When Anxiety is a Constant Backbeat

And problems are turtles, all the way down.

Photo by Shafiqul Islam on Unsplash

I am a naturally anxious person. I’ve worn my anxiety like a second skin since I was 10 years old or so, and over the last couple decades, it’s become a permanent part of my personality.

But it seems to be worse lately. I think a couple of tweets I came across this morning do a good job of summing up why:

screencap courtesy of author

screencap courtesy of author

Yeah, no wonder I’ve been finding it hard to work on my book lately.

Or is it? It’s not like these crises directly impact me. I’m safe. I’ve got a steady job and a place to live that won’t be yanked away. I’ve actually got a decent amount of money saved, more than I ever have before. I’m not in any danger at all.

And, yet, my brain is on edge.

I mean, it’s always on edge, but it’s even more on edge than usual.

The electrified meat walnut has gone from it’s normal, background orange alert to a constant double-red. I’m having…