Fear, stress, worry; sweaty palms, chills, trouble breathing; these are all factors that can come into play when dealing with an anxiety attack. It's a relentless mental disorder that many of us face every single day and finding ways to stop the symptoms while being cooped up inside a house isn't easy.
Before the outbreak, I combated my anxiety attacks by being outside as much as I possibly could. Going on walks, going to the store, spending time with friends; simply watching the world around me brought comfort and helped me to ground myself when I felt like I couldn't breathe.
However, as COVID-19 cases in the U.S. continue to rise, being in the company of others is the complete opposite of what anyone should be doing so I had to take the time to figure out what hobbies I could do from the safety of my own home.
My favorite hobby thus far: makeup! Sitting down and spending hours distracting myself with my own face has had the biggest impact on calming my anxious tendencies. I've found so much joy in challenging myself by attempting to recreate looks I've been inspired by or doing a simple look just to uplift myself when I'm feeling low. The creativity that comes with doing your own makeup is endless.
Another hobby I've taken up is painting! While I'm definitely not the best painter, I've had so much fun while doing it and I've realized that it's an activity I'd like to improve on and continue doing in the future. Sitting in the backyard, surrounded by nature and listening to music while I paint has been very therapeutic and I recommend it to anyone who is in need of a new hobby!
Photoshop has been another great distractor! I've spent hours watching tutorials on how to make a photo of the sky look a thousand times better and how to remove a person from the background of a selfie. It's trial and error but I'm learning and having fun while doing it.
To sum it up, there are so many ways to distract yourself. Find what interests you and do it! Saw a recipe on TikTok that you want to try? Make it! Is there a musical instrument you've always wanted to learn to play but never had the time to? Now is a perfect time!
Take a break. I know how hard it is to ignore what you hear and see on social media and the news but try your best. Focus on self-improvement, calming your anxiety rather than fueling it, and learn what works for you and what it is you enjoy doing the most.
