What methods worked for you to overcome extreme anxiety?

[BlackSoggyOnion]

I have insanely high anxiety. Am in therapy with a long history of serious abuse. Right now I can't see light at the end of the tunnel. If you've managed to overcome really severe anxiety, how did you do it?

Beta blockers and no alcohol at all.

Making a commitment to self care. Not to set my standards of myself too high (setting myself up to fail), using CBT techniques to be more rational about my thoughts, to be kinder to myself. To slow down.

Take each minute at a time.

Don't look to the future, be present in this moment only.

Zero caffeine - this really, seriously affects my anxiety.

Fresh air walks in the countryside or park

Listening to music.

Come off all social media.

Beta blockers help with the physical symptoms but they don't stop the brain grinding round and round imo

4yrs of CBT hasn't touched the sides with me. I don't drink any alcohol thankfully.

I enjoy a nice walk but the problem is all your troubles are there again as soon as you come home again...

CBT and mindfulness. Daily yoga and lots of running. Dietary changes, no caffeine, sugar, alcohol.
Good luck with it - severe anxiety is the pits

I was in your shoes op. Is your therapist any good? If not is it possible to switch to another? You need someone who you can open up to.

I found running my (ideally bare) feet against the floor while sat down really helped during panic attacks. No idea why though and I know it sounds weird!

Has your therapist been through any breathing exercises with you?

Also are you able to do some form of regular exercise?

Hope you start to feel better soon

Rubbing not running!

Beta blockers

Long term psychoanalytic psychotherapy with a very experienced therapist

I’d tried seemingly everything, incl CBT with an excellent therapist, but the changes weren’t lasting

In the meantime, the usual self care ^^ plus medication. I don’t even recognise the person I was before therapy. It cost me a fortune and very nearly my sanity, but my god it was worth it.

I know lots might think this is 'woo' and bullshit, but I've recently been to see a hypnotist to help with a severe limiting phobia and whilst I was there I explained about my other awful anxieties (the two aren't linked).

He performed something called Havening and some hypnotherapy and I honestly can't believe how much it's helped me. The Havening is something you can do at home too when you're feeling anxious.

Before I went to see him I wouldn't have believed a word of it. However it's been 3 weeks and I feel like a massive weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

I haven't needed to take my medication for anxiety since then. I was taking tablets 3-4 times a day and frankly ruining my life with worries.
The reasons for my crippling anxieties haven't gone away but I can see reason and don't beat myself up into a state of worry and fear.

I hope this helps and you can find a way to overcome your problem and feel better.