To ask for your number 1 tip for anxiety?

[KM99]

Me = menopausal, separating from my husband, looking for a new job. Needless to say, some days I'm riddled with anxiety.

What is your number 1 go to thing you do to help manage it?

To add, just riding it out. Telling myself it's going to pass. Works for depression too

You're so right there. I'm the absolute worst for letting things fester. And shock, horror, it doesn't improve any situation. Deep breaths and just do it.

Be grateful.

It is impossible to have anxiety and feel grateful simultaneously

Being grateful uses a different parr of your brain than the part that exhibits anxiety.

Anxiety doesn't always allow space for being grateful. It can take over your entire body and mind. Being grateful is a good way to be, but it's not a cure/prevention for anxiety.

Propanolol and diazepam

https://www.thedecider.org.uk/

I did the course with someone but apparently you can do it online too

Was this only while you took it out once you were off it too?

I've been off it for 11 months and my anxiety is nothing compared to what it was!!

Swimming. Or anything involving being in water. It's actually quite hard to do anything but feel the water.

Oh I use Lavender Pills from Amazon. The doctors were far too strong. I do more outdoors activities, I bike, walk etc. I go on Yoga breaks and listen to the short Bhuddist talks on YouTube.

I read a tip from a hypnotherapist. Ask yourself, 'What if it's all turns out ok?'

I build on it and say, 'what if everything I'm worrying about turns out just absolutely fine? Then I would have worried for nothing.'

This. I have, for as long as I remembered, used worry as a kind of insurance policy, or to create preparedness for whatever impending catastrophe I’m imagining.

I had some CBT once which was largely useless for why I was there, but I now think to myself “Oh really? Controlling the future with the power of your brain? Call yourself a scientist? 🙄🙄🙄” which helps.

Other tips are:

Immediate exercise. Neck, shoulder and arm Pilates exercises can be done pretty much anywhere and any time (using the excuse that you’ve slept funny, rather than that you are having a bit of an anxiety attack avoids attention).

Humour. There must be something that really makes you laugh - the kind of thing that makes you have to stifle your sniggering in public. A burst of inner giggling really helps.

Meticulously putting on hand and nail cream, and focusing only on each part of each finger while you’re doing it.

I can’t do the focusing on breathing thing though. It exacerbates the panic and makes me feel as though I am drowning.

Sorry to hijack and chime in here, but does anyone have any tips for crippling anxiety attacks I mean where you come over do dizzy you feel like your going to black out?

We are normally anxious about stuff that's already happened or stuff that's yet to happen. The present is normally not too bad.

I find meditation and yoga help. And not connecting to my thoughts.

Focus on something physical within your immediate zone. Naming and describing (in your head or out loud) the things you can see and feel.

Or physical movement, e.g. hand on shoulders, elbows out at the side, draw large circles in the air with your elbows while concentrating on making those circles as neat and circular as possible. This is a small distraction and forces you to breathe.

Thanks il try that! I’ve had postpartum anxiety on and off for 6 months some days I don’t get it at all other days I come over horrendously dizzy I run my hands under cold water etc drink ice cold water to try and snap out of it but it’s scary when I’m on the school run and it kicks in!

Cold water swimming/showers. I had previously dismissed this, until I went through a bad period of anxiety - the cold water really gave me a good shake, and forced me out of my head.

When I can't sleep at night;
>get up and massage my back using a hard massage ball (called a lacrosse ball) leaning against a wall
>weighted blanket (or one of those soft weights you wrap around your ankle for exercised)
>listen to podcasts

Control your breathing - 'box breathing' (in for a slow 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4)
When you feel anxiety coming on you, change the temperature quickly ie. step outside and get cold air on you, run the cold tap and hold your hands under it. A physical 'surprise' to the body can help halt a panic attack.
Think of a place where you were very, very happy and content; spend time visualising it so strongly, using all your senses, that you can call it to mind instantly when required; when you feel anxious, close your eyes and let the memory take you back to that place.
I was taught these techniques during counselling and they really helped me.

I’ve had anxiety since I was a child. My things that ease it are: drugs, counselling, getting out into nature.

I haven’t found anything else that helps and I’ve tried it all!

Going to bed consistently at the same time and having a proper wind down hour beforehand when I don't do anything too activating.

Mindfulness and breathing exercises make me worse and not better unfortunately. I can do mindful activities (eg walking in nature and noticing the shapes of leaves) but not mindfulness meditations.

Interesting looking through the comments I’m absolutely convinced my anxiety is caffiene induced!!! Maybe I’ve become intolerant since my last baby now 6 months went from no coffee to my usual 3 morning cups and come to think of it I have NEVER had a anxiety attack start in the afternoon it is always the morning?! Anyone experienced this?

HRT
Say fuck it and repeat

I'm still on it - 50g for 2 years now. I haven't thought of coming off but it's reassuring to hear that your anxiety didn't return once you stopped 😊

This is a great thread!

Yes, caffeine can trigger panic attacks for me. I stopped drinking it many years ago and even have decaf tea now. I can handle it better on a full stomach, so a cup of coffee after a big meal would be ok but 3 cups in the morning would be guaranteed to set off bad anxiety.

Sertraline didn’t agree with me, made things worse, much worse. I was much better once out of it (I realised I got progressively worse for each week I was on it, as soon as I started weaning myself off it I was so much better.