To ask what helped with your anxiety

[Peanutss]

I have gone through some really really terrible times these past two years involving pregnancy loss.

This has developed into quite, I feel, severe anxiety regarding various and most things in life.

For example, today I am going for my routine smear. No problem. Except I am so worked up and panicked that they are going to find something wrong that I've made myself ill, shaking, sweating and nearly vomiting occasionally.

I go through this with a lot of different day to day things after losing my pregnancies. I was never like this before. I worry constantly. I am convinced that everything will go wrong and it gets me to the point where I can't sleep or eat sometimes.

For those of you that have suffered with anxiety. What helped? Was it a case of counselling or did you need medication? Did it go away on its own or should I really think about seeing my GP about this?

Acupuncture

Like pp - no alcohol!

Drugs, therapy and having my baby

Medication made me very much worse but I think I'm quite unusual in reacting so badly to it.

Things that help were counselling, mindfulness, positive affirmations (I feel strong, I am safe etc) eating and drinking sensibly and exercise.

To be honest I very very rarely drink alcohol or caffeine save for a morning cup of tea.

I may possibly take up some form of exercise. I enjoy walking with the dog but can't go out for great lengths of time during the week.

Peanutss hypnotherapy is very good at helping with health based anxieties.
I would definitely recommend it,if you're open to that kind of thing.

I have been considering some form of counselling for a while. I think it may do me some good to just get it all out. I worry I sound a bit mental when I discuss with DH my fears in detail and I know he gets a bit annoyed sometimes when I over think and worry about minor things.

I hate sounding woe is me but I can't help thinking things like 'it would be my luck for x y or z to go wrong' because I feel like anything in my life that can go wrong, will.

OP
Here are some more ideas that helped me

Talk Therapy (I hand on heart believe this saved my life)
Writing down my feelings (I do mine as notes on my phone)
Talking- I talk to anyone and everyone about what makes me anxious. It calms me down and helps me see the wood for the trees
Being able to recognise and not indulge intrusive thoughts.

And one that my cousin said in passing that really, really helps me. “Worrying can not protect you” Yes you can worry about your smear test results but will worrying change the result? Sound a bit like using a watering can to fight a fire but it so helps me keep my worrying anxiety in check!

I may possibly take up some form of exercise. I enjoy walking with the dog but can't go out for great lengths of time during the week.

Can you run with the dog? Walking is good, but didn't have remotely the same effect on me as running. Something about endorphins and raising the heart rate naturally, I guess.

Knittink I could try. I've never personally enjoyed running but then I've not attempted it for a long time!

I enjoy bike riding so may try and do a bit more or that.

NicoleNoPants see I don't know how that makes me feel, I suspect it's the not being able to control the future/outcome that causes me to worry.

I often find myself thinking 'what would I do if x happened' and then that's it, I'm convinced it will and I can't stop worrying about it.

I had anxiety and panic attacks so bad that it eventually led to a mental breakdown.

A combination of the following helped me:

Sertraline and Propranolol
Talking therapy (in my case a form of CBT)
Colouring
Being very honest about how I was feeling which I know is easier said than done.

It was a slow and steady recovery process but I got there in the end. Please know that it will get better and you're not alone

Knittink I could try. I've never personally enjoyed running but then I've not attempted it for a long time!

I loathed running as a kid, and I was overweight and extremely unfit when I started running post-dc. Couldn't run for 3 minutes without feeling like my lungs were going to explode. I ended up loving it and getting to almost half marathon distance. Can't run atm due to a foot problem and really miss it!

OP- So the thought gets sort of lodged in your head?

Medication, venlafaxine.
CBT.
Therapy, mainly self help books.
Realising I'm autistic. This means I now listen to how I feel and that means I'm not stressed out masking my autism and pretending to be neurotypical. This has also made me aware of my sensory disorder, so I'm less stressed about it. Before I had this constant feeling of 'what's wrong with me?'
Also I've come to terms with how much my parents hate me and have tried to ruin my life. It took five years.
Anxiety is still there but I'm more in control of it. I find it more difficult to manage than the depression.
I've had panic attacks, pins and needles in my hands and face, nausea, unable to sleep, sleeping all day, awake worrying from 3am, comfort eating (I've put on four stone), sweating, being too afraid to leave the house, palpitations, nightmares, panic attacks while sleeping, racing thoughts ... It was a bad time.

CBT initially and then this.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-45879034

I now have my own Olivia!

Counselling (went private)
Meditation - tons of apps out there

The most interesting one for me was a huge change in diet. I was getting lots of issues - dietician said you have another brain in your stomach. If your digestion isn't healthy your brain can't be.

Honestly, it changes my life.

Getting a decent medication was key for me. Venafaxine but when I was pregnant I was on citalopram.

Next was giving up alcohol.

But then realising that I was getting better, apart from one week of the month when I was due on, pinpointed that I have PMDD

I’m now on zoladex and in menopause and I’m like a different person.

Mentally I’m still a worrier, I worry about my health a lot but not to the point I’m immibilised and my life is effected. Physically the panic attacks and symptoms have almost gone.

Obviously it’s been a long journey but things are falling into place.

Lifestyle wise, no booze is key. Try getting out at least once a day for a walk, or just doing something you enjoy x

CBD oil and CBT. Also gave up all caffeine. I feel so much better after years of anxiety.

foraminutethere do you mind me asking what specific dietary changes you made?

100mg of Sertraline daily, 100%. It's completely changed me for the better after around 5 years of crippling anxiety. But I know everything affects everyone differently as Escitalopram did absolutely nothing for me. Being open and honest with people, especially my family and partner, about my anxiety and how I'm feeling helped too.

for you OP - you won't feel this way forever.

Counselling (it wasn’t CBT: I think it was person-centred psychotherapy) - I did 8 weeks of hour long sessions when I was really ill and they were hard work but looking back I can see they helped a lot).

Running 3x a week. Absolutely transformed my mental health and was great for making me feel hungry/eat when anxiety was making me really struggle with food.

I also rate cold water swimming but it’s less practical where I live: running out doors does a similar job.

Interested in the dietary changes too, foraminutethere.

CBT and exercise. I run but it is spinning that really makes a difference. Wish I could do it every day.