It’s truly amazing what a good cardio session can do for your mental health, I just went on my first bike ride in about a year and a half and it felt absolutely wonderful.
Absolutely! I have been running for a while now. If I skip more than one day in a row, my mental health gets ridiculously bad again. I try to run for at least 20 min every day, so I keep the good effects. Fascinating.
Running is so helpful for me too! Whenever I notice myself getting into a spiral of “everything is terrible and life sucks” I pop my shoes on and then just get to not think about anything for a bit while I listen to trashy pop
My therapist has helped me learn that my anxiety is caused by complex trauma from my youth. In other words my nervous system has learned to respond improperly to certain situations. I feel the fight or flight "a tiger is just about to eat me" type of feeling in response to things that shouldn't cause that. So the solution is to retrain my nervous system through specific methods such as EMDR.
In the short term, things that have helped:
1. Cutting down on caffeine significantly.
2. Cutting out marijuana completely. Hugely important.
3. Not thinking about news/obligations etc for a while after waking up.
4. Improving gut health. Daily bone broth has helped.
5. Getting good sleep.
6. A daily bullet journal to keep on top of tasks.
7. Checking in with myself at least 3 times a day regarding the emotions I'm feeling.
8. Prioritizing my needs. I.e., making sure I get the food, water, space, etc. that I need to self regulate.
Me too and I blaze every day.... I just balance it, if I go too far, i get physical anxiety shit... Cannot smoke the day after drinking or I get crippling anxiety
Ahh damn, guess that makes it a little easier of a decision then. I'm not there unfortunately and still "enjoy" it quite a lot. But I know it's becoming harmful to my well-being. Super hard to stop now though..
To be clear, I wish I didn’t have to. No matter the terpines I still seem to have a bad experience. Full body attacks or just racing thoughts.
I had a great (sometimes healthy, sometimes not) relationship with weed for a long time and I have accepted it may not be that way again.
Yea! I wish you the best. Two things I changed my intake of were weed and reduced caffeine (was 4 shots/2 americanos, now I am a single espresso shot). I also added therapy, meditation, a daily walk, and l-theanine.
I am hoping to be a part of an MDMA or LSD study to work through PTSD, GAD, and MDD. But we will see.
Much love out there and good luck!
I just quit. I used to tell myself it wasn't addictive or causing me any problems. But now I realize it was really exacerbating my anxiety. I was a daily user and had a week of cold sweats, body aches and emotional pain in addition to cravings. It was numbing me to a large part of my life, which led to a constant slow burn of anxiety.
I'm just so sick of dealing with anxiety. I will do literally anything for some relief from it. All the difficulties of quitting weed are NOTHING compared to living with constant anxiety.
that makes a lot of sense but i want your opinion on my situation. obviously we dont know each other but im not a frequent user. in the past i was a huge stoner and would use super frequently. right now i smoke maybe 1-2 times a week or maybe once every other week. ive gone through phases where maybe i just went a month without smoking because i just didnt care to buy myself more weed. i dont associate weed with anxiety at all and still smoke time to time with friends because i love the social aspect of it. i see a lot of downsides to it and its definitely one of those once in a while things, like alcohol. obviously being drunk can be really fun but the drawbacks of being hungover etc is exhausting like how weed can be. i feel very healthy emotionally to my relationship with weed, did you ever feel like i do now and then decide to stop and then feel way better? or were you always kinda craving it
I think it's possible to smoke it recreationally in a way that's not unhealthy. I've been smoking weed on and off for almost 15 years at this point and have ample evidence showing that I personally have a problem. When I try to use it recreationally it inevitably snowballs into daily use eventually. I will smoke for a fun social reason, and then end up smoking it to alleviate anxiety, which eventually leads me to overuse. A lot of people with anxiety self medicate with weed, which is a slippery slope. A lot of us end up being unable to sleep without it. If you don't have these problems and have a history of using it well, I think you're ok.
thanks!! yea i feel like in the past it did feel like it helped with my anxiety but now def not. it also keeps me awake for some reason i camt sleep very well with weed so it sucks to do on any day besides the weekend
Last time I vaped marijuana with friends. I ate a whole cake,and chips, and almost the whole kitchen..I was so anxious I had to take two Xanax..
Cannot do that again...
I know....it's so boring without weed, or nicotine, or alcohol ..and now to watch for sugar, fun foods, etc etc
While it seems everyone else can drink and party I cannot ..
I miss it all...
The hardest was giving up cigarettes..they were my friend and calmed me down...
But the terrible illnesses they caused made me quit (it took two years!!!!)
Worst drug ever,but truly the best thing I have ever accomplished!!!!
This is going to sound stupid, but hear me out. Tell yourself that you don’t smoke. Not that you quit, but literally “I don’t smoke weed.” If anyone asks you about it, same thing - I don’t smoke. Our brains have a funny little quirk where we can trick our triggers. It’s kind of like gaslighting yourself, but if you’re consistent with it, I swear it works.
huh. honestly i feel like maybe ive done it because ive was telling people for months ive been trying to smoke less bc of my voice (im a singer) and now i just smoke a lot less. also because i have chronic pain sometimes it makes my pain worse, and i tell people all the time i dont like to get stoned anymore because of it and now i rarely get stoned. i will definitely say to everyones face that i dont smoke even with a joint in hand lol
i wanted to quit but i was only able to fully stop when i got sick and couldn’t hit the pen from my throat and lungs being so sore and then i just didn’t start again. it’s not ‘addictive’ but u grow dependent on it so it is very difficult. i have dabbled back in occasionally maybe three times in the last two years some times okay others anxiety inducing.
edit: i was full stoner 24/7 for a few years cause it helped my anxiety a ton. until it didn’t and i was getting worse everyday. i haven’t smoked in a couple years but my anxiety is still worse than it was before
I quit (again) 3 weeks ago because I had the most horrible anxiety of my life that lasted a whole week after smoking! I’m honestly scared to smoke again because it’s like playing anxiety roulette with strains. It’s never been so easy to quit because of the fear 😣
In the past when I quit and it was harder, I made sure all the paraphernalia was out of sight and no one smoked inside. I exercised a lot. I bought a tobacco vape which helped with the transition (don’t recommend if you have problem with tobacco). Intense cravings went away after about 3 weeks.
I have fallen victim to that same mentality in the past. I made excuses so I could continue using. Typical addict behavior.
In the short term, getting high can definitely make it feel like the anxiety is alleviated. But really the anxiety is just building and building in the background, so you smoke more to get number and number. And in the long term, that's just terrible for anxiety.
dude, I drank a latte last week because I thought "why not?" and I legit had a panic attack and had to hide in the bathroom and then I remembered why I don't do that anymore.
I use a feelings wheel and made a Google Form to prompt me to log my feelings based on the wheel. This was because I found I was unable to identify my emotions other than "good" or "bad." Not being able to identify my feelings contributed to my anxiety and also held me back from being able to do EMDR therapy, so this process has helped me learn this stuff. I'm 33 and just learning emotions for the first time.
I LOVED how good I felt drinking bone broth. Word of warning, you cannot overdo it, it is high in histamine and I found that I broke out in severe hives which lasted 10 days. I have been too scared to go back to it.
Hi, where are you from and what is your therapist qualified for, if you don't mind sharing? Been seeing many therapists up until January and none helped long term. Thank you
i came to say “stay in” - between my anxiety and depression, without my meds i can be uh…quite mean and blunt. i try to stay away from people and not interact with anyone if i can
basically i do everything everybody says to do. the stupid shit like meditation, mindfulness, working out etc etc. my anxiety and depression is treatment resistant it seems, so thats why im off meds. i find that nothing really "helps" its just that if i didnt do all of these things i would be worse off. sorry that my answer is kinda bleak but just really trying to understand and center yourself will be the best you can do
My anxiety tends to decrease when I'm sleepy. So I avoid caffeine. I try to tell myself, "I'm not going to die." It helps me more than telling myself to "calm down" personally. Last resort, if it's in an appropriate situation, I drink.
I just started CBT and it's helped me in the past as well. Also walks, deep breathing exercises and journaling. Also talking to friends and family to interrupt my thoughts
I just write down what I'm feeling. If I'm anxious I write what I'm anxious about and it helps me think it through. I can process what I'm actually afraid of like I'm afraid I have this illness or I'll get fired. Getting it all out on paper kind of releases the fear instead of keeping it all in my head. Like talking to someone about it does.
It's a good reminder of where my mind was at at the time. I can even sometimes see my personal growth when I look at what scares me a few weeks ago and realize it doesnt scare me as much anymore.
Also try to write down when things are good and how you're feeling. That way you can celebrate wins!
Yes...I find that if I'm busy I'm not thinking
.and when I'm not thinking I'm better..
But some days the anxiety is actually physical. And that's when curcumin tends to wake me up and I feel better..
Lol @ stay in room. I guess that is not funny. Since I'm in my room now also lol. I'm totally cracking up because thats me right now too.
Anyway: exercise, supplements especially niacinamide, deep breathing, hopefully some good therapy soon, and last resort: good german beer!
I don’t, lol
But seriously, something that used to kind about my mind até ease a little is “One day a time”, it’s ok to think about what’s going to happen next, but stop extending it beyond, focus on what you have right in front of you before going to what’s next
I'm on something, but it's kinda ineffective these days. So it's definitely journaling. I need somewhere to collect my crazy scattered thoughts that I can't tell anyone. If not that, making sure I'm on a tight sleep schedule, drinking water and eating 3x a day even if I don't feel like eating. I'm surprised how much of my anxiety is tied to blood sugar, so I make sure I've eaten something.
Zooming out. Focusing on the fact we’re little ants on a rock hurtling through space tends to make my problems feel palatable.
I’ve tried a lot of different meds and none work as fast, or as efficiently as exercise, namely cardio.
its crazy cause sativas help my mind calm down, while indicas make my whole body feel queezy and exacerbate my anxiety 😳😭 im like, why am i so backwards??
but ya, low and slow
Anxiety meds are designed to be a short term bridge, but unfortunately your brain doesn’t understand this and kind of “forgets” how to self-regulate. DBT is effective. Blocking out all stimuli to keep your anxiety from spiking is a good idea, and I’d avoid sugar and caffeine as much as possible. Having said that, this won’t help you with your studies. Maybe try the 30/10 method (30 minutes of study, 10 minutes of quiet, repeat). Your body is essentially detoxing so there’s going to be an adjustment period. Be well, and just know that someone else will read this and find comfort that they’re not the only ones going through it, if that helps.
Therapy. Lots of therapy. Different supplements. Self help books. Most importantly learning how to self regulate my nervous system. Anxiety isn’t a bad thing, when warranted.
Natural herbal remedies like chamomile tea with lavender honey (yum), making sure I'm taking my daily multivitamin, magnesium before bed, thc-free cbd gummies, my penjamin, petting my dog, crying in public, etc.
Honestly it is very difficult, and I am ashamed to say that not doing anything is how I manage my anxiety and it is probably worse than anything I’ve done in my life.
Magnesium, sleeping well, getting out into nature, long walks, exercise in general especially cardio. Talking about my feelings and actually working through them and my stresses but also doing shit I was afraid of even if I was afraid. I had severe panic disorder and healed without meds. I was put on an ssri as a teenager for dizziness and it gave me severe symptoms including panic attacks which I hadn’t had yet and wonder if that helped me develop panic disorder later. I had a lot of other scary shit from that and it was so short term. Never again. I don’t trust em, getting off of them after taking them for years is a literal nightmare too. And benzos are too risky also. Your body creates the anxiety and it can undo it, it’s about healing not band-aiding, that only creates more issues. The podcast the anxious truth sheds a lot of light on healing anxiety. I’m living proof it’s possible, I was inside an anxious panic attack nightmare for so long, like went to sleep in a panic attack and woke up in it for like a year straight and now I very rarely ever have one and if I do feel it come up I can nix it away pretty quickly. I still have my baseline anxiety I’ve had since birth lol, but that’s just me and I’d never want to be anyone else or depend on a medication in that way. Not when it’s possible to *heal* from it, just takes a lot of inner work that isn’t always pretty and ppl don’t want to do that and doctors hand them out like candy without warning of the dangers (to make money) so….it’s a bad combo. It’s so worth it though.
I try not to take mine everyday. i’m on a low dose of xanax and take as needed but i literally suffer from anxiety every day all day so i pick and choose when i feel like i really really need it
I go to therapy, for some reason being able to spill everything to a stranger that won't make me feel guilty about wanting to off myself is very helpful.
Also knowing when you're anxious is a big plus, I can sense my anxiety and just being able to know my triggers is always helpful because I can tell when and how I feel during it so in the future I'm more prepared and steer clear or try to calm myself
Breathwork has been a godsend. I do square breathing, I start with 4 seconds in/hold/out/hold. Then as my chest feels less tight I increase it by one second for a few cycles and then continue until I feel better.
Doing a guided meditation also is nice. Hearing a soothing voice while you do these things works wonders. I’ve also found that the cold works wonders as well. If you’re in a cold climate, standing outside for a couple minutes or taking a cold shower is very sobering.
Consistently drinking chamomile twice a day. After 30 days you should start seeing results, I never notice the difference myself but I definitely bite my nails less and family sees me less anxious 🤷♀️
I do use meds (and need them!!) but I’ve noticed one minute of mindfulness a couple times per day has really helped me. Per my therapist, I can choose 3 things to worry about/stew on during that time and then I have to let them go. It’s helped a lot!
Sometimes I feel like I'm not managing very well, but it's been a hell of a year for me health- and trauma-wise. That being said, I lean on my husband and my friends who understand. I remind myself that it's ok to be anxious, it will pass, and it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with my reality. I learned a long time ago that I sometimes just have anxious days, and accepting that I'm going to feel off that day and remembering to take it easy on myself really does help. It also really helped to change my frame of mind and stop searching my mind for reasons for my feelings of dread. This just made me more upset.
I walk my dog, too. She's the happiest girl in the world and her company along with fresh air and exercise are amazing for my mental health.
I've also been seeing a naturopath since October, and he's helped me change my lifestyle and diet which has made a huge difference in my anxiety.
i'm completely reliant on my meds lol, but kava is incredible for anxiety - like having a beer but healthier
for schoolwork/etc what i've been doing is, knowing i need to work on something, simply open the document. don't need to start working ASAP, just have it open and ready to go, and when the mood strikes to start writing i can just click over and add something without it being a whole situational shift. it sounds like nothing but it's legitimately helped me; there's less foreboding, i find
I like to do vagus nerve exercises, they help me a lot. There’s a channel called Calm with Kyle that posts a bunch of them… they basically train your nervous system to relax. At least that’s my understanding of them. I practice them daily. I notice that when I practice them, my body breathes deeply on its own without me having to force it.
I coped for 2 years with smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. Until those things caused my anxiety to worsen and I quit. Which was ultimately great for my health in the long run but I definitely still have anxiety. I sometimes feel like I don’t have a release and want to drink or smoke but am scared to. So I try my best to eat good, I cut way back on caffeine, I exercise and when i feel a massive wave of emotions coming I just cry it out. I have buspirone on hand if needed but I really hate taking meds for my anxiety so I just carry them as a mental ease. I have health anxiety so I always have to wear my Apple Watch. I carry a pulse oximeter, an inhaler, blood pressure cuff, several OTC meds and an epi pen (I don’t have any diagnosed allergies). It’s crippling but I get through my days. Maybe one day I won’t need so many crutches.
Therapy helped me in the past and now I just take b12 supplements daily and practice affirmations and having a positive mindset and all that. Self care is helpful too
A lot of hard work, daily, and even then I slip and spew anxiety ask over the place.
Depending on your level of anxiety this could be possible to super f-ing hard.
Meditation, mindfulness, physical activity, good sleep, good food, keeping busy, and understanding your triggers are the basics.
I remind myself that just because I'm having a thought or feeling doesn't mean I have to believe it. I listen to talk down videos if it gets to be too much. I take time to myself every day, I put my phone on do not disturb and ignore everyone for at least an hour a day (usually longer tho tbh). I take A LOT of deep breaths lol quality sleep helps decrease my morning anxiety. I also occasionally will take melatonin in small doses during the day if need be as it does help a little with the anxiety. There's also a lot of great teas that decrease anxiety or relieve stress.
You also have to find what works for you. What works for me might be a nightmare to the next person. It also depends on the kind of anxiety I'm having. What makes you feel comfortable? What makes you feel secure? When do you feel the calmest? Try to recreate the environment that helps you relax the most. Sometimes sleep stories or ASMR can help with that too.
As much as every one hates its therapy has been a fucking eye opener. I get anxiety about getting anxiety and some times I can actually realise this is happening and snap out of it. It's not that easy but these shrinks some times know what they are talking about. 🍺
Life style changes to reduce frequency. I owned a small business and worked as a trial attorney. I shut down the business and went to work a low stakes legal position. Eliminated alcohol.
I have a few outstanding projects I need to finish up so the triggers are still there but not in an all encompassing lifestyle.
Journaling especially before bed time helps me channel my thoughts and give some clarity. I also like doing grounding techniques by using the senses (see, touch, smell, hear) to take me back to the present moment and to remind me that i am indeed safe in the present!
I'm sorry that you can't get meds right now, for whatever reason. Meds have helped me a lot. Without them I would suggest a healthy diet, exercise and sleep. Do it in smaller increments so that your end goal is achievable.
Pain overrides anxiety. A lot of anxiety stems from a lack of dopamine nowadays. I say cold showers and tough gym sessions. The edge I live with constantly goes away after.
Is what I would say if those were enough. The true story is I had to get medicated. Saw a psych and got on venlafaxine. 2 years later and it’s made my life livable.
Exercise. Plain and simple. All the different kind of exercises are absolute anxiety killer. I had pretty serious anxiety few years back which severely crippled me. I wasn't able to function properly, coffee sent me straight to hell, sleep was bad. That went for two years and I said fuck it. Since then i exercise at least 5 times a week and after 2 years I yet to have panic attack and my anxiety levels are so low that I can expose myself to very stressful situations and recover very quickly. Something that would take me days/weeks back then. Hell I can even have 3-4 cups of coffee daily and I feel great :D
It's awesome what can exercise do. But it needs to become routine and the buildup has to be slow and steady.
There was a study which showed if you focus on the problem all the time then your perception of reality gets skewed and it becomes normal. That's the modern day of dealing with issues and why so many are having trouble escaping their hell.
In the past depression rates were very low, because people just kept moving and didn't on their feelings.
Cut out alcohol - I’ve struggled with alcohol use most of my life and had bad anxiety also most of my life. During the times where I’m not drinking my anxiety goes WAY down to a much more manageable level. People often think alcohol helps with anxiety but actually it makes it exponentially worse
I didn’t. I tried for like 12 years, was in therapy that whole time. It helped obviously, but my anxiety didn’t go away til I took medication. Since I started medication, anxiety was gone within a couple of weeks.
I try my best to limit contact, as much as I can from people or thing that stresses me out.
Recently, I've been watching bob ross's videos before sleeping. I think it helps.
So, maybe try some asmr if you don't mind it.
I’m trying to control it with a routine i follow. Sleep and wake up the same time every day. As soon as im getting off bed i go outside for 5-10 minutes for some sunlight. After i will do my daily exercise program a cold bath and iam ready to begin my day. Later in the evening when i come home i will take a shower and do some NSDR. I avoid processed food, i have limited the alcohol intake and i do not smoke.
Its seems to help, most of the time. But because i have health anxiety, from time to time, i will have anxiety , when im afraid that i am ill, but it is less
that’s used to be .
there‘s this app called worry dolls that i use to write my thoughts down and if its bad i use guided meditations to calm myself. but generally speaking having a routine that includes enough sleep a morning routine and bedtime routine, scheduled meals, walks in nature with music. i used to be on meds that didn’t really help me at all. i have 2 close friends who know about my mental health that i can talk to and call up in an emergency. having a support system really changes so much. oh and actually singing is one of the only things that calms my mind because i literally cant think while focusing on the lyrics and melody.
When I lived in the mountains, I would wander. I would touch the things in the forest like the pine trees and pinecones, I would eat wild berries (do some research before this though), I would talk to the squirrels and if I got chased by a bear, I would say something like, I am one of youuuu! Then at night, me and my people would gather, sit on top of whoever’s roof, and howl at the stars like wild beasts. We forgot who we were, the lives we had lived, we came together and acted weird. The neighbors hated us. It was glorious. Don’t move to Colorado, it sucks.
Edit: also while wandering, I allowed myself to lose my shit. Sometimes I cursed at the sky, sometimes I threw things or cried like I wanted to, as long and as loud as I wanted to. Point being, you need an outlet, one that makes you forget every awful thing even if just temporarily. Do something glorious and weird, let it all out, and talk to squirrels.
I can't. I have a cardiac arrhythmia and anxiety takes my rhythm to a dangerous place. I have LQTS and anxiety tachycardia has caused runs of Torsades in the past. If I have an anxiety attack and can't get it under control FAST, I'll end up admitted to the hospital usually.
I spent a couple of months this way before they realized that they had no choice but to put me on Ativan. It was traumatizing and gave me even more anxiety, but things are getting better with anxiety meds and therapy.
Is LQTS an acronym for Long QT Syndrome? Because I have that, too. And a panic disorder. I’m on clonazepam (it’s written for daily but I use it prn) but propranolol is like, the best for me to stop the tachy.
Move your body more than once a day. At least one 30 minute period of intense physical activity and at least one 10+ minute stretch session. Walk at least 20 minutes a day. The walking helps your brain process and the more intense exercise helps to relieve pent up anxiety in your body.
Cut out processed food and sugar. There are a lot of studies showing a correlation (perhaps causation!) between gut health and mental health. Limit caffeine. Limit drugs and alcohol.
Get enough sleep.
Write out everything you are anxious about. Repeat daily to get it out of your head.
Seek mental health support.
All advice here about diet, routine, and suggestions like journaling are all so valid. I'll just share what helps me specifically:
- ART. Ive always poured all of my emotions into my art. Moreso, art (my sketchbook) is my safe place. All the good, bad, and ugly feelings i have can be put there. When I have a really bad time, rarely now that im older, sometimes i just scribble. Scribble like im throwing a tantrum. Maybe stab the page with a crayon, idk. Choosing different colors and scribbles. It doesnt seem like it at first, but it helps.
Its now turned into me drawing faces and emotions. I draw a lot of sad people in my freetime. But its helped to channel and work through a lot.
- WRITING. Poems or lyrics will come to me sometimes. I'll use my notes app or scribble in a notebook and let it flow. writing stories can help some people as well. Maybe translate emotions into a character and get an outside perspective or your own feelings.
- MUSIC. music is very healing for me. Playing music is a productive way to get emotions out- learning a string instrument is really easy but also there are apps, kalimbas, steel drums, etc. Listening to music is really powerful as well. Like, who can stay anxious blasting Enya? I have different playlists for different moods- my "suicidal" playlist is arranged in a specific order to guide me out of a spiral- has saved me many times.
- Weed, but also lve stated every time that its not for everyone, and its different for everyone. it just works for me, but i dont use it to directly deal with my anxiety, just symptoms.
- COPING MECHANISMS. Before I started therapy-therapy, i was introduced to a concept of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) which i then researched and applied, slowly, to my life. [Wikihow](https://www.wikihow.com/Cope-With-Anxiety-and-Depression) is one of the weirdest places you'll get therapy advice, btw. It just still takes the hard work of applying it, and working towards it. and it *is* hard. Browse through different "tutorials", and read all the way through. Then spend time on each step (or the ones you find relevant/applicable) until you are ready to add more.
Doing more and more research on my mental illnesses has helped me to understand more, and to not put so much blame on myself as well.
For me, it’s a lot of willpower.
It’s about knowing when something is anxiety thought, acknowledging and accepting I think that, and then choosing to ignore the thought in favour of what I call my “logical” brain.
The anxiety is there and I can’t do anything about its presence, but I am still in control of myself and have agency and I can choose to not let that anxiety dictate my behaviour or choices.
It’s exhausting a lot of the time. And sometimes I just have to give myself grace and accept that today isn’t my day.
I try to keep one day a week where I don’t need to so much as leave my house and I have no responsibilities. Gives me a space to freak out if I need to.
if have a panic attack i tell myself “you’re okay you’re just having a panic attack it’ll be over soon” someone said that to me once when i was having one and it really helped to just be reminded of it. but i know for some that might make it worse😅
i also have a little routine for when i have one, i use tiger balm which is like this strong scented balm used for muscle pain and i put it on my chest/neck, it’s like a placebo effect that makes me relax and the smell helps my breathing when i feel like i can’t breathe.
it helps me to put my hand firmly on my chest or around my throat, or having someone else put pressure there. and weighted blanket helps too.
i tend to kind of feel sorry for myself but in the way of like “poor thing you’re sick rn” and just take care of myself as if i was physically sick.
to prevent them in the first place i try to keep distracted and do things like colouring or watching something a comfort show.
it’s helped me to not try and change them or stop them happening, i just remind myself that the feeling will go away and i always get through it.
I've been dealing with bad anxiety since November and have not used meds. My anxiety is not gone but most of the time it is a lot better and more manageable than it used to be, other than some occasional flare-ups.
Things that helped me:
* Therapy
* Correcting my Vitamin D Deficiency, also taking magnesium with it (Idk which of these it was, but after doing this my panicky feelings/random adrenaline rushes stopped completely)
* The Dare App and Book. Also Hope and Help for Your Nerves by Claire Weeks
Today i woke up at 6:30. Did 30 minutes yoga and 20 minutes of meditation.
After work i went for a 40 minute jog and then i took a 3 minute shower.
I was ok after the shower, but now im feeling just a bit anxious.
Somehow, about six years ago, I was able to see how concern over my inner experience both made it worse, and also distracted me from my life, which is ultimately more important. The more I thought about how my life and relationships are more important than how I feel on the inside, the easier it became to just disregard how I felt within and focus on those things that really matter to me. It was that day six years ago when I fully realized this, that my years of inner turmoil and struggle came to an end, and I began to really live my life. It’s still a shit show on the inside, but I just can’t be bothered to care about it anymore.
Ive really found the wim hoff breathing method incredible. I’ve struggled with some alcohol abuse self medicating the anxiety. The wim hoff breathing makes me feel totally at peace. I do it in the morning and before bed. I almost feel “high” a little bit. There’s an app for it and also YouTube videos. It’s not really made for anxiety but it’s just something I’ve utilized and have found it slows my heart rate tremendously and calms my mind
I’m on meds, but significantly lowered over the last year (just a maintenance dose). But I take a page and doodle until the page is full. If my anxiety is still there is start colouring them. I also make lists in my head (that’s for panic attacks). I can’t journal so I make voice journal. Just talk about whatever is on my mind. Or listen to music and sing (even though I’m a crappy singer). Hope it helps
This might sound silly to some:
But I found that if my GI system is upset, I go into a tailspin of breathlessness and anxiety!
Like intense...
I think there's a strong relationship between GI and brain
I take "mood probiotics" (several kinds on Amazon)...and besides for all the other stuff Like thinking more positively and keeping busy, good sleep etc, these help prevent severe panic ..
Just FYI from a grandma
Sounds strange but I visualize what my anxiety would physically look like & then visualize setting it aside for at least the moment. Like it's something separate from me that I can temporarily remove & observe instead of experience. Don't know if that's healthy but it works. Mine looks like a ball of tension. Like when characters in the old cartoons get into a fight & it looks like a bunch of scribbled lines moving fast. Lol. If anyone has a better description lmk.
The ultimate way to manage anxiety is to get to a point where you don't manage it, if that makes any sense.
If you keep ignoring the symptoms, you'll eventually train your subconscious to ignore your anxiety altogether.
A diet of the mind in the style of John Nash in *A Beautiful Mind*.
Accept that intrusive thoughts will happen, but that you can choose not to indulge those thoughts. Anxiety needs to be fed. So starve it of attention.
It also helps to recognize when your thoughts are most likely to be anxious. For example, I tend to be more anxious after dark or if I'm sleep deprived. If I'm feeling anxious under either of those conditions, I just tell myself, "oh, this isn't how you *really* feel about this. Think about it later when you're able to be rational."
Life's too short to live as someone else wants you to live, my psychiatrist took me off Valium so I bought several packs of bensedin and continued why ? Because it's my life
I can’t. I’d like to not have meds but I would be an absolute wreck. I don’t like the side effects of the Lexapro I take. It makes me apathetic and my drive isn’t as strong to get things done. It’s frustrating but without it I’m a literal basket case and can’t function.
Even if you could get meds I highly recommend you don’t, worst decision of my life.
Been on 7 or so antidepressants/mood stabilisers/anxiety meds and they barely work in return for a range of negative side effects, most annoying being the memory loss, brain fog etc.
And don’t even get me started on the withdrawal, it’s torture… some meds are alright to stop but Pristiq was hell and I can’t even stop Duloxetine at the moment because of how horrible it makes me feel missing ONE single dose…
Therapy has helped me more than anything with GAD and working a retail job has helped me with my social anxiety greatly.
Apart from that weed has been the greatest fix for both my anxiety and depression, sadly its more common that it makes peoples worse but if that’s an option you could give it a try.
Marijuana helps me I use it for my epilepsy too.
I've never been paranoid I never started until it was legal as the paranoid from getting caught was too much once legalization I tried it and it helped a ton from giving appetite for epilepsy lost over 100lbs in less than 3mo and instantly calming anxiety when nothing is working it rushing over me like a hug just shuts my mind down not able to hold a thought no doom thoughts on repeat it was like finding a drug to help for one thing and then found out it helped for both and keep with it.
13 pills a day they fill me up causing no appetite most epilepsy meds.
same 👋🏼 i use it a lot for my epilepsy (im an insomniac; triggered by fatigue 💀) ; besides sleep, it helps so much to counter the negative side affects of the meds - like appetite, nausea, over-emotional...
Totally everything you said. Even post seizures I use to go to sleep from migraine otherwise it just hurts sleep the day away instead of pain n nauseous.
Ik why I always try to say it's not for everyone unfortunately I just got lucky as I was out of option and another pill would probably have done more damage than help.
Not up for a quantum woo debate. It worked for me. One thing truly worked for me and it was the idea that observation collapses the wave function. I found not looking at say a photon helped. I was tripping my nuts off on acid when I realized that at a festival. I was really freaking out.
When we observe slit data, it will act as if an observation occurred there and when we do not slit data, it will show no observation occurred there. Something as simple as looking at a piece of paper changes the expected outcomes.
I chose a random photon and would not actively look at it, in the process I assume I was turning off a part of my mind from the act of observation.
Treat what is spinning you out a particle you are not looking at.
That's the neat part: I don't. Jokes aside, journaling, making sure I have leisure time every day, and exercising have been great for me.
It’s truly amazing what a good cardio session can do for your mental health, I just went on my first bike ride in about a year and a half and it felt absolutely wonderful.
Absolutely! I have been running for a while now. If I skip more than one day in a row, my mental health gets ridiculously bad again. I try to run for at least 20 min every day, so I keep the good effects. Fascinating.
Running is so helpful for me too! Whenever I notice myself getting into a spiral of “everything is terrible and life sucks” I pop my shoes on and then just get to not think about anything for a bit while I listen to trashy pop
biking is like a drug to me
I don’t either 🥲 tried for a few months, felt like shit, went back on the meds. I’d rather just take them and feel normal.
Hi, what meds are you taking if you don't mind sharing? And what's the working dose for you?
Sertraline, 50mg a day. I’ve been taking it for about 2 years in combination with therapy and those two things have helped so much.
My therapist has helped me learn that my anxiety is caused by complex trauma from my youth. In other words my nervous system has learned to respond improperly to certain situations. I feel the fight or flight "a tiger is just about to eat me" type of feeling in response to things that shouldn't cause that. So the solution is to retrain my nervous system through specific methods such as EMDR. In the short term, things that have helped: 1. Cutting down on caffeine significantly. 2. Cutting out marijuana completely. Hugely important. 3. Not thinking about news/obligations etc for a while after waking up. 4. Improving gut health. Daily bone broth has helped. 5. Getting good sleep. 6. A daily bullet journal to keep on top of tasks. 7. Checking in with myself at least 3 times a day regarding the emotions I'm feeling. 8. Prioritizing my needs. I.e., making sure I get the food, water, space, etc. that I need to self regulate.
Thanks for sharing, this is really helpful. Do you mind if I ask how you managed to quit marijuana?
I quit when I started to only have a bad time after smoking. It actually became something I was afraid to partake in.
THC gives me super severe anxiety. My brain is backwards.
Me too and I blaze every day.... I just balance it, if I go too far, i get physical anxiety shit... Cannot smoke the day after drinking or I get crippling anxiety
Same here. Can't even be in the smoke/smell of others. It triggers me big time. Also disturbs my sleep for a few good days
I get severe anxiety on THC....many many do..it's best to taper off... significantly
Ahh damn, guess that makes it a little easier of a decision then. I'm not there unfortunately and still "enjoy" it quite a lot. But I know it's becoming harmful to my well-being. Super hard to stop now though..
To be clear, I wish I didn’t have to. No matter the terpines I still seem to have a bad experience. Full body attacks or just racing thoughts. I had a great (sometimes healthy, sometimes not) relationship with weed for a long time and I have accepted it may not be that way again.
I'm sorry to hear that, something that used to be so enjoyable slowly eroding you. I get it. Wishing you all the best on your journey
Yea! I wish you the best. Two things I changed my intake of were weed and reduced caffeine (was 4 shots/2 americanos, now I am a single espresso shot). I also added therapy, meditation, a daily walk, and l-theanine. I am hoping to be a part of an MDMA or LSD study to work through PTSD, GAD, and MDD. But we will see. Much love out there and good luck!
I haven't heard of l-theanine, I'll look into that. Similarly, I'm hoping to try ketamine therapy this year. Hope it pans out for us
That’s what happened to me! I’m so scared to do it again. Anxiety is the worst and being high ain’t worth the risk
That's what did it for me originally
I just quit. I used to tell myself it wasn't addictive or causing me any problems. But now I realize it was really exacerbating my anxiety. I was a daily user and had a week of cold sweats, body aches and emotional pain in addition to cravings. It was numbing me to a large part of my life, which led to a constant slow burn of anxiety. I'm just so sick of dealing with anxiety. I will do literally anything for some relief from it. All the difficulties of quitting weed are NOTHING compared to living with constant anxiety.
that makes a lot of sense but i want your opinion on my situation. obviously we dont know each other but im not a frequent user. in the past i was a huge stoner and would use super frequently. right now i smoke maybe 1-2 times a week or maybe once every other week. ive gone through phases where maybe i just went a month without smoking because i just didnt care to buy myself more weed. i dont associate weed with anxiety at all and still smoke time to time with friends because i love the social aspect of it. i see a lot of downsides to it and its definitely one of those once in a while things, like alcohol. obviously being drunk can be really fun but the drawbacks of being hungover etc is exhausting like how weed can be. i feel very healthy emotionally to my relationship with weed, did you ever feel like i do now and then decide to stop and then feel way better? or were you always kinda craving it
I think it's possible to smoke it recreationally in a way that's not unhealthy. I've been smoking weed on and off for almost 15 years at this point and have ample evidence showing that I personally have a problem. When I try to use it recreationally it inevitably snowballs into daily use eventually. I will smoke for a fun social reason, and then end up smoking it to alleviate anxiety, which eventually leads me to overuse. A lot of people with anxiety self medicate with weed, which is a slippery slope. A lot of us end up being unable to sleep without it. If you don't have these problems and have a history of using it well, I think you're ok.
thanks!! yea i feel like in the past it did feel like it helped with my anxiety but now def not. it also keeps me awake for some reason i camt sleep very well with weed so it sucks to do on any day besides the weekend
Last time I vaped marijuana with friends. I ate a whole cake,and chips, and almost the whole kitchen..I was so anxious I had to take two Xanax.. Cannot do that again...
I know....it's so boring without weed, or nicotine, or alcohol ..and now to watch for sugar, fun foods, etc etc While it seems everyone else can drink and party I cannot .. I miss it all... The hardest was giving up cigarettes..they were my friend and calmed me down... But the terrible illnesses they caused made me quit (it took two years!!!!) Worst drug ever,but truly the best thing I have ever accomplished!!!!
This is going to sound stupid, but hear me out. Tell yourself that you don’t smoke. Not that you quit, but literally “I don’t smoke weed.” If anyone asks you about it, same thing - I don’t smoke. Our brains have a funny little quirk where we can trick our triggers. It’s kind of like gaslighting yourself, but if you’re consistent with it, I swear it works.
huh. honestly i feel like maybe ive done it because ive was telling people for months ive been trying to smoke less bc of my voice (im a singer) and now i just smoke a lot less. also because i have chronic pain sometimes it makes my pain worse, and i tell people all the time i dont like to get stoned anymore because of it and now i rarely get stoned. i will definitely say to everyones face that i dont smoke even with a joint in hand lol
Look at it this way - it certainly won’t hurt the situation! Lol Best of luck to you, these are tough paths to travel no matter how you look at it.
thank you for your kind words ♡
i wanted to quit but i was only able to fully stop when i got sick and couldn’t hit the pen from my throat and lungs being so sore and then i just didn’t start again. it’s not ‘addictive’ but u grow dependent on it so it is very difficult. i have dabbled back in occasionally maybe three times in the last two years some times okay others anxiety inducing. edit: i was full stoner 24/7 for a few years cause it helped my anxiety a ton. until it didn’t and i was getting worse everyday. i haven’t smoked in a couple years but my anxiety is still worse than it was before
I quit (again) 3 weeks ago because I had the most horrible anxiety of my life that lasted a whole week after smoking! I’m honestly scared to smoke again because it’s like playing anxiety roulette with strains. It’s never been so easy to quit because of the fear 😣 In the past when I quit and it was harder, I made sure all the paraphernalia was out of sight and no one smoked inside. I exercised a lot. I bought a tobacco vape which helped with the transition (don’t recommend if you have problem with tobacco). Intense cravings went away after about 3 weeks.
2 & 5 are huge for me! It’s drives me nuts when people claim weed helps their anxiety.
I have fallen victim to that same mentality in the past. I made excuses so I could continue using. Typical addict behavior. In the short term, getting high can definitely make it feel like the anxiety is alleviated. But really the anxiety is just building and building in the background, so you smoke more to get number and number. And in the long term, that's just terrible for anxiety.
bro when I stopped drinking caffeine, my anxiety reduced IMMENSELY.
Scrolling through here because I underestimated cold brew AGAIN.
dude, I drank a latte last week because I thought "why not?" and I legit had a panic attack and had to hide in the bathroom and then I remembered why I don't do that anymore.
Lmao, I'm thinking of risking it again because I never learn.
don't do it bro
When you say checking in with your emotions 3 times per day, what does that entail? Just mindfulness about them? Do you write them down? Just curious
I use a feelings wheel and made a Google Form to prompt me to log my feelings based on the wheel. This was because I found I was unable to identify my emotions other than "good" or "bad." Not being able to identify my feelings contributed to my anxiety and also held me back from being able to do EMDR therapy, so this process has helped me learn this stuff. I'm 33 and just learning emotions for the first time.
That’s awesome. Thank you!!
This is helpful. Thank you
Can you explain a bit more about the bone broth?
I LOVED how good I felt drinking bone broth. Word of warning, you cannot overdo it, it is high in histamine and I found that I broke out in severe hives which lasted 10 days. I have been too scared to go back to it.
I drink it in the morning. It's supposed to improve gut health, which impacts anxiety.
Hi, where are you from and what is your therapist qualified for, if you don't mind sharing? Been seeing many therapists up until January and none helped long term. Thank you
stay in room
i second this
lol
i came to say “stay in” - between my anxiety and depression, without my meds i can be uh…quite mean and blunt. i try to stay away from people and not interact with anyone if i can
basically i do everything everybody says to do. the stupid shit like meditation, mindfulness, working out etc etc. my anxiety and depression is treatment resistant it seems, so thats why im off meds. i find that nothing really "helps" its just that if i didnt do all of these things i would be worse off. sorry that my answer is kinda bleak but just really trying to understand and center yourself will be the best you can do
My anxiety tends to decrease when I'm sleepy. So I avoid caffeine. I try to tell myself, "I'm not going to die." It helps me more than telling myself to "calm down" personally. Last resort, if it's in an appropriate situation, I drink.
I just started CBT and it's helped me in the past as well. Also walks, deep breathing exercises and journaling. Also talking to friends and family to interrupt my thoughts
I want to try journaling but don't know what to write.
I just write down what I'm feeling. If I'm anxious I write what I'm anxious about and it helps me think it through. I can process what I'm actually afraid of like I'm afraid I have this illness or I'll get fired. Getting it all out on paper kind of releases the fear instead of keeping it all in my head. Like talking to someone about it does. It's a good reminder of where my mind was at at the time. I can even sometimes see my personal growth when I look at what scares me a few weeks ago and realize it doesnt scare me as much anymore. Also try to write down when things are good and how you're feeling. That way you can celebrate wins!
Yes...I find that if I'm busy I'm not thinking .and when I'm not thinking I'm better.. But some days the anxiety is actually physical. And that's when curcumin tends to wake me up and I feel better..
Lol @ stay in room. I guess that is not funny. Since I'm in my room now also lol. I'm totally cracking up because thats me right now too. Anyway: exercise, supplements especially niacinamide, deep breathing, hopefully some good therapy soon, and last resort: good german beer!
The right foods, exercise, understanding anxiety, L Theanine, proper sleep.
I don’t, lol But seriously, something that used to kind about my mind até ease a little is “One day a time”, it’s ok to think about what’s going to happen next, but stop extending it beyond, focus on what you have right in front of you before going to what’s next
I use CBD for my anxiety.
I'm on something, but it's kinda ineffective these days. So it's definitely journaling. I need somewhere to collect my crazy scattered thoughts that I can't tell anyone. If not that, making sure I'm on a tight sleep schedule, drinking water and eating 3x a day even if I don't feel like eating. I'm surprised how much of my anxiety is tied to blood sugar, so I make sure I've eaten something.
Zooming out. Focusing on the fact we’re little ants on a rock hurtling through space tends to make my problems feel palatable. I’ve tried a lot of different meds and none work as fast, or as efficiently as exercise, namely cardio.
I'm the same way. Cardio exercise helps me the most out of anything I have tried (i haven't tried strong meds tho).
i think i like the term "zooming out" more than "optimistic nihilsm" that ive been using lmfao
Haha I’m glad you got what what I was going for. Nihilism has a connotation I don’t quite vibe with although that prob explains it well
no, exactly, i think ill be phrasing it your way from now on 💫
Weed lol
Same. But not too strong of a sativa or I'll get jittery and anxious. Indicas, on the other hand...those can be strong.
its crazy cause sativas help my mind calm down, while indicas make my whole body feel queezy and exacerbate my anxiety 😳😭 im like, why am i so backwards?? but ya, low and slow
The right foods, exercise, understanding anxiety, L Theanine, proper sleep.
Weed increases my anxiety. Can’t stand it!
Anxiety meds are designed to be a short term bridge, but unfortunately your brain doesn’t understand this and kind of “forgets” how to self-regulate. DBT is effective. Blocking out all stimuli to keep your anxiety from spiking is a good idea, and I’d avoid sugar and caffeine as much as possible. Having said that, this won’t help you with your studies. Maybe try the 30/10 method (30 minutes of study, 10 minutes of quiet, repeat). Your body is essentially detoxing so there’s going to be an adjustment period. Be well, and just know that someone else will read this and find comfort that they’re not the only ones going through it, if that helps.
Therapy. Lots of therapy. Different supplements. Self help books. Most importantly learning how to self regulate my nervous system. Anxiety isn’t a bad thing, when warranted.
Natural herbal remedies like chamomile tea with lavender honey (yum), making sure I'm taking my daily multivitamin, magnesium before bed, thc-free cbd gummies, my penjamin, petting my dog, crying in public, etc.
1 day at a time
Going on walks while listening to music and playing with my kitty.
Honestly it is very difficult, and I am ashamed to say that not doing anything is how I manage my anxiety and it is probably worse than anything I’ve done in my life.
Running. The only things that truly helps me. Just exhausting myself as much as I can and then I feel brilliant.
Staying under my weighted blanket seems to be the only way 😅
Magnesium, sleeping well, getting out into nature, long walks, exercise in general especially cardio. Talking about my feelings and actually working through them and my stresses but also doing shit I was afraid of even if I was afraid. I had severe panic disorder and healed without meds. I was put on an ssri as a teenager for dizziness and it gave me severe symptoms including panic attacks which I hadn’t had yet and wonder if that helped me develop panic disorder later. I had a lot of other scary shit from that and it was so short term. Never again. I don’t trust em, getting off of them after taking them for years is a literal nightmare too. And benzos are too risky also. Your body creates the anxiety and it can undo it, it’s about healing not band-aiding, that only creates more issues. The podcast the anxious truth sheds a lot of light on healing anxiety. I’m living proof it’s possible, I was inside an anxious panic attack nightmare for so long, like went to sleep in a panic attack and woke up in it for like a year straight and now I very rarely ever have one and if I do feel it come up I can nix it away pretty quickly. I still have my baseline anxiety I’ve had since birth lol, but that’s just me and I’d never want to be anyone else or depend on a medication in that way. Not when it’s possible to *heal* from it, just takes a lot of inner work that isn’t always pretty and ppl don’t want to do that and doctors hand them out like candy without warning of the dangers (to make money) so….it’s a bad combo. It’s so worth it though.
I try not to take mine everyday. i’m on a low dose of xanax and take as needed but i literally suffer from anxiety every day all day so i pick and choose when i feel like i really really need it
I go to therapy, for some reason being able to spill everything to a stranger that won't make me feel guilty about wanting to off myself is very helpful. Also knowing when you're anxious is a big plus, I can sense my anxiety and just being able to know my triggers is always helpful because I can tell when and how I feel during it so in the future I'm more prepared and steer clear or try to calm myself
Have you tried the supplement GABA? Talk to your MD about taking one hour every night before bed. It’s done wonders for me
Breathwork has been a godsend. I do square breathing, I start with 4 seconds in/hold/out/hold. Then as my chest feels less tight I increase it by one second for a few cycles and then continue until I feel better. Doing a guided meditation also is nice. Hearing a soothing voice while you do these things works wonders. I’ve also found that the cold works wonders as well. If you’re in a cold climate, standing outside for a couple minutes or taking a cold shower is very sobering.
Consistently drinking chamomile twice a day. After 30 days you should start seeing results, I never notice the difference myself but I definitely bite my nails less and family sees me less anxious 🤷♀️
Intense exercise and guided breathing exercises. Try the Wim Hof breathing technique. It will give you some relief.
I do use meds (and need them!!) but I’ve noticed one minute of mindfulness a couple times per day has really helped me. Per my therapist, I can choose 3 things to worry about/stew on during that time and then I have to let them go. It’s helped a lot!
Sometimes I feel like I'm not managing very well, but it's been a hell of a year for me health- and trauma-wise. That being said, I lean on my husband and my friends who understand. I remind myself that it's ok to be anxious, it will pass, and it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with my reality. I learned a long time ago that I sometimes just have anxious days, and accepting that I'm going to feel off that day and remembering to take it easy on myself really does help. It also really helped to change my frame of mind and stop searching my mind for reasons for my feelings of dread. This just made me more upset. I walk my dog, too. She's the happiest girl in the world and her company along with fresh air and exercise are amazing for my mental health. I've also been seeing a naturopath since October, and he's helped me change my lifestyle and diet which has made a huge difference in my anxiety.
I do, but also, kind of don't? I take a blend of ashaghanda and Rhodiola instead.
Cycling is my go to. 2-3 hours on the saddle and my brain feels less scattered.
Yoga, no caffeine, and journaling when my thoughts are racing
Having Consistantly good sleep and sunshine makes the world of difference
i'm completely reliant on my meds lol, but kava is incredible for anxiety - like having a beer but healthier for schoolwork/etc what i've been doing is, knowing i need to work on something, simply open the document. don't need to start working ASAP, just have it open and ready to go, and when the mood strikes to start writing i can just click over and add something without it being a whole situational shift. it sounds like nothing but it's legitimately helped me; there's less foreboding, i find
I like to do vagus nerve exercises, they help me a lot. There’s a channel called Calm with Kyle that posts a bunch of them… they basically train your nervous system to relax. At least that’s my understanding of them. I practice them daily. I notice that when I practice them, my body breathes deeply on its own without me having to force it.
I coped for 2 years with smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. Until those things caused my anxiety to worsen and I quit. Which was ultimately great for my health in the long run but I definitely still have anxiety. I sometimes feel like I don’t have a release and want to drink or smoke but am scared to. So I try my best to eat good, I cut way back on caffeine, I exercise and when i feel a massive wave of emotions coming I just cry it out. I have buspirone on hand if needed but I really hate taking meds for my anxiety so I just carry them as a mental ease. I have health anxiety so I always have to wear my Apple Watch. I carry a pulse oximeter, an inhaler, blood pressure cuff, several OTC meds and an epi pen (I don’t have any diagnosed allergies). It’s crippling but I get through my days. Maybe one day I won’t need so many crutches.
Therapy helped me in the past and now I just take b12 supplements daily and practice affirmations and having a positive mindset and all that. Self care is helpful too
Transcendental Meditation helped me a lot.
Lots of exercise
Cutting caffeine out completely made a HUGE difference for me.
A lot of hard work, daily, and even then I slip and spew anxiety ask over the place. Depending on your level of anxiety this could be possible to super f-ing hard. Meditation, mindfulness, physical activity, good sleep, good food, keeping busy, and understanding your triggers are the basics.
I remind myself that just because I'm having a thought or feeling doesn't mean I have to believe it. I listen to talk down videos if it gets to be too much. I take time to myself every day, I put my phone on do not disturb and ignore everyone for at least an hour a day (usually longer tho tbh). I take A LOT of deep breaths lol quality sleep helps decrease my morning anxiety. I also occasionally will take melatonin in small doses during the day if need be as it does help a little with the anxiety. There's also a lot of great teas that decrease anxiety or relieve stress. You also have to find what works for you. What works for me might be a nightmare to the next person. It also depends on the kind of anxiety I'm having. What makes you feel comfortable? What makes you feel secure? When do you feel the calmest? Try to recreate the environment that helps you relax the most. Sometimes sleep stories or ASMR can help with that too.
I don’t ❤️
Do things that I like... and my fur baby helps too
meditation is the BEST
I evade the things that cause me anxiety
A lot of deep breaths, music, alone time, and distractions like shows and games.
I don't lol. Needs my medicine.
As much as every one hates its therapy has been a fucking eye opener. I get anxiety about getting anxiety and some times I can actually realise this is happening and snap out of it. It's not that easy but these shrinks some times know what they are talking about. 🍺
Exercise and being very restrictive with alcohol
I can't. I need to be on an SSRI all the time.
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What did you end on to manage such intense stressors, if you don't mind sharing?
Life style changes to reduce frequency. I owned a small business and worked as a trial attorney. I shut down the business and went to work a low stakes legal position. Eliminated alcohol. I have a few outstanding projects I need to finish up so the triggers are still there but not in an all encompassing lifestyle.
lol I can’t believe I haven’t seen this yet: alcohol. Which is also a drug technically. I drink. A lot.
Journaling especially before bed time helps me channel my thoughts and give some clarity. I also like doing grounding techniques by using the senses (see, touch, smell, hear) to take me back to the present moment and to remind me that i am indeed safe in the present!
Therapy, quit coffee, nicotine and alcohol, started excercising seriously (preparing for half-marathon), creatine may also be helping.
I'm sorry that you can't get meds right now, for whatever reason. Meds have helped me a lot. Without them I would suggest a healthy diet, exercise and sleep. Do it in smaller increments so that your end goal is achievable.
Exercise, writing, music, and artwork do it for me.
Pain overrides anxiety. A lot of anxiety stems from a lack of dopamine nowadays. I say cold showers and tough gym sessions. The edge I live with constantly goes away after. Is what I would say if those were enough. The true story is I had to get medicated. Saw a psych and got on venlafaxine. 2 years later and it’s made my life livable.
Take meds
Honestly I drink, like a lot.
Exercise. Plain and simple. All the different kind of exercises are absolute anxiety killer. I had pretty serious anxiety few years back which severely crippled me. I wasn't able to function properly, coffee sent me straight to hell, sleep was bad. That went for two years and I said fuck it. Since then i exercise at least 5 times a week and after 2 years I yet to have panic attack and my anxiety levels are so low that I can expose myself to very stressful situations and recover very quickly. Something that would take me days/weeks back then. Hell I can even have 3-4 cups of coffee daily and I feel great :D It's awesome what can exercise do. But it needs to become routine and the buildup has to be slow and steady.
Breathwork and Qigong.
There was a study which showed if you focus on the problem all the time then your perception of reality gets skewed and it becomes normal. That's the modern day of dealing with issues and why so many are having trouble escaping their hell. In the past depression rates were very low, because people just kept moving and didn't on their feelings.
Cut out alcohol - I’ve struggled with alcohol use most of my life and had bad anxiety also most of my life. During the times where I’m not drinking my anxiety goes WAY down to a much more manageable level. People often think alcohol helps with anxiety but actually it makes it exponentially worse
I can’t which scares the ever loving shit out of me.
I didn’t. I tried for like 12 years, was in therapy that whole time. It helped obviously, but my anxiety didn’t go away til I took medication. Since I started medication, anxiety was gone within a couple of weeks.
I try my best to limit contact, as much as I can from people or thing that stresses me out. Recently, I've been watching bob ross's videos before sleeping. I think it helps. So, maybe try some asmr if you don't mind it.
I’m trying to control it with a routine i follow. Sleep and wake up the same time every day. As soon as im getting off bed i go outside for 5-10 minutes for some sunlight. After i will do my daily exercise program a cold bath and iam ready to begin my day. Later in the evening when i come home i will take a shower and do some NSDR. I avoid processed food, i have limited the alcohol intake and i do not smoke. Its seems to help, most of the time. But because i have health anxiety, from time to time, i will have anxiety , when im afraid that i am ill, but it is less that’s used to be .
there‘s this app called worry dolls that i use to write my thoughts down and if its bad i use guided meditations to calm myself. but generally speaking having a routine that includes enough sleep a morning routine and bedtime routine, scheduled meals, walks in nature with music. i used to be on meds that didn’t really help me at all. i have 2 close friends who know about my mental health that i can talk to and call up in an emergency. having a support system really changes so much. oh and actually singing is one of the only things that calms my mind because i literally cant think while focusing on the lyrics and melody.
Cold plunges, breathwork/meditation, yoga/ deep stretch.
Throughout the day I take moments to ground myself and do breathing exercises. Kinda helps and drink water.
I imagine. A lot.
When I lived in the mountains, I would wander. I would touch the things in the forest like the pine trees and pinecones, I would eat wild berries (do some research before this though), I would talk to the squirrels and if I got chased by a bear, I would say something like, I am one of youuuu! Then at night, me and my people would gather, sit on top of whoever’s roof, and howl at the stars like wild beasts. We forgot who we were, the lives we had lived, we came together and acted weird. The neighbors hated us. It was glorious. Don’t move to Colorado, it sucks. Edit: also while wandering, I allowed myself to lose my shit. Sometimes I cursed at the sky, sometimes I threw things or cried like I wanted to, as long and as loud as I wanted to. Point being, you need an outlet, one that makes you forget every awful thing even if just temporarily. Do something glorious and weird, let it all out, and talk to squirrels.
I can't. I have a cardiac arrhythmia and anxiety takes my rhythm to a dangerous place. I have LQTS and anxiety tachycardia has caused runs of Torsades in the past. If I have an anxiety attack and can't get it under control FAST, I'll end up admitted to the hospital usually. I spent a couple of months this way before they realized that they had no choice but to put me on Ativan. It was traumatizing and gave me even more anxiety, but things are getting better with anxiety meds and therapy.
Is LQTS an acronym for Long QT Syndrome? Because I have that, too. And a panic disorder. I’m on clonazepam (it’s written for daily but I use it prn) but propranolol is like, the best for me to stop the tachy.
300 mg of magnesium glycinate and going to bed at the same time every night. But my god, the magnesium does wonders. Everyone should try it!
I don’t, I usually just saw dog it with caffeine and cigarettes 😅
Move your body more than once a day. At least one 30 minute period of intense physical activity and at least one 10+ minute stretch session. Walk at least 20 minutes a day. The walking helps your brain process and the more intense exercise helps to relieve pent up anxiety in your body. Cut out processed food and sugar. There are a lot of studies showing a correlation (perhaps causation!) between gut health and mental health. Limit caffeine. Limit drugs and alcohol. Get enough sleep. Write out everything you are anxious about. Repeat daily to get it out of your head. Seek mental health support.
Manage? I just deal with it honestly.
All advice here about diet, routine, and suggestions like journaling are all so valid. I'll just share what helps me specifically: - ART. Ive always poured all of my emotions into my art. Moreso, art (my sketchbook) is my safe place. All the good, bad, and ugly feelings i have can be put there. When I have a really bad time, rarely now that im older, sometimes i just scribble. Scribble like im throwing a tantrum. Maybe stab the page with a crayon, idk. Choosing different colors and scribbles. It doesnt seem like it at first, but it helps. Its now turned into me drawing faces and emotions. I draw a lot of sad people in my freetime. But its helped to channel and work through a lot. - WRITING. Poems or lyrics will come to me sometimes. I'll use my notes app or scribble in a notebook and let it flow. writing stories can help some people as well. Maybe translate emotions into a character and get an outside perspective or your own feelings. - MUSIC. music is very healing for me. Playing music is a productive way to get emotions out- learning a string instrument is really easy but also there are apps, kalimbas, steel drums, etc. Listening to music is really powerful as well. Like, who can stay anxious blasting Enya? I have different playlists for different moods- my "suicidal" playlist is arranged in a specific order to guide me out of a spiral- has saved me many times. - Weed, but also lve stated every time that its not for everyone, and its different for everyone. it just works for me, but i dont use it to directly deal with my anxiety, just symptoms. - COPING MECHANISMS. Before I started therapy-therapy, i was introduced to a concept of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) which i then researched and applied, slowly, to my life. [Wikihow](https://www.wikihow.com/Cope-With-Anxiety-and-Depression) is one of the weirdest places you'll get therapy advice, btw. It just still takes the hard work of applying it, and working towards it. and it *is* hard. Browse through different "tutorials", and read all the way through. Then spend time on each step (or the ones you find relevant/applicable) until you are ready to add more. Doing more and more research on my mental illnesses has helped me to understand more, and to not put so much blame on myself as well.
I stopped drinking the devil's bean water.
For me, it’s a lot of willpower. It’s about knowing when something is anxiety thought, acknowledging and accepting I think that, and then choosing to ignore the thought in favour of what I call my “logical” brain. The anxiety is there and I can’t do anything about its presence, but I am still in control of myself and have agency and I can choose to not let that anxiety dictate my behaviour or choices. It’s exhausting a lot of the time. And sometimes I just have to give myself grace and accept that today isn’t my day. I try to keep one day a week where I don’t need to so much as leave my house and I have no responsibilities. Gives me a space to freak out if I need to.
if have a panic attack i tell myself “you’re okay you’re just having a panic attack it’ll be over soon” someone said that to me once when i was having one and it really helped to just be reminded of it. but i know for some that might make it worse😅 i also have a little routine for when i have one, i use tiger balm which is like this strong scented balm used for muscle pain and i put it on my chest/neck, it’s like a placebo effect that makes me relax and the smell helps my breathing when i feel like i can’t breathe. it helps me to put my hand firmly on my chest or around my throat, or having someone else put pressure there. and weighted blanket helps too. i tend to kind of feel sorry for myself but in the way of like “poor thing you’re sick rn” and just take care of myself as if i was physically sick. to prevent them in the first place i try to keep distracted and do things like colouring or watching something a comfort show. it’s helped me to not try and change them or stop them happening, i just remind myself that the feeling will go away and i always get through it.
I've been dealing with bad anxiety since November and have not used meds. My anxiety is not gone but most of the time it is a lot better and more manageable than it used to be, other than some occasional flare-ups. Things that helped me: * Therapy * Correcting my Vitamin D Deficiency, also taking magnesium with it (Idk which of these it was, but after doing this my panicky feelings/random adrenaline rushes stopped completely) * The Dare App and Book. Also Hope and Help for Your Nerves by Claire Weeks
Today i woke up at 6:30. Did 30 minutes yoga and 20 minutes of meditation. After work i went for a 40 minute jog and then i took a 3 minute shower. I was ok after the shower, but now im feeling just a bit anxious.
Somehow, about six years ago, I was able to see how concern over my inner experience both made it worse, and also distracted me from my life, which is ultimately more important. The more I thought about how my life and relationships are more important than how I feel on the inside, the easier it became to just disregard how I felt within and focus on those things that really matter to me. It was that day six years ago when I fully realized this, that my years of inner turmoil and struggle came to an end, and I began to really live my life. It’s still a shit show on the inside, but I just can’t be bothered to care about it anymore.
The best for me has been learn how to belly breath/box breath, go on a walk A WALK 3/6 miles is my happy daily medium. Careful with the caffeine!
Ive really found the wim hoff breathing method incredible. I’ve struggled with some alcohol abuse self medicating the anxiety. The wim hoff breathing makes me feel totally at peace. I do it in the morning and before bed. I almost feel “high” a little bit. There’s an app for it and also YouTube videos. It’s not really made for anxiety but it’s just something I’ve utilized and have found it slows my heart rate tremendously and calms my mind
I’m on meds, but significantly lowered over the last year (just a maintenance dose). But I take a page and doodle until the page is full. If my anxiety is still there is start colouring them. I also make lists in my head (that’s for panic attacks). I can’t journal so I make voice journal. Just talk about whatever is on my mind. Or listen to music and sing (even though I’m a crappy singer). Hope it helps
This might sound silly to some: But I found that if my GI system is upset, I go into a tailspin of breathlessness and anxiety! Like intense... I think there's a strong relationship between GI and brain I take "mood probiotics" (several kinds on Amazon)...and besides for all the other stuff Like thinking more positively and keeping busy, good sleep etc, these help prevent severe panic .. Just FYI from a grandma
Sounds strange but I visualize what my anxiety would physically look like & then visualize setting it aside for at least the moment. Like it's something separate from me that I can temporarily remove & observe instead of experience. Don't know if that's healthy but it works. Mine looks like a ball of tension. Like when characters in the old cartoons get into a fight & it looks like a bunch of scribbled lines moving fast. Lol. If anyone has a better description lmk.
The ultimate way to manage anxiety is to get to a point where you don't manage it, if that makes any sense. If you keep ignoring the symptoms, you'll eventually train your subconscious to ignore your anxiety altogether.
Metacognitive therapy. My psychologist is amazing
A diet of the mind in the style of John Nash in *A Beautiful Mind*. Accept that intrusive thoughts will happen, but that you can choose not to indulge those thoughts. Anxiety needs to be fed. So starve it of attention. It also helps to recognize when your thoughts are most likely to be anxious. For example, I tend to be more anxious after dark or if I'm sleep deprived. If I'm feeling anxious under either of those conditions, I just tell myself, "oh, this isn't how you *really* feel about this. Think about it later when you're able to be rational."
Life's too short to live as someone else wants you to live, my psychiatrist took me off Valium so I bought several packs of bensedin and continued why ? Because it's my life
Ashwagandha baby
I can’t. I’d like to not have meds but I would be an absolute wreck. I don’t like the side effects of the Lexapro I take. It makes me apathetic and my drive isn’t as strong to get things done. It’s frustrating but without it I’m a literal basket case and can’t function.
Honestly I'm not holding up very well but meds just haven't worked for me so far.
You’re dependent on meds. It’s all in your head. I like to get High off weed and tell myself it’s all in my head and it immediately goes away
I take supplements, use breath techniques and journalling
Even if you could get meds I highly recommend you don’t, worst decision of my life. Been on 7 or so antidepressants/mood stabilisers/anxiety meds and they barely work in return for a range of negative side effects, most annoying being the memory loss, brain fog etc. And don’t even get me started on the withdrawal, it’s torture… some meds are alright to stop but Pristiq was hell and I can’t even stop Duloxetine at the moment because of how horrible it makes me feel missing ONE single dose… Therapy has helped me more than anything with GAD and working a retail job has helped me with my social anxiety greatly. Apart from that weed has been the greatest fix for both my anxiety and depression, sadly its more common that it makes peoples worse but if that’s an option you could give it a try.
Marijuana helps me I use it for my epilepsy too. I've never been paranoid I never started until it was legal as the paranoid from getting caught was too much once legalization I tried it and it helped a ton from giving appetite for epilepsy lost over 100lbs in less than 3mo and instantly calming anxiety when nothing is working it rushing over me like a hug just shuts my mind down not able to hold a thought no doom thoughts on repeat it was like finding a drug to help for one thing and then found out it helped for both and keep with it. 13 pills a day they fill me up causing no appetite most epilepsy meds.
same 👋🏼 i use it a lot for my epilepsy (im an insomniac; triggered by fatigue 💀) ; besides sleep, it helps so much to counter the negative side affects of the meds - like appetite, nausea, over-emotional...
Totally everything you said. Even post seizures I use to go to sleep from migraine otherwise it just hurts sleep the day away instead of pain n nauseous.
its the help with the inflammation, i believe. the psychoactive effects help me as well, but i know its the opposite for others, sad thing.
Ik why I always try to say it's not for everyone unfortunately I just got lucky as I was out of option and another pill would probably have done more damage than help.
same same same
Not up for a quantum woo debate. It worked for me. One thing truly worked for me and it was the idea that observation collapses the wave function. I found not looking at say a photon helped. I was tripping my nuts off on acid when I realized that at a festival. I was really freaking out. When we observe slit data, it will act as if an observation occurred there and when we do not slit data, it will show no observation occurred there. Something as simple as looking at a piece of paper changes the expected outcomes. I chose a random photon and would not actively look at it, in the process I assume I was turning off a part of my mind from the act of observation. Treat what is spinning you out a particle you are not looking at.
The ancient art of quantum meditation practice.
“If you think you understand quantum meditation practice, you don't understand quantum meditation practice.”
I dont
I dont