Psycho Analysis

So, if you're behind or haven't noticed, I'm enrolled in my millionth year as a Master's student. I'm not only pursuing, but full on chasing my dream to be a counselor. I started out wanting to be a school counselor. I actually wanted to be a school counselor in HS, but didn't know where to go to get that degree. Now that I'm almost finished, I really want to be a community counselor. I want the hours of a school counselor, but I want to be able to work with everyone. I'm torn. But that's not the point, just the background.

While studying, and reading about the different theories of counseling, I stumbled across ways to deal with anxiety. It wasn't that important to me years ago when I had my early psych classes because I didn't have any anxiety. I didn't know anyone with anxiety...Except, I just didn't know it.

I read a journal article (if you remember anything about psychology and college, it has to be journal articles) about ways to recognize and treat different types of childhood anxiety. One in particular was natural environment phobia. This includes an irrational fear of tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, and heights. Well, when there are thunderstorms, I am literally a wreck. I get an upset stomach first thing of the day when I see that we are due for severe weather. I get headaches, and when they are close, I'm just uncontrollable upset. My heart races, I'm all jittery, can't focus on anything. Turns out that's anxiety.

I also feel the exact same way while up high. I didn't really recognize that one until we rode the aerial tram up a mountain in Estes Park. It's not super scary, I just don't like the feeling or watching the Earth fly past, underneath me. It's sickening, more like motion sickness than anxiety. But, we get up there, and there is a huge fence. But that doesn't really keep me feeling safe. I still feel like I'm falling. I still have this overwhelming feeling that I'm going to fall, or Archer, or someone else I care about. I had to stay on the walk way and couldn't go on the rocks with Archer or even watch him because I was so worried that something would happen.

It wasn't until I needed to go sit down that I realized that what I was feeling. I was overwhelmingly scared to death that something was going to happen. So, now that I know what it is, I'm ready to try and deal with it! : )