Conquering Fear and Anxiety: Better days ahead

The weathered and beaten old wooden wheelbarrow flew down the croton lined driveway with two little passengers on board steering it away from the trees and rocks, and eventually landing in the path of the freshly cut pile of grass.

Every time the children got into the wheelbarrow, I held my breath and my hands, on reflex went atop my head in dismay. It was no use telling them that they could be minced into several pieces, should the old wheelbarrow topple off its course.

However, each time they escaped unscathed, and my grandmother upon hearing the commotion would come running and stand at the top of the hill, rebuking them and promising to punish them severely. That never happened! 

They were a handful; mischievous and constantly getting themselves into trouble! At the same time, they were also fun as they added some much-needed energy to my mundane and quite frankly boring life. They were just being boys-energetic and daring!

More often than not, they swung from the trees like monkeys, and fell to the ground with loud thuds. Within seconds they were up again, not a single tear shed, and raced through the cornfield, jumped the walls and played all sorts of games.

The birds did not escape their fury either, as before they were proficient at making sling shots, they created piles of rocks, and stoned the birds. Even the parrots that would rage war on the cornfield began to stay away, as they were no match for them. 

Occasionally they scared the daylights out of me, popping out from behind doors or the side of the house as I passed by. I was still very much in my lonely world, but I appreciated their efforts in getting me to play with them. At times, I joined them, playing bat and ball; done with fallen coconut tree limbs, and the ball rolled tightly from old socks and other paraphernalia. At a rapid speed, that ball could knock you unconscious.

They dug holes around the yard, filling it with water from the tank and the dogs and cats were often blamed for this offence. The poor dogs, sensing their accusations, would get up slowly from their resting place and walk away. The cats, well they began to stay away as well, as they were also drenched with water.

At their previous home, a river ran directly at the back of their yard and they would play and go for a swim. There were no springs or rivers at our home, and so they tried to create one for themselves. Much to our dismay, and often unaware, while walking our feet would sink into the holes.

At the highest decibels you could hear my grandfather venting his frustration, while my grandmother hurried to get hot water that would help in getting the swellings down. They stayed away from the house for a while, as they knew they would be walloped.

They also made good use of the water that gathered at the bamboo trees in the gully. While listening to their squeals and yelps, I always had to spoil the party by bringing it to my grandmother’s attention. The water was unclean, filled with worms, and all sorts of wiggly things. In their excitement, they saw none of these things. Eventually my grandfather added more dirt to the area, and this prevented them from attempting their daily swimming excursions.

They were also good at hiding, and sometimes we would have to go looking for them; sometimes fearing the worst.

Thankfully, whenever they were up to their antics, my grandfather for the most part was on the farm, and of course no one ever told him of their misdeeds while he was away. They were also mindful to behave themselves around him when they resurrected from their hiding places, or ‘dog nyamn dem suppa’! 

Many nights they covered under the sheets, laughing and giggling while recounting their days antics. There they also planned their assault on us, always cleverly manuvering and steering clear of my grandfather.  Sometimes, I would join them in their room, while lambasting them for trying to give my grandparents heart attacks with their fervent mischievousness.

My grandfather had mellowed somewhat since my grandmother’s return and while I still got the occasional rants and more often than I liked cussing, it was a more improved and relaxed atmosphere at home. At the same time, I knew not to slip or to have the slightest inclination that I could misbehave; it could not even develop into a thought. He was like a sleeping lion, not one to be provoked.

My school had reopened, and I steadily got back into the rudiments of my eagerly anticipated return to the classroom…’rain or shine’ I was in school. It was a happy reunion with my classmates, and everyone had returned to school, unhurt…with a few exceptions for those who lost clothing including uniforms and their school books in the hurricane.

The school’s campus looked no different, with just a few trees that were uprooted, still lying in the school yard. Most of the buildings in the school had decked roofs, with the much older buildings surprisingly still intact, a few sheets of zinc missing here and there. 

My silver lining had come, if only for a minute. I was grateful that God had answered my prayers, although it would seem under unfortunate circumstances that my grandmother had returned. But with her came the joy and happiness I had previously known, and my two cousins, who kept me on my feet every day. This was quite a task…

ADVICE CORNER

Not everyone who worries a lot has an anxiety disorder. You may feel anxious because of an overly demanding schedule, lack of exercise or sleep, pressure at home or work, or even from too much caffeine.

The bottom line is that if your lifestyle is unhealthy and stressful, you are more likely to feel anxious, whether or not you actually have an anxiety disorder.

These tips can help to lower anxiety and manage symptoms of a disorder:

Between work, bills, family, and trying to stay healthy, the everyday pressures of life can turn you into an anxious mess. Regardless of when symptoms began, it’s possible that your mind is in overdrive, and you are always waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under you.

The good news is that taking pills isn’t the only way to get your fears and nerves under control.

    Break Up With Caffeine

•     A cup of coffee, chocolate, or an ice-cold Coke might help you feel better. But if caffeine is your go-to drug of choice, your anxiety could worsen.
•     Caffeine gives the nervous system a jolt, which can boost energy levels. But when under pressure, this nervous energy can induce an anxiety attack. Now, the idea of giving up your favourite caffeinated beverage might raise your heart rate and induce anxiety as you read this, but you don’t have to stop immediately or give up caffeine completely. It’s all about moderation.
•     Rather than four cups of coffee a day, scale back to one or two normal-sized cups a day; normal as in 8 ounces, not 16 or 32 ounces. Give it a test run and see how you feel. As you wean yourself, slowly introduce other beverages into your diet such as decaffeinated herbal tea, which can calm your mind and nerves.

(SOURCE: www. helpguide.org; http://www.healthline.com; http://www.adaa.org; www.headsup.org.au, www. stress.org, www.cambridge-credit.org , www.thebalance.com, www.healthline.com)

Keisha A. Hill is media practitioner and communications consultant. Send feedback to kanhillcommunications@gmail.com or editorial@oldharbournews.com. Visit Jamaican Chronicles to read more blogs by the author.