AIBU to ask for simple ways to manage acute anxiety tonight?

How are you doing @Tiddlysocks

If your heart is racing, check your pulse at your wrist. Just think "yeah, that's a bit fast". (It won't hurt you).

Now breathe in sharply and hold your breathe. If you can hold it for more than about 4 seconds, you will feel your pulse rate drop.

Do that a few times and you'll feel more in charge.

Smiling (Even Forced): Physically forming a smile—even if you don't feel like it—activates facial muscles that signal the brain to release neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which help counteract stress.
Remember it will pass.

Firstly, this coming night does not matter in the grand scheme of things. So it doesn't matter if you're awake, asleep etc. If you don't sleep, you'll have a great sleep tomorrow night.

Now, you need to distract yourself. I've had anxiety for years so I would do some of the following:

A shit job you've put off. Toilet cleaning, bin emptying, cooker cleaning? Do that, with a podcast on. Shit job finished, sense of achievement, 30 minutes closer to the GP!

Clean the bathroom then immediately have a nice bath or shower and appreciate your work.

Watch the World Cup.

Watch a series you know really well. (The Detectorists cheers me up).

Cooking something tasty (e.g Millies cookies recipe)

Cooking something nutritious.

Sit in the dark in the garden with a cup of tea.

Write all your thoughts in ChatGPT.

Write out exactly what you want to tell the doctor, do you don't keep imagining that conversation.

My husband hums. Long and low. The vibrations touch the vagus nerve which is part of the parasympathetic system. This means triggering it helps shift the body from ‘fight or flight’ into ‘rest and digest’. He also uses his hand to lightly beat a tune on his chest.

play some games of terms online, it helps.

Ring Samaritans 116123. They’ll listen to you and calm you.

I agree. Breathwork works for me. Nadi shodanah or alternate nostril breathing is what I find works best. It is also a favourite of Hilary Clinton and she knows a thing or two about stress. There are plenty of demo videos online. Stay strong OP.

OP, you’ve done really well to reach out to us tonight - please continue to do so whenever you feel you need support. It’s a horrible thing to have.
in terms of a practical solution, I found having bubble baths (especially with Radox bubble bath) really helped calm me when I was suffering with severe anxiety a number of years ago. Ovaltine original always gave me a good nights sleep back then too.
Meditation helped as well - try to find a relaxing video on You Tube. Breathing exercises also.
Also the phrase “This too shall pass” instantly calms me for some reason! Also “You Got This!” 🙂
Much love OP 💖💐

Diazepam goes out of your system quickly- not a sleeping pill but mildly sedative.

Hey, OP. Hope you're starting to feel better? Sounds like a lot of us on this thread have been where you are.
It'll pass soon. It will!

Seresta or other benzo is the only thing that does it for me.

Sorry didn’t realise someone had already suggested this. Good luck lovely.

Ah op I sm sorry you are going through this, it’s truly awful.
Propanolol definitely helps with the physical symptoms of anxiety, doesn’t make me sleepy.

I found EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique ) to be really helpful, its something practical to focus on and helps reduce the anxiety. There are loads on youtube. I try and post one for you if I can work out how to 🙈

Ditto to lots of these suggestions - box breathing, I quite like being walked through it on a free podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-breath-sessions/id1719097523?i=1000643802141

I like headspace app which I pay for for insomnia.

And have been on sertraline the last few months which I’ve found game changing. It’s an antidepressant which is also used for anxiety, it’s really helped my thoughts to spiral less.

if I’m frustrated I sometimes have a big clear out too, or organise drawers or something to get the angst out. Lots of great advice here, you’re in good company

Seconding tapping - also known as Emotional Freedom Technique. It works by dispersing adrenaline and cortisol. Here's a 3-minute routine to start with:

These are all such great suggestions, I’m going to save this thread!

I have generalised anxiety disorder, which I’m sure is ramped up by a disability meaning that I can’t exercise. But interestingly, some very gentle tidying eg in my bedroom, can help. Also knitting when I’m able. I suspect that repetitive movement helps.

My best remedies are probably listening to a really good audiobook, and having a slow, gentle shower. Doing some really unimportant admin, like going through old emails in my inbox, is also good.

Anxiety is like water, it will find a new way in wherever it can. It’s good to have a lot of tools at your disposal . Organising suggestions into a plan sounds brilliant. Wishing you well, @Tiddlysocks

So I use this technique called havening. It’s a stroking thing which is very soothing . There few videos here https://www.havening.org/

I also gave an emotional first aid script’this is my stress response. I can’t think clearly because my front brain is off line, I won’t feel better until my body is calmer. I can do breathing techniques (out breath longer than in) and havening to help sooth me. This feels yukky as my brain wants to fix the problem. But it’s not time yet’

Cuddling a soft toy helps me. Also something very simple like ironing. I put my hand on my heart and one on my tummy and rub gently.

also say ‘it feels like I am in danger but I am not’.

I also tell myself that people have been around for 1000s of years and there is absolutely nothing new and other humans have been in my situation

also ‘I am alive. This is being alive . Even though it feels yukky it means I am alice’

’in 6 months this will be something I’ve got through’

look up a video of belly breathing. Do it for 15 mins .

hold an ice cube

Check out the Tapping Solution app for emotional freedom techniques (EFT) this can be excellent for anxiety.

Yes, lots of us have felt like this at times, but eventually it passes. Everything is temporary in this life.

Keep typing on here if that helps. Type anything - you could write out the days of the week and months, literally anything. Silence can be difficult when you are feeling like this.
I sometimes use sleep stories on the calm app. This may sound very random but no matter your spiritual or religious affiliation, you may find it peaceful listening to recitations of the Quran on YouTube. Or search for meditations for anxiety.

You can do tonight OP, the time until your appointment is passing already.

So sorry you’re going through this. I had a terrible bout of acute anxiety a few years ago. Luckily I was able to get some diazepam quickly. I found that listening to podcasts helped a bit (but probably not that much when most acute - tbh drugs really needed I think). I listened to the French and Saunders podcast in audible. I also started watching the TV show Ghosts which I really love. Hope you’re feeling better soon 💐

Read and listen to podcasts or audiobooks. That's my go-to. Romance novels got me through my son's surgery. Snuggle with a pet or human if you can. If you're struggling to sleep in bed, move to the sofa or a different room.

Oh lord OP, you are amongst friends. We are all rooting for you and hope something works. I don't know if I should say this, but have you tried one of those drowsy anti histamines that help you sleep? I know you said you don't want anything to make you drowsy, but maybe when going to bed? Non prescription, not addictive, and widely available. I don't know if they will help your specific anxiety right now though.

I have Atrial Fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat, and honestly when I get a spike of it, it is exactly like a huge anxiety attack, heart racing, breathing all over the place etc. Terrifying! I have used a lot of the methods outlined already on the thread, and find the best is a cold shock, head in a bucket of water type of thing. Next is a brisk walk, even up and down the garden as fast as I can with a racing heart!, then a vagal manoeuvre, a big cough, or bear down as if constipated. It resets things (not always!) and things settle down. I know Afib is not what you are experiencing, but the sensations are very similar. This happens even though I'm on a high dose of Beta Blockers.

I hope you feel better very soon.