Perfectionism used to be my badge of honor. I thought being meticulous, detail-obsessed, and never satisfied with “good enough” meant I was driven and disciplined. But at some point, that drive turned into a daily tug-of-war with anxiety. I’d agonize over emails for hours, rework projects unnecessarily, and feel crushed by the fear of letting…
There was a time when I couldn’t sit still without my mind racing through every possible worst-case scenario. Even simple things like answering emails or walking into a meeting made my chest tighten. Then one day, I tried something that felt borderline ridiculous: a body scan meditation. I thought it would be another trendy trick…
If you’ve ever felt like you’re running on fumes emotionally, mentally, and physically—but still can’t slow down—that might not be just everyday stress. It’s something deeper, heavier, and more exhausting. That’s what burnout from chronic anxiety feels like. I’ve been there, and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. Living in constant alert mode was my…
There are days when I wake up and everything already feels like too much. Emails waiting, people needing things, deadlines lurking — and that invisible weight of anxiety just decides to sit right on my chest. If you’ve ever felt like you’re drowning before the day even begins, you’re not alone. Figuring out how to…
I’ll never forget the first time I saw my friend frozen, breathless, and visibly terrified while we were just waiting in line for coffee. No warning, no trigger I could see—just sudden panic. At first, I honestly didn’t know what was happening. I thought maybe a heart issue or even low blood sugar. It was…
When I first packed my life into boxes and stared out at the unfamiliar skyline of a new city, I didn’t expect the knot in my chest to grow tighter with every passing day. New opportunities? Sure. But the creeping, ever-present feeling of anxiety? I hadn’t planned on that part. And if you’re going through…
There was a time when I didn’t even realize how brutally I was speaking to myself. I’d mess up one small thing at work or forget a commitment, and this inner voice would chime in with, “You’re so careless,” or “You always screw things up.” Over time, I began noticing that this constant stream of…
It’s easy to assume that what happened in childhood gets left in the past. I used to believe that too—until I found myself battling unexplained anxiety as an adult. Panic at the sound of a raised voice, overthinking every interaction, and this gnawing sense of unease that never quite went away. Turns out, these weren’t…
It’s wild how one small sensation in your body—like a flutter in the chest or a random twinge—can send your brain spiraling into a full-on medical drama. I’ve been there more times than I’d like to admit. If you’re someone who deals with health anxiety, you probably know the routine: Google search, symptom checker, worst-case…