I am 21 years old, and I started developing visual snow one year ago since an emotional trauma and an excess of anxiety that led to strong symptoms. I did tests; I saw numerous doctors who could not tell me what it was.
That’s when I had to search the internet to self-diagnose and inform the doctors of what I found.
They told me to ease my anxiety, and it would go away. However, I always felt like I developed a form of hyperactivity and hypervigilance, even when I was feeling good. Time passed, and I am making progress, but the symptoms worsened and prevented me from adequately living a student life.
What helps me is to reconnect to who I truly am, prioritizing my present needs over everything else and being able to trust myself again, no matter what happens.
Opening up to close friends, family-supporting, and listening to me makes me feel like I am not alone, even if they cannot understand precisely what I am going through.
Using resources (yoga, self-massages, sports, humming, yawning, valsalva maneuver, dancing, etc.) and going in nature to reset my nervous system helps ease my overfocus and overthinking mind; and the rest of my body, not only my head.
Letting go of control, living and expressing my present emotions without fear, and appreciating the present moment with good activities while respecting my energy levels allow me to have more balance.
Working on my interests and passions train my brain to focus and concentrate on the right things. Having self-compassion and self-love, gratitude and appreciation for the simpleness of my life, and letting go of high expectations that are not adapted to my context allow me to heal.
I often remind myself that life is not a race, and what matters the most is what is happening right now and how we feel in the present moment, not a superior goal or future ideals. It comprises accepting the present symptoms while trusting in human nature to heal and get stronger.
Finally, the biggest lessons I learned in so little time are : never to forget ourselves, and who we are for something, or someone else; we can only learn, heal and grow by deciding to do the things we think are best; and symptoms are always a message for something you are meant to change.
So be proud of yourself for being courageous and allow yourself to ease, as the greatest warriors need the most rest and self-care for their battles.
The only person who will forever be by your side is you. It is your responsibility to take good care of yourself. You have the right to give up anything else but yourself.
