At the height of dealing with anxiety, it was crippling. I rarely left my house besides going to work, didn't hang out with people I loved the most and stopped doing what brought me joy.

When I hit my breaking point, I started having physical symptoms of my anxiety. I'm not talking about panic attacks and a racing heart rate which I was used to. I developed tingling all over the left side of my body. I went to the doctor as soon as it happened. It terrified me. As I talked with my doctor about the last few years of my life, I realized that I had let anxiety take over. It didn't happen overnight; it happened little by little. At that moment I realized I was living about 20% of the life I had once lived. I didn't want to live life in the small box I had created for myself. I wanted to break free. Everyone's path is different, but here is how I overcame anxiety. 

Counseling.  

After going to the doctor (who gave me medicine I did not want to take), I sat in a counselor's office for the first time. This was the single best decision I made on this journey and a step I always tell people who are struggling with anxiety to take. Having an unbiased person speak truth into your life is freeing and life-changing. After chatting for a few minutes, she told me I needed medicine to help me rebalance my body. 

Medicine.

For me, I truly believe I couldn’t have crawled out of the pit I was in without taking some medication. This step isn't for everyone, but if you need medicine, don’t feel shame in taking it! It helped me retrain my brain (in conjunction with my counselor) and helped me see reality when my brain wanted to feel anxious. 

People.  

There was a tight-knit group of people I told about my anxiety who helped me out of the pit anxiety had created in my life. If I checked out for a few days, didn't reply to their texts, or told them I was too busy to hang out, they were the first to ask how I was feeling. They were determined to keep me moving forward and not let me slip back. 

Know your triggers.

At this point, while my anxiety doesn't control me, I'm not sure I'll ever entirely escape it. I recently walked through a tough season in our family and my anxiety reared it's ugly head as the lack of sleep and stress lessened my ability to cope with it. Knowing your triggers and not giving into anxiety in those hard moments can keep you moving forward. 

If you are struggling with anxiety, I know it seems like you will NEVER be free. I've been there. But, take a step today to move forward before you hit that breaking point. When you find the right people to walk through this hard season with you, you'll begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

If you aren't sure where to find that community of people that can help you break free, join us at Connection Pointe any weekend. Click here to learn more.