Dealing with anxiety

leeCal

Having suffered from anxiety myself I’m wondering if you’d like to share your remedy partial or otherwise for this condition.
 Of course there are medications for anxiety but there are also other methods to help deal with it too, perhaps yours could help me or others to cope with this debilitating condition.  

What is it that you find helps? (Not medication please)

katho31

Hi @leeCal, i try the breaths in for 7 secs and out for 11 secs, ive done a little yoga at home and use lavender and chamomile spray in room/bedroom, im still learning the yoga its free online but it helps me, i think a good sleep can do wonders, without it we dont function as good 

Wini1960

leeCal Hi I found regular exercise something you enjoy because there is nothing worse than starting something you don't like but your doing it because I have to do something. So really consider that, I exercise at home. Also what is important is mindfulness or meditation. I meditate every day. Focusing on the negative makes anxiety worse. So thinking about something beautiful and refreshing helps a lot. Massage is wonderful. I have a lot of physical pain but when I get a massage I feel rested and refreshed. When meditating put some meditational music on and if you can be alone even better. Make sure to get out every day for a walk to get fresh air. I take medication because I have clinical depression but you don't have to take medication for anxiety. My daughter has quite severe anxiety but has learned how to deal with it through meditation and exercise and a counting technique. Have you tried CBT?

leeCal

Hi @katho31 I’m glad you said about the breathing because I can never remember the exact counts for in and out breaths. 
Also the chamomile spray sounds helpful, I sometimes use an essential oil called Oud to nudge me back to earth a bit if my thoughts start to race. You can also get an essential oil which smells like fresh linen which I should think is good, it’s a pity they don’t do the smell of a new book, Id really like that too.
 Thanks.

leeCal

Hi @Wini1960 that’s interesting about meditation and mindfulness. I do a little meditation but I find it very difficult to do if I’m feeling too anxious. 
I haven’t tried cbt  but it was suggested to me. Perhaps I should read up on it, the reason why I haven’t is because an anxiety tutor told me it wasn’t her favourite thing, that put me off I must admit. Thanks.
 I can’t get a massage when I need it for anxiety but I can see how it would be difficult to be anxious and be massaged at the same time, really effective I should think!

katho31

Hi @Wini1960 and @leeCal im going to try those essentials oils, poundland and b and m sell them i think? also couple of years ago i got an infrared back/neck massager, it was about 40 pound but i couldnt be without it, it is better than a hand massage and has different settings but does ease the neck tension, a few pals have bought same and ive heard good things about cbt so im going to give that i try.

katho31

Hi @leeCal, great film on itv4 at 9, clint eastwood, grand torino

leeCal

Thanks @katho31 I do like Clint Eastwood films (unforgiven was a great movie)
?

katho31

I agree and think unforgiven was one of his best 

chiarieds

Hi @leeCal - if I may add about 'breathing,' what many adults have completely forgotten is how to do this correctly. If you ever watch a baby, or very young child, they do this automatically. May I suggest that using the correct 'diaphragmatic' or 'abdominal' breathing is the way to go. It aids relaxation, & also helps with 'stress'.

When I try on here to correct this, I have bother describing how the majority of adults do it wrongly, as I've done this the 'right' way for so many years. It's something I was taught, & we were warned we might fall asleep! Please see: https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/resources/patient-information/therapies/abdominal-breathing.pdf  

It's not about how long you breathe in or out, but breathing correctly. I also wholly endorse exercise, which is my (daily) mainstay. This releases endorphins, which make us feel that bit better. I'm rubbish at meditation, nor did I personally feel that CBT would be helpful, but do use mindfulness & visualisations. The latter is more because of chronic pain; I imagine lying on a warm beach & the seawater gently washing up over the lower part of my body, then as it recedes, taking my pain away. Again, I'm saying in my own case, that distraction helps....whether it be reading, listening to music, gardening, or watching a film. But I think any such modalities can help with many disorders, whether it be anxiety or pain, it's finding what works for an individual, & often it seems to be a combination of things, as has already been mentioned.

Just to add, I spent Wed-Fri this week in a 'virtual' conference hosted in the USA about my medical problems...the only positive I've had due to Covid-19! What was interesting in several presentations, was what they are learning about the brain. Some of the presentations I feel may help others here, as there were mentions about anxiety, depression, 'brain fog,' pain, & varying other medical conditions. Thankfully they want to have their findings shared by as many people as possible. Hopefully they'll provide YouTube links to these as early as next week, & I'll be pleased to share any relevant links with the community.

leeCal

Thank you @chiarieds all that information is so useful. I’d be interested in the YouTube links and I’m sure many others would be too. Thank you again. 

Topkitten

I'm not sure my suggestion is helpful but I have found a way to head off the "collapsing onto the floor, shaking and crying and shouting at people to leave me alone and go away". I use a simple method of disbelief so that when I get into such a situation I simply stop believing that the person, persons or situation simply doesn't exist or is an outright lie. Unfortunately this now means that instead of collapsing I get angry (not violent) and completely Paranoid and stop listening to anyone and everyone because they are all lying to get me to do something I shouldn't. I will often then go to extreme physical exertion using Adrenalin to "get away" from whatever caused it. This has led me to walking long distances and suffering awfully later including walking out of hospital and even off a ward in 2 occasions. The last time this happened I tried to walk off a severe case ward and got halfway across the hospital before having to be physically restrained by 4 security men and 2 doctors (it took ALL of them to pin me down on the floor). They had to dose me with something just to get me to calm down and then I had a panic attack anyway and an incredible attack of hyperventilation.

As I said, probably not much help unless you can find some way of limiting the Paranoia (which I haven;t been able to do).

TK

katho31

That sounds like myself @Topkitten really powerful, thanks  from kath 

leeCal

Yes thank you @Topkitten I think questioning the reality of the situation is definitely of great value. Thanks.

leeCal

Mindfulness is a powerful aid in combatting anxiety there’s no doubt about it. Especially if you can catch it as it arises. I once spoke to a famous man who was abducted in the east and kept prisoner for five years mostly chained to a radiator and in semi or full darkness. No radio, no company and nothing to read, he was sometimes tortured and threatened with death. Extreme anxiety could’ve set in but he combatted it with one powerful thought and that was that right at this moment in time he was okay, right now, right here he was alive and okay. That was enough to help him through that awful and long period of incarceration along with another thing which was to write his first book in his head by memory only. A very unusual man indeed. 

So yes, mindfulness, living in the present moment really can help if applied.

katho31

Was that Terry Waite @leeCal?

leeCal

Yes it was @katho31 he visited a church near me once and gave a very stirring account of his life in those years. To be honest I nearly choked up just listening to him. He’s very tall, a big man in mind and body, I have the utmost respect for him and what he endured was beyond most people I think.

katho31

He is such an amazing and intellectual man, my late mum read his book about his captivity, im going to buy it, such respect i agree and how the human mind can overcome such horrific ordeals, very moving.

katho31

Hi all footy fans  are you up for this  love it!!! come on the pool ynwa 

leeCal

Having watched a YouTube video on the subject by a professional it seems that hard exercise can help mitigate anxiety by completing the flight or fight cycle. The exercise tricks the body into thinking that the danger has elapsed since the energy used has depleted resources. Hard exercise should only be undertaken if a person is fit enough to do so, and it could be that gentler exercise could be sufficient as it may alone act as a distraction from anxiety.

Another simple thing which may help is chewing gum. The theory is that eating and the flight or fight response are incompatible, since eating and salivation takes place during a time of safety. You may want to be careful if you have fillings however or you may swap anxiety for toothache!

Topkitten

Careful with chewing too much gum @leeCal, you might develop an American accent.

TK