A Healing Balm for Stress and Anxiety

Stress and anxiety have been a constant tension in my life. A few days ago, a mysterious itchy rash started spreading across my body like wildfire. I scrambled to book the first dermatologist appointment I could find. The doctor prescribed a strong steroid cream to combat the tiny, red, angry bumps across my body.

A week before this rash started, I had a stressful work event. I broke down when I got home, overwhelmed by the number of things I had on my plate. As a mother of 2 toddlers, navigating myasthenia gravis over the last 2 and a half years has been challenging to say the least. Learning to balance family, work, and health often felt impossible.

Understanding myself

In my search for self-help books one day, I came across The Highly Sensitive Person. The term highly sensitive person (HSP) was coined by psychologist Dr. Elaine Aron, who started researching high sensitivity in 1991.¹

HSPs have a trait called Sensory-Processing Sensitivity, which is when someone processes physical, emotional, and social stimuli more intensely than others. When I came across this term and started reading more about this trait, I felt understood and relieved that I wasn't alone.²

I noticed that other mothers did not seem as overwhelmed on a day-to-day basis as I was. Of course, we never see what is truly behind the scenes. However, when talking to other moms, my experience seemed much more immobilizing. For others, the newborn stage was terrible but manageable. For me, I often felt depressed, angry, and on the brink of irrational behavior.

Learning my triggers

The crying, lack of sleep, and constant demands were too much for me to process. Though children have been a blessing and source of joy, I now recognize how overstimulating motherhood can be.

Another weight I carry is fear of the future. Sometimes I worry I'll look up and suddenly see double again. I wonder how long my treatment will last, if I will need another dose, and how often that will be.

The biggest stress factor would probably be my relationships. I am continually learning how to manage my emotions, set boundaries, and not take things personally.

Taking it a step at a time

Understanding what caused my stress was the first step. Becoming aware of these triggers has helped me to stop, think, and even prevent the stress from happening.

After I discovered I was highly sensitive, I have tried to avoid situations that would cause unnecessary distress. I take as much time as I can to myself, and use that time to recharge and rest.

Something my husband has taught me to value is gratitude. I believe gratitude is the true healing balm for stress and anxiety. Understanding myself and honoring my needs was only cleaning and preparing the wound.

The path towards peace

To truly change my mindset and build a foundation of peace, I needed to develop a practice of gratitude. Rather than focusing on all the things going wrong, I am learning to be grateful for everything that is going right.

There are many ways we can integrate gratitude into our lives. Try some gratitude journaling prompts - you can find many online. Download apps that help you integrate more gratitude into your life.

Talk to a friend or family member about your desire to practice gratitude, and ask them to keep you accountable. Gratitude is a powerful and grounding tool, a path towards a peaceful and joyful life.

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