going through a panic attack? I always find that talking about it helps, so feel free to relieve stress in the comments.
Unruly Bodies 
Stress and anxiety show themselves in different ways depending on the person. Some people take their anxiety in stride and use it to be productive (like you did with this post, hooray!). Some people completely collapse into a full blown panic attack. Others choose to disassociate and forget about everything until last minute so that they don’t have to think about it right now. I’ve found that scheduling makes school stress much more manageable. Say you have 2 papers due next week: plan to write the draft for one on Saturday, and the other one Sunday. Then Monday, read them over and fix anything you think may not be so great, and you’re done! The hardest part is getting started, but once you have that draft or you’ve studied half of what you have to study, it no longer appears so daunting. Stick with it! We’re almost done with the semester!
When I’m stressed, it’s a full body experience. My stomach tightens, my blood is pumping, and a million thoughts are circling around my head. Often, it’s the smallest of things that spark stress. I convince myself that I’m doomed forever because I put off that one assignment an extra day or that my school work has piled up to uncontrollable amounts. So, in these situations, I take a deep breath and think logically. Focus on one task and get it done, then move on to the next. Take breaks for yourself, do things that make you happy and then get back to work! We’re all stressing about finals but just think of the moment when we complete that last essay or exam…it’ll all be worth it.
I agree with the comments above. I believe that taking breaks will definitely help with those panic attacks. You don’t need to stress yourself out. I read an article about Morgan Freeman and how he still looks ‘young’ i guess and he simply said, ‘i do not stress over things i cant control’ and that is brilliant. Write things and down and continue to go over them, even if you have to every hour but also take breaks, watch tv, paint your nails, take a bath…whatever. just relax.
I also agree with everyone above in the comments! When that stress hits you its hard to control the countless amounts of thoughts that are running through your mind. I also have an uncontrollable urge to bounce my legs up and down and for as long as I can remember i have a terrible habit of biting my nails. Its disgusting and i have spent years trying to overcome this habit, by putting weird tasting nail polishes on my hands that will prevent me from biting my nails but even that doesn’t help! The best way i cope with the stress is to also just take a deep breath, go for a quick walk to clear my mind and then i tackle one assignment at a time. Sometimes i cry it out, eat it out, or freak out. Its not the healthiest thing but it calms me down and once all that emotion is relieved i sit back and ease my way into the task I have to complete! No matter what you have to do, just know you’re smart and strong enough to get through it and you should be proud of it 🙂