u/Dry-Bonus-5765

Note: Hi Everyone! I’m very new to poetry, but I’m using it as a way to channel some of the things I’m dealing with in my life. This poem is about trying to white knuckle through anxiety. Holding on for dear life. I’m open to all feedback. I hope it resonates with someone. I believe this type of rhyme scheme is a Triolet, but if there’s anything structurally wrong or any input I’d be glad to hear it!

Whatever you do don’t let go of the rail

You can’t even see the bottom of the pit beneath you

So hold onto that rail

Even if your feet go limp and your face goes pale

Don’t you dare look down at its great big scale

Your footing slips as your face goes blue

Your knees grow weak and your limbs go frail

To the endless abyss that you must see through

I’ve began to struggle in the past few years with anxiety that has gotten worse and worse and worse. I’ve had trouble pinpointing exactly what’s going on, but it recently hit me that it’s this need for certainty.

I see it most in my daily life with my health. Micro sensations are immediately catastrophised into the nuclear option. For me it’s my health and dating. I grew up with awful stomach issues and it’s snowballed into a bigger deal. Oh your stomach hurts? Well you probably have the stomach bug or food poisoning. Oh you noticed a small irritation in your gums? Well you probably have periodontal disease and are gonna lose all your teeth. It’s awful. I have such a hard time sitting with the discomfort and so it’s turned into reassurance seeking around the clock. Constantly asking Google or other sources specific questions, seeing a Reddit post and immediately thinking I’m in the same boat they’re in. It’s absolutely draining me.

In dating it’s definitely caused me to lose some relationships. In early stages, the fear of the unknown, that they might leave, drives me insane.

It all comes down to a need to know for sure. I need to know for sure I’m not sick. I need to know for sure my teeth are okay. I need to know for sure they’re not going to leave me.

I had some experiences growing up that made me this way. I’ve been able to isolate those and know exactly where some of this came from. That’s a real reminder that you never know the actions you take can completely change someone’s life. In my life, at 15 years old a 40 some odd year old man tried to ruin mine and ever since then, my life has been different. I know that’s vague, but I still struggle talking about all the things that happened.

Most people would look at me and think there’s no way that guy struggles with anxiety. I can be confident, fun, make people laugh, tall and good looking, but this aspect of my life dims the other areas to such a degree that it’s began to take complete hold of my life.

I’m so tired of feeling this way. Has anyone else experienced a season like this? What helped you?

Starting a petition to move Memphis to the East. League is in trouble 😭

Hey everyone,

I’ve been on zyns for about a month and am about to quit entirely. I’ve had a slew of symptoms, but the main thing is just a fear about zyns effect on gum health and definitely don’t want I lose my teeth or anything.

Does anyone have any advice for quitting? I was able to quit vaping after about a year last September cold turkey somewhat easily, but the zyns feel a little more difficult.

Any advice?

Thank you!

Hey everyone,

I’m a 23 year old male who’s struggling with intense anxiety that I believe is impacting my life in lots of ways.

It’s mostly health anxiety. I struggled with GI issues as a kid and as I’ve gotten older, any sensation or off feeling in the body makes me hyper aware and paranoid that I’m either getting a bug or have food poisoning. There’s certain things I won’t eat either. I won’t touch salads (lettuce) or chicken that I don’t cook because of the fear it could’ve not been washed or the chicken undercooked.

Lately, I’ve become afraid of the dentist and the unknown of going. It’s been about 3 years since my last appointment (far too long I know) and I’m going in July. I am terrified that they’re going to tell me that I’ve got advanced periodontal disease and that I’ll lose all my teeth. A few weeks ago, I didn’t even know what periodontal disease was, but had some sensitivity and somehow landed there. My teeth don’t look bad nor do my gums. I’ve asked AI to look at them multiple times now to where the AI has even said that I’ve got a massive OCD problem because of the reassurance seeking.

I’m so tired. Like genuinely I just feel physically and mentally exhausted and I think it’s from this. It’s a hyper fixation and I think about it all the time.

In the past it’s been GI issues, I convinced myself I was dying of cancer once, now the teeth thing, I just got out of a loop that I was going to go to jail that was completely unwarranted, and so many more. I feel imprisoned by this.

I just recently made the connection with the teeth thing that this is a theme over my life. The teeth this is just the new way the anxiety is presenting itself.

Has anyone dealt with anything similar?

Such a great player when healthy. Not my video, but just some highlights from 2022-2023. He will be missed deeply.