Any self care tips for anxiety?

[C1239]

I go through times of anxiety on and off, I think it’s gone away then it hits me again! It’s normally based around health or social events. I think it’s the worry that others are going to notice I’m a little anxious that makes me feel more anxious if that makes sense. Other times I have no anxiety at all. Is anyone else like this? Does anyone have a routine of self care that they find helps?

Hi :-) I too suffer with anxiety, I have it fairly bad but not as bad as it once. I was on medication for it for a long time. I’m now not taking anything but by no means am I anxiety free. My colleagues, friends but not close friends don’t pick up on my anxiety at all, I’m quite open about it but people always say I am the least likely person to have anxiety. I heard the term as being like a swan once and that is true for me. Calm above the water but underneath paddling like hell! A few things I have notice help, they may help you too are:

• Get enough sleep. I’m not a big sleeper and I hate going to bed but I have to, everyone needs decent sleep. I have an app called Headspace, I listen to the sleep tracks each night and I can barely remember past a minute when I wake up. If I don’t listen to them, I’ll lie in bed for a good hour or two.
• Alcohol seems to trigger anxiety for me, as in if I have a couple of glasses of wine the night before. Next day, I’m not hungover at all, but my anxiety seems to spike.
• Try and be organised and plan ahead. Plan ahead outfits, what you need to take with you and get to places a little bit earlier. I was always late for everything, stressed, it just starts me off wrong. If I’m early I just get this feeling of calm, like I’ve got things up together.
• Meditation is really good and practising gratitude and making a note each day helps too. I’d recommend the 6 minute diary.

Anxiety is different for everyone but once you find what helps you, make sure you stick with it, even if you start to feel better, I think the trick is keeping it going and good self care. If things start to get overwhelming, take a step back. Cancel plans, don’t max yourself at work, at home in the evenings and just go for a walk for 30 mins, fresh air x

Sleep / sleep routine
exercise - walking is fine
Fresh air a couple of times a day
Tjme in nature once a week
social connections
Rest time
gratitude journal
CBT when getting irrational

all the basic stuff that’s easy to say and hard to do

Great advice from you both, thank you!

Op You have explained me to a tee. So firstly thank you I needed that today and feel less alone.

In terms of health anxiety I try and expose myself to things that would pose risk of germs etc as much as I can now and let the kids play with shared toys, pick stuff off floor etc. Often it's fine which helps my anxiety get better and when it's not the illness (so far touch wood) has never been too bad hence also helping me overcome my fears. This ability to expose to risk has taken time post pandemic though I must admit..

Social anxiety I am back and forth. Yesterday I had a playdate with a mum friend and left feeling completely inadequate, embarrassed that I stumbled over words and deflated and today I left a playgroup feeling really good and felt I performed better. I guess when you have the good days make the most of them and ride that high so to speak. My partner says I am so different at home then when in social setting as I try to hard to over compensate or disguise my anxiety. I'm trying to calm this down and be more 'me' outside the home and people please less but it's a work in progress. I want to be liked but trying to hard can have the opposite effect I'm slowly learning..

So yeah exposure is my only tip really. As sometimes it's so easy to just hid away and the old saying practice makes perfect I guess 😁

Thank you for your lovely reply @Lilabelle22 , it’s nice for me to know it’s not just me too! Have you found that your anxiety sometimes in social settings is more challenging post covid? I have and now I’m in a job working from home, I think both have had an impact. I feel like at times I worry about catching another bug that I end up bringing in on myself through physical anxiety symptoms if that makes sense, so silly I know.

At least 3 cups of Chamomile tea a day really helps when I am going through an anxious period. I was a sceptic until I tried it, now I drink it as my everyday tea.

@C1239 most definately. I'm hyper aware of any illness I could get and pass on to my family not just covid. Anxiety works in a funny way so what sounds ridiculous to one person make total sense even if illogical to another. I've been on two maternity leaves and wfh in between since 2020. Any social skills I did have have kinda malfunctioned a bit or at least that's how it feels 😆 making socialising more painful. I'm often inclined to avoid occasions when I over think it but have been putting myself out there even if sometimes I feel a bit rubbish afterwards. It's not all the time so those good occasions thankfully balance out the bad

@Lilabelle22 you sound so similar to me! My confidence has definitely been knocked since covid. I want to get back to looking forward to social things! And I think because there seems to have been so many bugs around this year it seems to be one thing after another I sort of don’t like to plan in case I get a bug and can’t go anyway!! And then I never know is it a bug or is it anxiety 🙈

This has helped me a lot

This is a relatively new thing for me but when I’m stressed and working from home I light a nice big scented candle and every 20mins or so just watch it for a bit and find that it helps me take a break and relax for a few moments. Small silly thing that I wasn’t expecting to make a difference but it does

Intend to be more anxious when I have too much thinking space and my head can spin with worries and repeated conversations. Showering and driving were particularly bad . Now I listen to audio books to distract my mind . If it gets really bad a repeat the words after. I watch tv with subtitles to hold my attention rather than letting my mind wander .

Too much thinking space is my problem too. I am constantly looking for things to occupy my mind e.g. cross stitch, computer games etc. I think lack of food/being hungry doesnt help either.

@NotDecemberYet this is a very good point. Good tip. Sometimes I wonder if I really am being a bit socially awkward at times or if I'm just over thinking it. Again anxiety. If busy I have less time to dwell and ultimately feel better /care less

I’ve been suffering with anxiety over the past year or so. For me, it seems to be related to hormonal changes and perimenopause - I have never experienced anything like this before.

As PPs have said, cutting back on alcohol has helped me, as has prioritising sleep and exercise. I now swim a couple of times a week and find this really helpful.

I have also tried Bach flower remedy pastilles, which you can buy in Boots. These seem to help a bit when I feel really tense but it could be a placebo effect.

I prioritise spending time with friends who make me feel good and avoid people who stress me out. Sex also seems to help! Endorphins I guess.

It’s nice to know I’m not the only one sometimes feeling like this. I’ve been feeling under the weather this week which I think is making my anxiety worse. Also sometimes I find the less I do the less I want to do but at the same time it’s hard to give myself a nudge and get out there and get busy when feeling anxious!

hi, i found CBT therapy the best, exercise, sleep if I can , headspace sleep casts usually work a treat with moderate anxiety , reduce caffeine and alcohol gives me the horrors. I also found the following work books helpful when i am having a rough patch. www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself/Panic

When you feel a bit stuck in a rut and anxiety in présent how do you motivate yourself to think right I’m just going to do it anyway?! Don’t want to exercise but it’s time to start, nervous about socialising but it’s time to get out there?! I often find leading up to weekends I can feel more nervous as I feel I should be doing loads of stuff and I’m boring now compared to pre covid!