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Original poster

If you've overcome generalised anxiety, what helped?

73 replies

GinandGobbledegook · 30/12/2021 11:40

I'm working from home this week and I keep getting pangs of anxiety for no particular reason.
It's often irrational thoughts about tiny issues but the physical feeling of anxiety leaves me not able to concentrate and feeling sick.

I suffer with anxiety and depression on and off but when there is no reason for it, I find it much harder to deal with.

If you've been able to overcome generalised anxiety, please could you share how?

OP posts:

emsmar · 30/12/2021 23:09

Propranolol

Magissa · 30/12/2021 23:11

I gave up caffeine, alcohol and chocolate. I had CBT. ( I actually had Two courses, the first time I didn't do the practice and just gave up. The second time four years later I had a fabulous practitioner and I did everything she told me to do).
I had many years of anxiety and I feel so free and completely fine now - have done for about three years.

Cameleongirl · 30/12/2021 23:12

@ThirdElephant

I don't run from the anxiety any more. When I feel it, I plough straight into it and interrogate it. I ask myself repeatedly what the absolute worst thing that could happen would be, then I make a plan of what to do if that scenario arises. I remind myself that worrying will not work to prevent it happening and will only ruin the intervening time and give myself permission (weird as it sounds) to stop worrying about it. Sometimes I focus on my breathing too.

Good advice from Elephant, I’ve done this myself and it works. Lots of great recommendations from other posters too.

I’m diagnosed with GAD and on Escitalopram for it. Getting a formal diagnosis really helped me to confront and manage my condition, as well as to access counseling. Some people are very reluctant to try medication but there’s a point at which we have to accept that we can’t manage an illness on our own. So if you need help, go to the doctor and explore the options .

Cathyt90 · 30/12/2021 23:17

Magnesium supplements; I was getting physical symptoms of anxiety and began taking magnesium alongside my usual daily multivitamin. No longer suffering at all.

wtfisgoingonhere21 · 30/12/2021 23:27

I'm with you op

Been on citalopram for two years now but have never adjusted my dose.

The last few weeks I've been really up and down with the anxiety and got to the stage a few times out of the blue where I literally start to feel like I can't breathe and then all the other low lying physical symptoms come along
I'm going to see gp about upping my meds slightly to see how I go.

I just downloaded the kindle app and signed up for kindle unlimited on my phone so have a couple of books on the go which are a brilliant distraction and I'm currently binge watching a series on tv so that's helping.

That and walking on my own listening to a podcast works wonders for me.

I've also recently lowered my caffeine intake because that really aggregates it for me.

Long deep breaths Aswell.

I've learnt now to tell dh when I'm feeling like it just so he's aware because il get really stressy about small things or I panic and he's really good at talking me down when it's really bad.

I know so many people that are really feeling it right now and the last two years have really added to it for many.

BigotSpigot · 30/12/2021 23:30

Meditation and mindfulness, way above everything else.

sofakingcool · 30/12/2021 23:31

@Cathyt90

Magnesium supplements; I was getting physical symptoms of anxiety and began taking magnesium alongside my usual daily multivitamin. No longer suffering at all.

@Cathyt90 how much magnesium do you take please? X

TheBugHouse · 30/12/2021 23:36

Running!!!

LondonTan · 30/12/2021 23:37

I suffered with anxiety for years. Two things really helped me get better:

Giving up caffeine. I don't even drink normal tea anymore.
The profound, life - changing realisation that the anxiety was a part of me and, as such, I had the power to stop it. I could 'choose' to not feel it. I know this sounds a bit weird and impossible but it was actually beautifully easy and simple. And it worked. Surprisingly quickly. 8ish years of deep-seated habitual generalised anxiety kind of vanished once I'd 'embraced' the power I had to put a stop to it. And this power was literally me choosing to not give credence to that part of myself.

Oh, I also started taking turmeric supplements at a similar time to my epiphany. This could have had something to do with it (I believe turmeric is used to treat anxiety sometimes) but might just have been a coincidence. I don't take it anymore and I'm still anxiety-free (for the most part!). I feel for you... Anxiety is such a pisser. But you really do have the power to tell it to fuck off 😁.

Cameleongirl · 30/12/2021 23:43

I’m glad you were able to overcome your anxiety @LondonTan, but I think it’s optimistic to suggest that people can tell it to fuck off. If the anxiety’s been caused by trauma, for example, or MH issues run in the family, it may require more intervention.

Cocoabutterformula · 30/12/2021 23:45

How do you conquer huge fears and anxieties? Climate change fills my thoughts constantly, I know I can't do anything that will really make any difference which is part of the problem

offtothebeach · 30/12/2021 23:46

Sertraline. Cutting out coffee helps mine too.

Cocoabutterformula · 30/12/2021 23:47

Cathyt90 how much magnesium do you take please?

Interested too please and which brand?

NinaDefoe · 30/12/2021 23:50

20mg fluoxetine (Prozac)
It doesn’t take anxiety away but it numbs it and stops the feeling of fear and panic from spiralling.
I have taken it for 5 months and it took a few weeks to take effect.
I’m so glad I persevered.

Mediocrates · 30/12/2021 23:53

Just seconding a lot of the suggestions already given:

Switching to decaf tea and coffee
Meditation
Being very precious about my sleep
Reducing social media
Ditching alcohol
Trying to get regular exercise
Understanding my limits/boundaries and asserting them

MaybeHeIsMyCat · 30/12/2021 23:53

Propranolol when it was really bad

Now -
Citalopram
Doing tiny things that bring me pleasure - hot baths, candles, using a nice mug for my tea, new pjs
Getting enough sleep
Distraction - I play clockmaker or candy crush!
Namis life on YouTube - found her over lockdown and I find the videos incredibly soothing
Eating well. I get more panicky if I eat too much sugar
A bizarre one (I had health anxiety too) was actually the worst happening, I had to have emergency surgery. When that happened I was the calmest person ever and "oh ok" and I'm actually loads better since then!

lking679 · 30/12/2021 23:57

Calcium magnesium vitamin D supplement.
If you find your brain cycling round thoughts try to stop it!
Deep breaths!

The supplements really helped me but I do struggle in winter!

Pinkchocolate · 31/12/2021 00:00

CBT helped me, I still get anxious but it’s not debilitating anymore. I do most of the things I want to now.

Wecando · 31/12/2021 00:03

I'm sorry you have this op. I do too, except I am nowhere near better and so this thread has really helped me as well.

Dinosaurwoman · 31/12/2021 00:13

Sertraline

jackiebenimble · 31/12/2021 00:13

CBT has helped me enormously with
Low mood and anxiety. I have relaxed an awful lot of my life rules. Am much less uptight and am able to deal with uncertainty and risk and pressure much better.

Mindfulness, yoga, sleep and exercise all help me keep on top of it. As do
Magnesium and vit d. But i feel like cbt is the cure for me. I am doing things ive been scared of for years without thinking twice about it.

Scbchl · 31/12/2021 00:17

I started on 20mg of Fluoxetine in February due to anxiety and obsessive thoughts as a result. Came off it around a month ago and feel better now.

Magissa · 31/12/2021 00:34

There is an app called "What's up" which is good distraction. I found it helpful.

disneydreaming · 31/12/2021 00:40

For me it's been a combination of Yoga and regular exercise as well as CBT.

I hope some of the suggestions today help you find something that works for you it's a horrible illness

LondonTan · 31/12/2021 00:58

@Cameleongirl, apologies... I'm really not trying to minimise how awful anxiety is or do the whole annoying 'pull yourself together' thing. Like I said, I suffered with it for years. I was literally crippled by it and my MH was dreadful. What I was trying to say is that, if I had the power to tell it to fuck off then (notwithstanding specific or trauma-based anxiety) I truly believe anyone can. The whole time I was suffering I felt like it was something uncontrollable that was happening to me. I feared it terribly and this, of course, caused it to grow... When I realised a part of me was doing it to myself, I was able to realise that I had the power to stop myself. I began to visualise the anxiety as a sort of demon that was a part of me (I realise that this sounds very weird!) and that fed off my fear... I simply decided to stop feeding it. I starved the fucker. It really worked!

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