Member-only story
Feeling Anxious?
A Weighted Blanket Can Help Restore Your Calm.
**I am not a doctor or medical expert. I am sharing my personal story and experience. I encourage readers to do their own research when searching for a weighted blanket. Please consult with your healthcare provider before using a weighted blanket.**
There it is again — rearing its ugly head, and it knows no boundaries. I’m talking about anxiety.
It shows up at the wrong time and in the worst places. Sometimes for no apparent reason.
Did you know anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States? According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, it affects 40 million adults, or 18.1% of the population.
If that number isn’t staggering enough, out of the 40 million adults with anxiety, only 36.9% actually receive treatment. What a low percentage of people that is to actually get help — especially since anxiety is a very treatable condition in many different ways.
Truth be told, I am one of those 40 million adults. And I’m also in that low percentage of people who have received treatment for anxiety. It can feel lonely sometimes, but these percentages show me that I’m not alone at all. Stress and anxiety are running high these days. Even people who don’t normally feel daily anxiety are feeling the added stressors of life right now, anxiety disorder or not.
I was very young when I started developing anxiety symptoms. The first time that I can clearly remember is back in grade school. At that time, I was too young to comprehend why my mind would race or my heart would pound. All I knew was it felt extremely uncomfortable and it caused me to fear many things and situations — pretty much anything that triggered the symptoms.
As I got older — in my mid 20's— I knew I couldn’t keep going on living the way I was without getting professional help. I’m so glad I did, because I have come an extremely long way in the last ten years with recognizing and controlling my anxiety. But it hasn’t been without a lot of help along the way. I have tried natural methods — essential oils, CBD products, vitamins, books, diet, and exercise. I have also tried several prescription medications. Everything had mixed results.
