Most of us have been there at least once in our lives- sweaty palms, heart racing and uncontrollable thoughts that could make anyone feel insane. For some, these things tend to happen when life just seems to get a little hectic, but for others, the smallest things trigger these symptoms, and eventually anxiety begins taking over your life.

Whether you suffer from anxiety some of the time or all of the time, I’m here to tell you that things do get better. A few years ago, I suffered from anxiety that, at first, appeared to be no big deal; but with time, it got worse with each passing day. It started out as not being able to go on the Ferris wheel at the fair, or sit in the second level at a baseball game, but then it took a turn for the worse. I slowly began having panic attacks everywhere I went, parking lots, grocery stores, the beach, you name it, it all triggered my anxiety. I felt as though I was crazy and that nothing would ever get better. I had lost control of my life and I had no idea how to get it back until I sought help, and everything became so much clearer. In just a few sessions with a psychologist, I was on the road to recovery and to this day, I don’t suffer from nearly as much anxiety as I used to. My goal for this article is to shed some light on the subject, and share things that truly made me feel better, in hopes that I can help someone else that may be suffering from similar experiences

1. You are not crazy

I honestly think this is one of the most important things to hear when you suffer from anxiety because sometimes you truly do feel as though you have lost your mind. However, I promise you that you are not crazy. I know with all of those seemingly absurd thoughts running through your mind, you may be thinking to yourself, “How am I not crazy? These thoughts are not normal.” While it may be true that your thoughts may not be the most rational, many people suffer from this all of the time. It all depends on how you process stressful situations or things that are out of your control, but the biggest takeaway is you are absolutely not crazy.

2. Push through your fears

I know that when you get placed in a situation that triggers your anxiety, whether it be a parking lot, the beach, heights, small spaces, etc., you need to push through that fear no matter how bad it may seem. Pushing through my anxiety was something that took a lot of courage; especially when I felt as though I may pass out at any given second from the anxiety. You need to realize that some of your fears are just not rational, and that once you push yourself through it, you will see that there is nothing to be afraid of, and that everything will be okay. However, this is something that you need to work at every day in order to see results.

3. Do not feel embarrassed that you have anxiety

You would be surprised at how many people suffer from anxiety on a daily basis, or even just every once in a while. Talk about it. Tell your friends, family members or significant other when things are becoming a little too much for you to handle. Have them talk you down from that high. I promise it will make you feel better. The people that have a special place in your heart may not always understand what it is that you are going through, but I bet if you let them know about your anxiety, they will try to understand it the best that they can.

4. Rationalize your thoughts

One of the best pieces of advice that I received from going to a therapist was that I needed to start rationalizing my thoughts so that I would not waste all of my energy crying and worrying about something that would cause no real harm to me. So, the next time you start to feel worried or anxious about something, pull out a piece of paper, fold it in half and on one side, write down your thoughts, and on the other side, really think about them. Are these thoughts reasonable? What will actually happen to you when you place yourself in the situation? If you can’t justify the thoughts in your mind, chances are, they are not worth time worrying about. Think positive thoughts about the situation, go out and really enjoy your life.

5. Things will get better and you can get through this

I know it may not seem like it now, but it gets better. However, you can’t expect immediate results with something like this, because it does take time. Think about it, pushing through your anxiety means altering your entire thought process on things. That’s not easy to do, but I promise that if you put the time and energy into working towards an anxiety free life, all of your hard work will pay off.

Just remember, “Life is tough, my darling, but so are you.”