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

Open your window to get a cool breeze. Put on some comedy that you like, a panel show or sitcom etc. Try YouTube for some short clips maybe. Something that is mildly distracting but requires no concentration.

An addictive game on your phone can help, I like Magic Sort or Scavenger Hunt. If you can focus enough for a book, that always helps me too if I’m snuggled in bed.

Have you tried chat gpt? It can be very good at reducing anxiety.

Yes - the calm app!! This has saved my sanity a number of times during the night. Forgot this great one!

This may be stupid but I chat to chat gpt and ask it to distract me with word games and quizzes and facts. It really helps me calm down and focus on other stuff even if I’m not sleeping.

So sorry you're feeling like this - it's horrible. Perhaps not simple, but what about a call to the out of hours GP to see if they can send a prescription to a 24 hour pharmacy nearby this evening?

I was once beside myself after a loss, called the locum who sent a diazepam script. Sanity saver.

Don't, however, ask for diazepam by name. Let them suggest the meds.

Yes! Being cold definitely helps me too!

I find comedy helpful too.

some of Serena Terry’s stuff about mental health is very funny (see on Facebook.)

Can you cool yourself right down? Get an ice block under your feet and keep it there til you’re shivering, this really helps me for some reason.

Play a mindlesss game like candy crush - this helps me pass the time and distract the racing thoughts. Hope you feel better, it sucks but it does pass xx

Minute by minute. Time yourself and tell yourself you will keep it together for only one minute. After the minute, take some deep breaths and then time yourself for another minute. Maybe work up to three minutes then start over with one minute.

When it’s bedtime if you can’t sleep start doing your multiplication tables in your head. Then start at 1000, and subtract three and keep doing that. Then tell yourself you will stay absolutely still for up the count of 500. These things help Me to relax and they pass the time. I will be thinking of you and sending you good thoughts.

All that SIB09 said too

Looks like we’ve all said similar actually :)

personally I like beta blockers too but have found via exercise and breathing I’m doing very well without ever taking them.

I do think l theanine helps me too, I take one in the morning and one at night.

Exercise really helps, brisk walk or run or swim.

it tricks your body into thinking that you’ve run away from the danger.

breathing really really also helps too.

a) breathing through your nose. Whilst walking, sleeping anything.

b) in for 4, hold for 4 out for 4 hold for 4

c) in for 4 hold for 6, out for 8. Out breath longer than the in.

calming your breathing rate down to 5 - 6 breaths a minute physically calms your fight or flight system. If you have a watch that records this it’s helpful (my garmin has breathing exercises on it to do.)

slow breathing through the nose while exercising is also extremely effective.

Oh, love you, I know the feeling... 🤗

Excellent advice here already. Personally, I have a stash of beta blockers for these situations, and if you're seeing your GP, maybe discuss these?

But otherwise, I'd say don't try to fight it or say 'I must control this anxiety!' Just let it tick along and be what it is, like a weather system passing over. It's a normal human state and we don't need to 'conquer' it.

Distract, accept, and know that even if you don't eat or sleep tonight, you can manage well enough. You don't have to be perfect.

😍

This, but I use 5. And you must focus all your attention on the action of breathing.

I'll make this simple so your energy isn't taken up reading. Fellow unbearable anxiety sufferer. Tried and tested methods:

• Running/walking fast enough to match your anxious heart rate for a sustained period e.g 10-15mins or as long as tolerated.

• Box breathing - in for 4, hold for 3, out for 7. Forn AT LEAST 2mins. Use as needed (most useful for me)

• somatic exercises: this one particularly

• face in cold water

• low humming, again for at least a few mins but 5mins best. Surprisingly helpful.

• talking to someone if you can but not ruminating.

And a little reminder. This IS NOT forever. I guarantee you that my friend xxx

Also reading a book, something you can lose yourself in and concentrate on that rather than. The anxiety.

Do you think you can manage a hot drink? Camomile tea is a good one for me, or some water. Is there a youtuber you like to watch and can get a little comfort from? Any music that takes you to a different place? Sit and & breathe deeply.

Have you tried square breathing?

Breathe in for 4, hold for 4, breathe out for 4, hold for 4. Use a smaller number if you can't manage 4.

It works for some but not for others.

I find exercising it off can help. If you don't feel you can leave your home, could you run on the spot or put on some music and dance it off? The physical sensation of anxiety is your fight or flight kicking in with nothing to flee and no one to fight, so you have all this unused adrenaline that could use an outlet.
I find this better than forcing myself to try and relax as this makes the body still and allows the mind to run which makes me worse.

It’s ok OP, happy to be in a position now to help someone else going through it. It doesn’t feel like it now but one day you’ll be able to help someone in the same way, knowing what being in a state of near constant panic feels like. I was prescribed Sertraline and felt a different in a matter of weeks. Was like someone had just switched the over thinking anxious part of my brain off. I stayed on it for 6 months and then tapered off and I’m better now. But I’m glad to know if it ever happens again that there is medication I can go back to if needed. You’ll get through it.

Something that helps me is watching something that I’ve seen hundreds of times before - an old tv series
one bad night I just binge watched the inbetweeners and it really dialled the anxiety down

Shower, duvet, easy TV

Start with a shower, not a bath. Find any nice things you have but save and use them - soap, shampoo, a deep conditioner, anything. Then top to toe in moisturisers, serums, treatments, anything you have loafing about no matter how basic. Take the time to dry your hair / style it if you don't usual bother.

Change your bedding if you can, a nice clean bed helps me a bit.

A mix of keeping busy, self care, moving about will all distract you for a while and set you up for rest.