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?

CBT and meds. The former is more fundamental than the latter. Good luck

Also, I forgot to add, hobbies !!

I’ve recently had some ill health and honestly it has set off this deep ingrained health anxiety that I’ve never suffered with before (I’m bipolar and have had anxiety but never health anxiety) and oh my god I am struggling big style, big biggggg style. I feel like my heart is going to fly out of my chest and if we’re more than 30 miles away afrom home (I travel for my job) I get panicky and end up making myself sick, then I panic that I’m not at home and if I’m sick I need to be at home. I’ve just upped some meds with the doc so I’ll see how that goes but I’m also enjoying painting, meditation (when the kids allow it!) and earlier nights getting lost in box sets. And they are all things that seem to help.

Oh and cuddling a hot water bottle. I don’t even know why, it’s become a thing in the office that I always have one on me but I guess it’s a weird natural (probably foetal) comfort

I had terrible anxiety, which was massively helped by counselling to talk about my own pregnancy loss and CBD oil which helped with the physical symptoms. I found the palpitations and butterflies were unbearable and lead to more anxiety. The CBD old helped so much. Taking the edge off the physical symptoms meant I wasn't in fight or flight mode anymore and could get the rational part of my brain working again. Good luck OP. Xxx

So far I've been able to get by without daily meds but my gp prescribes diazepam for when the anxiety hits.

Venlafaxine

I found an excellent counsellor who did some CBT but usd a mixture of approaches to suit me.

I found cutting caffeine and alcohol and trying to keep my blood sugar steady throughout the day helped.

I also gradually added in exercise.

Another silly thing is to keep a comfortable temperature. I found if I was cold, I’d tense up and this would make my physical symptoms worse. Being too hot also did, it would make me feel sick and almost trick my mind into thinking I was having a panic attack...and then I would.

I tried to get fresh air, limit screen time and keep away from social media. All of the raising awareness campaigns for different illnesses or all of the stories about different accidents or people losing children used to send me into meltdown and play on my mind.

The counselling was VERY hard work but absolutely worth it.

I did initially take propanalol and amitriptaline (sp) but had to stop as I found out I was pregnant.
I did avoid SSRI meds as I had a really bad reaction to citalipram and was advised to stay away from them.

I think essentially, it’s a long hard slog but it’s definitely possible to get control of anxiety and definitely to learn a lot in the Process. As cheesy as it sounds, I’ve come out a whole lot stronger and have recently had a really tough time but I haven’t relapsed and I’m so proud of that.

Take it one step at a time and don’t get upset at setbacks.

Also, surround yourself with people who will support you. Try to be open and honest about your struggles. Just telling it how it was rally took pressure off me to pretend that everything was okay when it wasn’t.

Wishing you all the best OP. You can do it.

Citalopram and reading for distraction

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

Yes exactly. So one of my main ones is obviously never having a child due to my pregnancy losses. No matter what anyone/doctor says, I convince myself that I will never have a child. And then it spirals from there and I sit and panic and think oh my God what would I do if that were to really happen etc... Then the symptoms start, shaking, feeling ill, sweating, I sometimes get rashes too, caused by the stress I think.

But it can be about anything. Like I said before, I get really worked up over the smallest thing even the dog temporarily not wanting his food, that in my mind is 'hes going to die, he's going to be really poorly' and so on...

Thank you all so much, I'm reading all of your suggestions and doing some research on some of the things you've said tonight. It's not healthy, I need to try something to help.

Hello, I completely understand how you feel. For me, having tried CBT and methods like that, I found I was trying too hard to get better and putting more pressure on myself, thus making the anxiety worse.

I am now anxiety free (well I get anxious from time to time but I am not bothered that I do). This is thanks to an understanding of the three principles. Kind of acceptance but really an understanding of the human condition. I have fallen into a state of calm I have never felt before.

Good luck with your journey.

Rachel
X

Ps I have also had some counselling (talking therapy) which was beneficial at the time

If you do want to try running, can I suggest downloading a couch to 5k app or joining a group. A lot of people find they don’t like running because they think they should just be able to go out and run and they go too fast or too quick and think they can’t do it. C25k is gentle and builds you up to running.

Running
Reducing caffeine
Getting enough sleep
Cutting back on screen time.

Sorry for your losses OP. It's not surprising that your mind is on alert for danger but you don't want to stay in that mode if you don't need toI was constantly on the lookout for danger (as it were) after giving birth and it is exhausting.

I think in your shoes I would try counselling first (good for losses/life events) and then CBT for anxiety if the counselling not enough.

But see what your GP recommends.

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/AnxietySelfHelp.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiww_KC--PfAhVktHEKHRoLA-8QFjABegQIBBAB&usg=AOvVaw3emTECpoorIM_Xc1bjoaWC" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/AnxietySelfHelp.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiww_KC--PfAhVktHEKHRoLA-8QFjABegQIBBAB&usg=AOvVaw3emTECpoorIM_Xc1bjoaWC

Counselling, lots of fresh air and reading but staying away from social media. Not pursuing the 'what if' but interrupting those thoughts with mindfulness. Good luck OP

Staying away from the negative people in my life.
Running and yoga
Not putting myself in stressing situations

Yoga with Adrienne. Free online
Insight Timer meditation app. Hundreds of different kinds and also free.

@nishky and @knittink

I moved to something called the low fodmap diet. It's a bit hard initially but the point of it is to remove lots and then reintroduce so it's not totally rigid. I went from having awful stomach issues, bloating, toilet problems (which caused me anxiety when out) to feeling so much better, in all ways.

Now, if I'm out and decide to eat something that disagrees with me and bloats/ causes an issue, at least I am prepared and mentally I know what is coming so don't fret about it as much. I also know if something important is coming up that i need to be sensible and avoid the culprits for a while before. I know a few people who have said this turned their life around and linked it in to anxiety too. It might sound daft but look at gut problems and anxiety online and there is a wealth of info out there!

And the best thing my counsellor said was remember you can say no to things. Simple yet profound advice.

Thanks. I will go and have search for low fodmap.

Healthy eating
As much exercise as possible , I do classes at the gym and parkrun.
Mindfulness
Avoiding social media

Oh and forgot the best thing I did stopped the caffeine and switched to camomile tea caffeine sends me into iverdrive

Citalopram helped me - not saying they work for everyone. No longer needed but very effective for me for a couple of years.

OP