I overcame one of my massive problems with anxiety the other day and I thought I should write a little blog post on how I did it, some of the techniques I used to calm my anxiety and and tips and tricks I would recommend to anyone in trying to overcome an anxiety they are suffering with.
This anxiety thing is a little weird at first, but hear me out, I am terrified and so anxious to go to the optician. I've always been quite anxious to go to any sort of appointment, mainly because I'm quite scared of getting a man doing whatever it is that I'm going for the appointment for. But the last time I went to the optician was when I was about 15 in 2011, so almost five years ago and I literally had the worst appointment ever.
I went to a Vision Express in the local town where I used to get counselling from and I got a man doing my eye test. My anxiety was already not doing and then came the actual test. I had an older man doing it which already made me feel super uncomfortable and hating my life. He just seemed so bored and didn't really show any interest, he didn't make me feel welcome or comfortable at all. It was literally the worst experience I've had with this sort of thing. He switched the lenses so quickly that I had no idea which one was better for my eyes and I didn't feel able to speak up about it in case he got angry at me. So I just guessed which one was better as I literally had no idea, and then he must have done the same one twice and I gave him two different answers so what did he do? He shouted at me and called me a liar who only wanted to get glasses. So I burst into tears and literally ran out of the room. Possibly my worst experience ever when it comes to having appointments.
So for the last five years I've been putting off going to the opticians even though I know I really should. Over the last few years I've noticed that my eyesight has got progressively worse, I knew I needed glasses but was far too scared to actually go and get my eyes tested because of my previous experience. I also was far too nervous to go into the shop and book an appointment and so I'd gone a least a couple of years knowing there was something wrong with my eyesight and not doing anything about it due to my anxiety. I would be driving and couldn't see the signs very well or I would walk down a street and not be able to properly see people's faces. I knew there was something wrong that needed to be fixed but I literally could not overcome the anxiety created from my last appointment.
I attempted to go twice before my mum finally booked me an appointment in a Specsavers near where I work and let me just tell you, I was a complete bag of nerves. There was this man there that I was terrified of, he seemed to be consulting people on what glasses to get and I hoped and prayed I wouldn't get him. I had my initial test where you look at a balloon and they take a picture of your eye which was done by a man, which I wasn't too freaked out about. Then came time for the second test, a woman called me into the room and I immediately felt so much more comfortable. She just had this really warm aurora about her and was very friendly and chatty. The complete opposite of the guy that I saw last time.
She just made me feel super comfortable and when I was unsure of something she would ask if I would like to have a look at it again and would do it until I was sure. I couldn't have asked for a better experience with it all. After the half an hour test she told me I did need glasses. Shock, horror, well, I knew I needed them anyway. I'm just glad she realised that too. I have a very mild prescription but it's nice to know that my worries about my eyesight were justified and not just me being super worried and anxious about it all.
But anyway, I've had my glasses for about two weeks now and I'm so much happier now that I can see properly. I mainly wear them for driving and work, I try not to wear them all the time as I don't really need to, but I think they suit me.
If I hadn't had got over this massive fear I had about going to the opticians I wouldn't be able to see as well as I do now. I know my mum pushed me into doing it but I really did need to go. Sometimes we have to really step out of our comfort zone and over come the anxiety we feel from certain things. I'm so glad that now I can go back to the opticians and feel so much more comfortable. Now I do have glasses I need to go get my eyes checked every year, which is something I'll be able to do now. I'll still need a little push but it's nice to know that it's something else I can cross of that I'm not as anxious about. It's literally the most amazing feeling ever.
I would say to anyone who wants to overcome something is to BREATHE. I found that I held my breath a lot to start off with and that's what started my anxiety off but when I breathed properly it all seemed so much easier. I also had some play-doh in my pocket to play with and mould when I felt nervous which really helped me. I guess it's finding what works best for you and going with it. If I can do it, I know you guys can!
Stay awesome.
I went to a Vision Express in the local town where I used to get counselling from and I got a man doing my eye test. My anxiety was already not doing and then came the actual test. I had an older man doing it which already made me feel super uncomfortable and hating my life. He just seemed so bored and didn't really show any interest, he didn't make me feel welcome or comfortable at all. It was literally the worst experience I've had with this sort of thing. He switched the lenses so quickly that I had no idea which one was better for my eyes and I didn't feel able to speak up about it in case he got angry at me. So I just guessed which one was better as I literally had no idea, and then he must have done the same one twice and I gave him two different answers so what did he do? He shouted at me and called me a liar who only wanted to get glasses. So I burst into tears and literally ran out of the room. Possibly my worst experience ever when it comes to having appointments.
So for the last five years I've been putting off going to the opticians even though I know I really should. Over the last few years I've noticed that my eyesight has got progressively worse, I knew I needed glasses but was far too scared to actually go and get my eyes tested because of my previous experience. I also was far too nervous to go into the shop and book an appointment and so I'd gone a least a couple of years knowing there was something wrong with my eyesight and not doing anything about it due to my anxiety. I would be driving and couldn't see the signs very well or I would walk down a street and not be able to properly see people's faces. I knew there was something wrong that needed to be fixed but I literally could not overcome the anxiety created from my last appointment.
I attempted to go twice before my mum finally booked me an appointment in a Specsavers near where I work and let me just tell you, I was a complete bag of nerves. There was this man there that I was terrified of, he seemed to be consulting people on what glasses to get and I hoped and prayed I wouldn't get him. I had my initial test where you look at a balloon and they take a picture of your eye which was done by a man, which I wasn't too freaked out about. Then came time for the second test, a woman called me into the room and I immediately felt so much more comfortable. She just had this really warm aurora about her and was very friendly and chatty. The complete opposite of the guy that I saw last time.
She just made me feel super comfortable and when I was unsure of something she would ask if I would like to have a look at it again and would do it until I was sure. I couldn't have asked for a better experience with it all. After the half an hour test she told me I did need glasses. Shock, horror, well, I knew I needed them anyway. I'm just glad she realised that too. I have a very mild prescription but it's nice to know that my worries about my eyesight were justified and not just me being super worried and anxious about it all.But anyway, I've had my glasses for about two weeks now and I'm so much happier now that I can see properly. I mainly wear them for driving and work, I try not to wear them all the time as I don't really need to, but I think they suit me.
If I hadn't had got over this massive fear I had about going to the opticians I wouldn't be able to see as well as I do now. I know my mum pushed me into doing it but I really did need to go. Sometimes we have to really step out of our comfort zone and over come the anxiety we feel from certain things. I'm so glad that now I can go back to the opticians and feel so much more comfortable. Now I do have glasses I need to go get my eyes checked every year, which is something I'll be able to do now. I'll still need a little push but it's nice to know that it's something else I can cross of that I'm not as anxious about. It's literally the most amazing feeling ever.
I would say to anyone who wants to overcome something is to BREATHE. I found that I held my breath a lot to start off with and that's what started my anxiety off but when I breathed properly it all seemed so much easier. I also had some play-doh in my pocket to play with and mould when I felt nervous which really helped me. I guess it's finding what works best for you and going with it. If I can do it, I know you guys can!
Stay awesome.
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