In honor of World Mental Health Day, this week we have decided to release our much anticipated episode on ANXIETY. As many of you may already know, we have both dealt with anxiety and depression most of their lives and today we not only invite you into that crazy world but are here to remind you that you are NOT ALONE. Let's get ready because this episode is PACKED with not only our experiences but ways in which WE ALL can master it!

[3:13] Anxiety Defined. Anxiety is NORMAL...yes, we said it. It is our body's natural response to stress; however, we describe how today's stress versus the stress at the dawn of mankind is VERY different. We break down anxiety into three different tiers in which some of us may fall in one or all three:

[6:26] Physical. Anxiety can manifest physically via panic attacks, GI symptoms, sweating and weight fluctuation. Nat has the most experience in this arena and shares her struggles with dealing with physical symptoms of anxiety.

[9:50] Mental. This by far Nina deems to be the most challenging to master. Mental manifestations of anxiety include intrusive and ruminating thinking, an inability to focus, catastrophizing, avoidance and feelings of losing all control.

[15:05] Emotional. Nina expresses how this is the tier she struggles with the most. Some examples of emotional symptoms of anxiety include rapid cycling of emotions, being on edge, engaging in autopilot, and the lone soldier syndrome.

[17:48] Nat & Anxiety. Nat shares a beautiful essay expressing the feelings felt during panic attacks. Much of these panic attacks began to manifest in her early teenage years. Nat identified that the primary trigger to these attacks was her feeling of loss of control regarding time, schedule, or especially not being able to tell an outcome of something right away. Nat also dives into the delayed responses resulting from her panic attacks which include GI symptoms.

[28:51] Nina & Anxiety. Nina shares how primarily one work experience drove her to experience anxiety in a way that she has never experienced before: the physical realm. This experience first manifested emotionally where she broke down in her car before work everyday for a year and then, the physical symptoms started to kick in which included her being unable to get out of bed, having body consistent body aches, extreme lethargy/fatigue and sleeping 12+ hours a day

[37:11] Opposite Ends of The Spectrum. We discuss how both of our experiences impacted our sleep but in opposite ways where Nina was essentially hibernating and Nat was a zombie barely getting sleep.

[37:53] Mastering Anxiety. We would be remiss without leaving the BYNT Thrive Tribe with some tips on how to master (not overcome, because let's be honest, we are going to keep facing it) anxiety which include:

[37:58] Being open to medication - As we know, Nina was very resistant to medication but she explains the options she executed in working with a medical professional

[42:02] Anxiety is a superpower. From their all time favorite book, Untamed, Nat shares some insight that Glennon Doyle writes in regards to shifting our own perspective about anxiety

[44:34] Being still + Identifying the type of processor you are. We often are quick to act when anxiety creeps up but Nat & Nina encourages us to take some time and sit with the anxiety and identify how you typically process it.

[48:40] Understanding your triggers. Do you notice a pattern of how your anxiety begins? Nina and Nat share some of the triggers that spark their anxiety.

[52:23] Identifying your tribe. You are not meant to walk this journey alone. Nat & Nina drive the point home of how important it is to have a strong support system that you can be vulnerable with.

Resources:

Untamed by Glennon Doyle

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Baklava,

Nat & Nina