Beating anxiety without meds

[Tea1Sugar]

Who's with me?

I had a god awful trial of Citalopram last week. Two words - never again. So I'm awaiting CBT, I'm now taking vitamins, I've bought self help guides and I'm going to (attempt) start running. Anyone fancy joining for moral support?

Tea1sugar-

Whereabouts do you live? if near me, I'd have a coffee with you!

Surrey/SW London.

Anyone up for a secret fb group?

Ps - insomnia and pmt do nothing for my stress levels!!

A secret fb group?? sounds funny!!

I found around the time of my period my anxiety is always worse plus I get a lot of headaches which does not help!!

I have a davina mccall exercise dvd that is still in the wrapper

Still finding the Mindfulness helpful, would recommend that to you all. Its popular at the moment so probably someone doing a course local to you somewhere!!

TeaSugar-

I'm in West London- so may not be too far!

I'd be up for a Facebook group as well!

I'm a lurker with anxiety/panic attacks on and off since I had my first dd 11 years ago. Last phase was 2011 but it came back with a vegance last week with a fr job/kids/bad pmt month.
Reading this forum has made me feel soo much better!! Thank you for all sharing! so relieved to see that things like detachment/ obsessive thoughts/nervous jittery feeling etc are just normal plain old anxiety and not me going mad!
Just to share some things helped me:
B complex and magnesium (as im sure my pmt causes it every month)
At last a life book by Paul David - completely brilliant
Jus started st johns wort - hri brad fm boots- does anyone else recommend SJW?
Exetcise- started weight training and running but sometimes exertion tips my hair trigger nervous system into slight panicky mood but sticking with it
Downloaded a mrditation app
Practicing 'noticing but ignoring' anxiety symptoms
Things that I wont do:
Anti d - too scared of side effects!

Abyway just thought id say hi everyone! Hope you all feeling positive xxx

I'd definitely be up for a secret FB group.
Today I've gone a whole day without that horrible panicky feeling...go me! I think the sunshine has helped.

Charliesweb, I've recently come off citalopram. I was on 20mg for about seven years. If you're planning to wean yourself off please do it very, very slowly. It took me almost four months to wean myself completely off them and even that was probably to quick. Withdrawal can be tough but hang on in there, it will pass.

Hi all, how is everyone doing?

I had my neighbour playing music til the early hours last night which sent my anxiety levels through the roof! Not fun however I managed it and managed to work today despite being knackered. Seriously hoping that doesn't become a regular thing as that would not be good for my mental health!!

I'm only 18 yet have such bad anxiety always feel there's something wrong with me! Like I'm gunna die any second I've been in and out hospital had loads of tests and they can't find anything I don't want to use anxiety tablets! Does this sound like anxiety or has anyone else been through it?

Hi lauren yes this sounds like anxiety I was very similar at your age and more or less agoraphobic. I would strongly recommend you read this book excellent self help book have you had any counselling at all?

I've been awaiting counciling for months now! Just feel everyday is such a struggle I'm worrying all day ! Thinking I can't breath or I'm going to die , I want to be able to enjoy life but I'm constantly worried about dieing!

Oh bless you, I remember feeling like that

I would really recommend getting that self help book and also some relaxation cds. The best piece of advice I took from the Josh Fletcher book is that anxiety is a natural chemical reaction in the body caused by inappropriate secretions of adrenaline. It feels God awful but is actually harmless, you can suffer with anxiety and have panic attacks every day but still live to be a 100!!

You also need to stop avoiding situations that make you anxious, now this is something that can be done in stages but set yourself small challenges and go for it.

The best way to tackle anxiety is to change how you think about it, don't fear the fear!

I have been doing some Mindfulness as well, it has really good results for anxiety so maybe see if there are any local courses to you or do one of the online ones.

O there tips are, cut out or cut down on caffeine, do some exercise and try not to eat too much sugar. I am trying to do these things as well, some days are better than others

Thanks so much! Today I woke up feeling odd ! I feel like everything is so unreal ! Feel like I'm gunna just die is this really anxiety ?!

yes it is, the feeling detached from your surrounding and feeling like you will die is a very common in anxiety, it is caused by all the adrenaline in your blood stream. It is actually totally harmless but makes you feel awful!!

You have to almost ignore these feelings, pay as little attention to them as possible and go on with your day as normal regardless.

Hello! Can I join too please? I was going to post about my anixety as it's through the roof at the moment and I was considering going to the dr's in the morning, but thank you so much for recommending the headspace app. I've just down loaded it and done the first exercise. Had a massive crying fit and feel a bit better.

Is it worth paying the subscription?

Also I've tried sertraline and that send my anixety through the roof, and fluxotine didn't make me feel better but have read some of you have tried beta blockers, I need a quick fix as I've got lots of college work to get through over the next few weeks and don't think I can cope with side effects and 6 weeks of AD's kicking in

Hi yes you can join but I think I am the only one from the original posters still checking in!

My brother who also suffers with anxiety found the beta blockers useful.

I am doing o.kay at the moment but have been not put myself outside of my comfort zone tbh! I am going on a holiday the first week of the Easter hols which I am really looking forward to but hoping the anxiety will stay contained!

How are you doing Lauren?

Hi girlie - are you going anywhere nice?

I agree with you about caffeine, too much makes me really anxious, as does alcohol.

Since I posted on here I've felt a bit better, I think I'm better when I can focus on one thing and talk to like minded people.

I went into stress mode 2 weeks ago as I've found out I've been accepted at uni, but it's dependant on my grades and since then I've gone into mass panic mode that I won't get the grades. College haven't helped as they've piled on the work and I'm feeling unable to cope with the work load. So since I last posted I've been telling myself I will get the grades and trying to be possitive.

I've always been a worrier, suffered depression and anxiety since my late teens and have never had any family or friend support - so find forums like this help as most people who don't suffer don't understand.

I know things like a good diet exercise ect help, but when you feel low, anxious ect it's difficult to do.

what things trigger your anxieties? Have you managed to find any coping mechanisms? x

Lauren hope yoiu're ok. Please come back and talk x

Hi newbies and oldies

I've got a new job!!! SO excited it's ridiculous, so I know that anxiety can fuck off and let me get on with my life when I put my mind to it. But, big sticking point: new employee medical questionnaire...to declare or not to declare? "Mental health issue". I'm not on meds I'm just an anxious wreck!

Anyway...who's not totally technically inept like me and can organise the fb group?

Ho guys, my anxiety is still very high! Wake up everyday hoping to feel different but I never do I'm starting to accept that it is only anxiety tho as I feel like it everyday, it's at the derealization point now but that could be added exhaustion ! I try to take my mind of it but it doesn't really work! Waiting for my anxiety self help book to come am hoping that will make a big difference to me, it's amazing how anxiety can do this to someone ! Thanks so much girlie and passthewine for asking about me means a lot

Hello tea Big Congrats on the job!! That is amazing well done

Will post again later but have to read and run as taking dd to her swimming lesson!!

Tea well done on your new job!

Just curious, did you decide to try again with the Citalipram? I've started off slowly and whilst it hasn't been easy (and may take me longer to get there) the side effects have been more bearable. I'm also having CBT which is helping my thought processes.

I was going to but no I haven't. CBT is proving useful and also having regular counselling sessions with my health visitor which is useful.