If you have anxiety, what makes it worse (and better)?

[Yellofello]

I can sometimes struggle to recognise when something is causing me to be anxious and only realise after the event. Such as, a commute on a packed train. I am fine in the moment but highly stressed after arriving home. Scrolling on my phone - only do I process it once I’m actually in bed and realise I spent way too much time on my phone that day. This delayed reflecting almost makes it hard for me to establish what makes me worry sometimes and why some days I overthink more than others.

If you experience anxiety is it triggered by anything? Hormones/diet/specific issues?

Alcohol makes me massively anxious.

Alcohol and coffee makes it worse.

Messy house, chaotic life, disorganised mind. I need tidy and quiet.
Food wise - if I eat chaotically it adds to my mental stress. I know if I'm spiralling a bit if my diet goes to shit and I'm drinking coffee at midnight trying to calm down.

If you keep a diary of your worry triggers every day, it usually helps you learn to notice them in the moment. Even if you're keeping the diary retrospectively initially, it will highlight the patterns and then you'll start to notice them in real time.

The first step to changing anything is noticing it.

I have triggers, yes. Many, many triggers. Sometimes it feels like I'm just having a bad day and I don't always fully know why. It's likely a combination of triggers.

Not all of them are external, sometimes you're more sensitive depending on how you're feeling physically and/or mentally. Hormones are crucial so different times within the cycle will feel different to you.

What helps? A break. To me hypnotherapy was extremely helpful, it released space in my brain that was free from anxiety. I could then think straight and introduce breathing exercises (recommend Yogabody). I also do yoga and strenght training every week now. I check in with myself by asking myself how I'm feeling and why several times a day - really helpful with managing emotions and anxiety. I've decluttered my house and my relationships. I am improving at sleeping and removing or limiting mindless activities. I'm getting better at grounding techniques, ie telling myself things that allow me to pull myself back from peak anxiety and back in the present moment with feet on the ground.

Not easy and I'm still working on things, but in the last 4 months I've come off anti-anxiety ADs and my health, MH and overall attitude have improved immensely.

I’m doing a form of therapy called ACT+. That helps quite a lot. I’m doing it as part of a trial.

Dehydration is a huge one.

My anxiety has improved masses due to social and environmental changes and making a few big comfort zone breaches, but I remain a very highly-strung person who gets stressed and frustrated very easily.

Being fully or even slightly over-hydrated has grounded me a lot. Downside is you have to use a lot of public toilets when out and about!

Being around men and also being taken for granted especially people assuming they ‘deserve’ me to ‘serve’.

I also have delayed reactions mainly I think because I never feel safe enough around others to breakdown so it tends to happen more when I am alone (in car, or room alone at home)

Main thing that helps me is as much time on my own as possible, and it has to be time not spent with an expectation of tasks, even if I then choose to do stuff myself.

Diet is more something affected by my mh than the other way around but I always try to ensure I have simple/quick food available because sometimes I am too far gone to cook/eat properly, which of course could lead to downward spiral.

I find the 54321 senses thing incredibly useful & have small bags of lavender, gum/sweets & multi textured clothing to help with that - I thoroughly, thoroughly recommend it.

And big cotton handkerchiefs, I learnt early on a full pack of tissues can just disintegrate into a mushy ball of uselessness, a good big cotton hanky is more robust and, in a weird way, helps me feel more robust - makes me feel I don’t have to disintegrate and can cope with crying.

Hankies as role models ftw 🤣

Caffeine is a big trigger for my anxiety so I always drink decaf tea and either fizzy water or decaf soft drinks where possible.
Also any suggestion of going to Dr, health checks or anything freaks me out (I have PTSD from cancer diagnosis and treatment) and feeds my anxiety massively. I'm always expecting bad news. I've got white coat hypertension too. To try to cure myself I spent a whole week every morning and evening wearing a bloody BP monitor!. My DH was fab and helped me keep calm and kept showing me cat videos! Managed to get my BP down to a more normal range which has really helped me be less anxious health wise too.
I've had therapy this year which has helped a lot and some techniques I learned will definitely stay with me!

Lack of sleep, alcohol, being very hungry, prolonged socialising with no breaks, and waiting for stuff I have no control over are some of the things that fairly consistently make mine worse. Those aren't the things I get anxious about, they're things that move the 'baseline' I think

Tiredness, stress and hormones make mine worse.

Im now on antidepressants which have changed my life, I now need to focus on good sleep and a balanced low sugar diet.

All my triggers are to do with work. Specially arseholes at work. I find10 mins Headspace mediation every day helps a huge amount. Also exercise, counselling and - at times - medication...

I find a weighted blanket a massive help.

Likewise a firm, spiky fidget ball to squeeze in my palm.

Sometimes knitting, sewing, activities which are rhythmic and need enough concentration to hold my mind steady but not too complicated task. Audio books.

Caffeine makes it worse, exercise (running) makes it better.

Lack of sleep is a big trigger.

Smaller things are messy kitchen, bathroom towels not folded, plans being changed last minute.

I also use a spiky mat several times a week, a fantastic invention.

Peaceful clsssical music or an evening meditation help too. Generally, immersing yourself and your brain in a hobby really helps.

Re exercise, yes, absolutely, however I'd suggest you check in with yourself what type of exercise is best for you and how frequently. This is because intense workouts like HIIT, cardio etc increase cortisol which is your enemy in anxiety management. I'd suggest a combination of more intense exercises releasing your negative energy and somatic movements is likely to be a good one.

@PurplePansy05 what is somatic movement please?

I’m 40 and have noticed over the last year or so that caffeine and alcohol make anxiety much worse. I’m not a big drinker, perhaps had a small gin or glass of wine once or twice a week but it’s just not worth it now.
Other than that, too much free time or time spent on the house seems to be a big trigger for me. I’ve always been an over thinker and keeping busy seems to be my preferred state, but I’m aware there’s also an element of avoidance in this which isn’t especially healthy either. I find it very difficult to sit with my thoughts. Fresh air and walks is something I’m really going to try to schedule in more of this year, and try to ignore the guilt that I should be doing something more productive.
I’d agree with pps that an untidy home also makes me anxious, but with 3 dc at home of varying ages that’s a constant battle.

Alcohol is a big trigger and I think I might give up on it totally as the overwhelming feelings intensify and last longer.

Lack of sleep and too much phone use.

@BourbonD which AD have you found helpful for anxiety ?

@UpWithABang Here's a nice summary:
https://www.brooklynsomatictherapy.com/blog/somatic-techniques-for-stress-and-anxiety#:~:text=A%20somatic%20approach%20to%20self,system%20and%20relax%20the%20musculature.

There are plenty of somatic movements, some may suit you more, some less. I recommend checking out YouTube for free resources first, you don't have to spend money on this (it is the next big craze amongst instagrammers, watch this space - just read up and do what's right for you 😊) xx