Today started early with a doctor’s visit, where I was officially diagnosed with having panic attacks. The doctor said they’re caused by stressors like overcoming cancer, moving, and quitting smoking — all at once. The advice was simple but powerful: distraction. Focus on something else when the breath gets heavy and the heartbeat races. That’s probably why drawing has worked so well for me; it pulls me out of my head and into creation.
Then came the other stressor of the day — politics. I found out through the news that the government may be cutting off my EBT and SNAP benefits. I’ve been using them to help mom with groceries, doing my part to keep the household running smoothly. She’s taking the potential loss better than I am, but she’s also fuming about it. Mom doesn’t like Trump or anything he does — not one bit.
So here I am, balancing the art of calm with the chaos of politics and survival. Panic and politics make a bad combo, but I’m learning to breathe through both. God bless you, Mom — and don’t worry. I got this.
by Dan and Bonkers
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