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My 16 Comics That Help Me Deal With Anxiety

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I’d always had subtler social anxiety, but when I finally had a full-on panic attack manifest as symptoms similar to a heart attack, it was the tipping point. I realized I had to get it under control.

What’s working for me is various breathing exercises such as pranayama. Meditation. And investigating the real root of the anxious thoughts. Everyone is different though and has to experiment to find what works for them.

More info: Instagram

When I knew I had anxiety bad

My 16 Comics That Help Me Deal With Anxiety

Trapped in thought

My 16 Comics That Help Me Deal With Anxiety

Documenting my experiences with anxiety has been therapeutic. What I love most is finding others who relate and say my comics have helped them feel less alone.

Hypochondriac tendencies

My 16 Comics That Help Me Deal With Anxiety

The holidays and social anxiety

My 16 Comics That Help Me Deal With Anxiety

I’ve learned through this process that so much of managing anxiety for me is about getting some distance between myself and the worrying thoughts. Observing my thoughts without judgment or desire to change them. It gives me a new perspective on my own thought patterns and sometimes I realize how mechanical my worried mind can be.

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The anxiety of school

My 16 Comics That Help Me Deal With Anxiety

Cathartic release through art

My 16 Comics That Help Me Deal With Anxiety

The physical act of drawing or writing it out is calming, too. Having an outlet to fall back on is like having a good friend around who’s willing to listen to anything.

What anxiety really is

My 16 Comics That Help Me Deal With Anxiety

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Just once right now

My 16 Comics That Help Me Deal With Anxiety

It can seem pointless on the face of it, to do nothing but just write about anxiety. But I think it’s perhaps the best medicine because the last thing anxiety wants you to do is accept things as they are. It’s a relentless itch to act urgently, even if it doesn’t really know what it wants to do.

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Anger

My 16 Comics That Help Me Deal With Anxiety

Multiple personalities

My 16 Comics That Help Me Deal With Anxiety

Struggle

My 16 Comics That Help Me Deal With Anxiety

Late night dwelling

My 16 Comics That Help Me Deal With Anxiety

The caffeine-anxiety connection

My 16 Comics That Help Me Deal With Anxiety

Feeling like a failure

My 16 Comics That Help Me Deal With Anxiety

Thoughts of chaos

My 16 Comics That Help Me Deal With Anxiety

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Little improvements

My 16 Comics That Help Me Deal With Anxiety

43Kviews

Jake Giddens

I'm an artist. My art combines traditional art styles with a fun, playful vibrance. Often drawing inspiration from Japanese woodblock prints, medieval paintings, Persian drawings, comic books, fable storybooks and contemporary children’s textiles. My work is best suited to briefs that allow me to have fun with the subject matter and color palette. I’ve been illustrating professionally since 2014, and I’ve had the privilege to work on everything from editorial illustrations, graphic tees for major companies, album art for recording artists, greeting cards, glassware, and I’ve been in a number of gallery shows. I also make comics regularly which often discuss the emotional roadblocks creatives face, mental health, and stories from my own life. When not making art, I’m often collaborating on music with my partner, Tyler Pratt, in Portland, Oregon.

I'm an artist. My art combines traditional art styles with a fun, playful vibrance. Often drawing inspiration from Japanese woodblock prints, medieval paintings, Persian drawings, comic books, fable storybooks and contemporary children’s textiles. My work is best suited to briefs that allow me to have fun with the subject matter and color palette. I’ve been illustrating professionally since 2014, and I’ve had the privilege to work on everything from editorial illustrations, graphic tees for major companies, album art for recording artists, greeting cards, glassware, and I’ve been in a number of gallery shows. I also make comics regularly which often discuss the emotional roadblocks creatives face, mental health, and stories from my own life. When not making art, I’m often collaborating on music with my partner, Tyler Pratt, in Portland, Oregon.

Vėjūnė Rimašiūtė

Vėjūnė is a community manager who helps artists all over the world introduce their artwork to Bored Panda readers and in that way, become more popular. Since she was always fascinated by the art world, she studied Culture Management and Cultural Policy at Vilnius Academy of Arts where she expanded her knowledge about it. Now she's using all this knowledge to showcase its beauty and help others dive into the fascinating world of art.

Vėjūnė is a community manager who helps artists all over the world introduce their artwork to Bored Panda readers and in that way, become more popular. Since she was always fascinated by the art world, she studied Culture Management and Cultural Policy at Vilnius Academy of Arts where she expanded her knowledge about it. Now she's using all this knowledge to showcase its beauty and help others dive into the fascinating world of art.

What do you think ?

Bored Birgit 4 years ago

These comics are inspiration for you and for all of us who suffer from anxiety or other mental disorders. Thank you.

10points

Jake Giddens (Post author) 4 years ago

That means a lot to me. thank you

4points

Load More Replies...

John L 4 years ago

"Remember what you said to Suzie in sixth grade?" THIS, so much! I can't even pass a polygraph, because of my anxiety......

8points

Full Name 4 years ago

I've alway wanted to take a polygraph because I can usually see different answers to things so I'd get nervous not knowing which answer to give.

3points

Load More Replies...

Night Owl 4 years ago

I think this was strangely upbeat and positive

2points

Magpie 4 years ago

That doctor is failing you. Best practise would have them organising ways for you to sort out if you are having severe anxiety , and ways to manage it. Possibly helping you set up a support system, which could include calling nurse oncall in Australia for example.

1point

Jake Giddens (Post author) 4 years ago

Yeah, most doctor's just prescribe Xanax and call it a day.

2points

Load More Replies...

M.A.D. 4 years ago

Just when you try to unwind and all of sudden a whisper tells you what you should be doing instead...

1point

Willow 4 years ago

This made me anxious.

1point

Lukyan Terdal 4 years ago

This is one of the most relatable things I've ever seen and I love it.

0points

Full Name 4 years ago (edited)

If it makes you feel any better, people who are totally well adjusted are prone to spells of some of these from time to time. Everybody feels like a failure sometimes, and everyone can lay awake thinking about the dumbest s**t ever etc. Don't ever think that you are all kinds of f****d but those people over there have it all figured out. We're all a little goofy, just to varying degrees. You seem to fall on the further reaches of the spectrum, but it's the furthest reaches of a shared spectrum. There was a study many years ago and it turns out the #1 fear of Fortune 500 CEO's is that people will figure out they are a fraud. Hang in there, buddy.

0points

Gregg Gagnon 4 years ago

I, I, I, I, I, I, Me, I, I, I, Me, Me, I. That's all you hear when people talk about "anxiety". You are not the center of all things in the universe. You are not special. Get over yourself. Live in the moment. Be present. The secret of life IS life itself. We create most of our own problems in our own minds and we can fix them too. The power is in the mind. Change your thinking and change your life. I promise you it works.

-3points

Jake Giddens (Post author) 4 years ago

It does work. Documenting at and accepting the problem is the first of many possible steps to recover. Although I would say every person regardless of where they are is at the center of the universe. :)

3points

Load More Replies...

Bored Birgit 4 years ago

These comics are inspiration for you and for all of us who suffer from anxiety or other mental disorders. Thank you.

10points

Jake Giddens (Post author) 4 years ago

That means a lot to me. thank you

4points

Load More Replies...

John L 4 years ago

"Remember what you said to Suzie in sixth grade?" THIS, so much! I can't even pass a polygraph, because of my anxiety......

8points

Full Name 4 years ago

I've alway wanted to take a polygraph because I can usually see different answers to things so I'd get nervous not knowing which answer to give.

3points

Load More Replies...

Night Owl 4 years ago

I think this was strangely upbeat and positive

2points

Magpie 4 years ago

That doctor is failing you. Best practise would have them organising ways for you to sort out if you are having severe anxiety , and ways to manage it. Possibly helping you set up a support system, which could include calling nurse oncall in Australia for example.

1point

Jake Giddens (Post author) 4 years ago

Yeah, most doctor's just prescribe Xanax and call it a day.

2points

Load More Replies...

M.A.D. 4 years ago

Just when you try to unwind and all of sudden a whisper tells you what you should be doing instead...

1point

Willow 4 years ago

This made me anxious.

1point

Lukyan Terdal 4 years ago

This is one of the most relatable things I've ever seen and I love it.

0points

Full Name 4 years ago (edited)

If it makes you feel any better, people who are totally well adjusted are prone to spells of some of these from time to time. Everybody feels like a failure sometimes, and everyone can lay awake thinking about the dumbest s**t ever etc. Don't ever think that you are all kinds of f****d but those people over there have it all figured out. We're all a little goofy, just to varying degrees. You seem to fall on the further reaches of the spectrum, but it's the furthest reaches of a shared spectrum. There was a study many years ago and it turns out the #1 fear of Fortune 500 CEO's is that people will figure out they are a fraud. Hang in there, buddy.

0points

Gregg Gagnon 4 years ago

I, I, I, I, I, I, Me, I, I, I, Me, Me, I. That's all you hear when people talk about "anxiety". You are not the center of all things in the universe. You are not special. Get over yourself. Live in the moment. Be present. The secret of life IS life itself. We create most of our own problems in our own minds and we can fix them too. The power is in the mind. Change your thinking and change your life. I promise you it works.

-3points

Jake Giddens (Post author) 4 years ago

It does work. Documenting at and accepting the problem is the first of many possible steps to recover. Although I would say every person regardless of where they are is at the center of the universe. :)

3points

Load More Replies...

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