Has anyone had success controlling their anxiety without medication?

[Twoweekcruise]

I have terrible anxiety, have had it for years and years along with other anxiety related health issues.
Thing is, I am now mid forties and I don't want to spend the rest of my life feeling this way.
I have tried medication but I can't not get over the initial horrible side effects which just feeds my anxiety and health anxiety and makes me feel so much worse.
I've also tried various therapies such as CBT and counselling and whilst they help, I have only been able to have these treatments on the NHS and can only get up to 6 weeks help so I just start feeling I am getting somewhere and then the sessions end and I'm back to square one.
If I had tons of money I would pay for long term therapy but that's out of the question!
So I'm looking to help myself,hopefully without meds and wonder if anyone has had success this way i.e. Mindfulness, vitamins, adding stuff in diet/taking stuff out etc?

That's true and like you say MH conditions are looked at by society as an indulgence and we should have this British stiff upper lip, grin and bear it attitude and we should'nt give in to it. Which obviously makes it so much harder for those suffering!

I can't cope with the side effects of all the medication I've tried, so I came off it a couple of months ago. I still have a lot of anxiety, but then again, I had a lot of anxiety while on the meds. Makes me think it was mostly a placebo.
I try and keep on top of it now by occasionally having a glass of wine but not overdoing it, avoiding really stressful situations. Talking myself down, and having valium in my bag for emergencies. I'm actually doing a lot better than I thought I would. I've just been assigned a family support worker for September too so hopefully that will help,p, and been referred for recovery support sessions and some sessions to learn mindfulness

Lots of exercise for me. I know that sounds silly but it really really helps my mood. It has to be outdoors so going for a long run. Especially in the cold. Works a treat.

Also a cold shower. When I was working on a really stressful job - so much so I was incredibly anxious and ill - I started having cold showers every morning (after having a normal shower I'd end it by turning the temp down for a couple of minutes). It lifted my mood.

Re the cold showers - I had to do that every morning!

Branlleuse good luck I hope you continue to succeed.

I'm trying to identify the root causes of my anxiety and depression through reading psychological research. I am also seeing a counsellor for just talking about stuff (not CBT). I'm addressing self-critical perfectionism, impostor feelings, and inflexible ways of thinking. I hope it's going to work! So far it's helped with the negative self-talk. I hope it will trickle down to the anxiety. Good luck Twoweeks.

I was crippled with anxiety in 2012. I categorically did not want medication as I was fearful of the side effects (another irrational thought that came with the anxiety). I had CBT which did nothing, I tried mindfulness apps, websites etc and nothing worked.

I struggled on, I found that exercise helped but to be honest, time passed and eventually I got there. Looking back, I have no idea how I coped and I was really at my lowest ebb. Now, the techniques that CBT taught me really help when I feel the familiar pull.

Sorry I can't offer a huge insight into how I did it as I really don't know. Exercise, good nutrition, a lovely husband that picked up the pieces and time passing are all that I really remember.

Hey maybe I should give meds a go but the truth is I'm so scared to.

Isnt that the nub of the problem? There is no evidence whatsoever that eating 40 nectarines a day or whatever diet solution people might conjure up does anything at all to help problems in the brain.

The very experience of realising that the rational side of your brain can overcome the side that ruins your life by taking highly educated medical advice, soldiering on through a week of discomfort, and finding that, magically, millions of pounds and thousands of highly educated medical doctors are not wrong and you do feel better, just like almost everyone said.

So whilst most of the time you dont have to grit your teeth, you can give in to your anxiety and let it win, just try in this one little area to be rational and strong and stick at something for more than a week.

It will pay off. That might sound harsh (I live with someone with anxiety who is so much happier on medication) but just one time in a hundred a bit of chutspah is worth trying.

I have the wonderful husband (he could have had a much more fulfilled life without me!), exercise and nutrition but I'm still floored by this anxiety most days and as much as I'm fighting it, deep down I think I probably should take meds. Most of my maternal family have/did suffer from anxiety related problems so maybe (as a counsellor once said to me), it's either learnt behaviour or a chemical imbalance in my brain which can only be rectified through medication?!

What kind of exercise do you do? I mean I have to do really intense stuff to push myself that bit harder.

Also what are your triggers? Do you have a hobby and do you force yourself to keep going instead of giving in to the anxiety?

Believe I'm a dog walker and have my own dog so walk about 2 hours a day, I also have a treadmill and walk on that too. I do a stretch/yoga routine in the eve. I've heard of many people who have seen a reduction in their anxiety through high intensity exercise such as running but I have a bad back so that's out. I don't have any hobbies, would love to have an all consuming hobby as I am sure if I could immerse myself in that it would definitely help. And no, I don't force myself through it, unfortunately, I am a quitter and would rather give up and throw the duvet over my head, not very mature I know but I have always been this way but anxiety is all consuming at times and completely drains the life out of me. Btw, in RL very few people know this, like most sufferers, I put my mask on at the beginning of the day and don't let it slip. When I have told people they are usually really shocked that I feel this way!

Not really found my triggers just life and the responsibilities which come from it I suppose?

Magnesium. It makes you very cheery and relaxed. I have terrible workplace and interview social anxiety. I took some last night (although forgot this morning) and my interview this morning was fine with no real nerves! I had an interview a couple of weeks ago without taking magnesium and was a right state! Saying that, I'm looking into having CBT as it's so debilitating is has ruined jobs for me to the degree where I'm a bundle of nerves dealing with anyone superior to me and they think I'm an absolute retard. I need to get this sorted out properly. But magnesium is a good quick fix!

I was reading about magnesium the other day Waw can I ask, did you have any side effects from it (sorry that's the health anxiety in me 😀)

www.amazon.co.uk/Anxiety-Panicking-powerful-self-help-suffering/dp/1500117927/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1501063698&sr=1-1&keywords=panicking+about+panic&tag=mumsnetforum-21 this book was more useful than medication for me!!

Girlie thanks will have a look.
and thank you all for your helpful advice, it's really hard in RL to get people to understand anxiety, which is the reason I keep it to myself a lot of the time.

No I've not experienced any side effects at all other than feeling extremely chill . My sister has been raving about a type of magnesium powder that you mix with water, for years for her anxiety (I can't remember the name but orange flavoured in a big plastic tub from Holland and Barret). I tried it for a while but recently another friend bought me some chewable magnesium tablets from France for bad periods and anxiety that she says changed her life when she lived there (Lehning biomag). I've been working my way through that pack and they have definitely improved my mood and decreased anxiety when needed. When I've been a nervous wreck such as on the verge of a relationship ending or interview nerves, they have pulled me back from the brink so to speak and even i think saved my relationship if that's possible! I think it depends what sort of mix you get as they all have different ingredients. I'm definitely going to try and order the French ones online as they have worked for me!

Sorry, that's one long chunk of text! (Typing on my phone!)

I have had several bouts of anxiety each lasting several months. Each time it's been fixed with a short (6-week) course of counselling. Sharing my troubles with someone neutral really helps.

I've been looking into mindfulness as well, I think that could be a good long term help, as well as exercise etc. However, when I was at my worst it just wasn't enough.

Honestly, in my experience just go for the medication, ride out any side effects and you could well feel so much better soon.

The thing with the 6 week cbt courses is that it's supposed to teach you techniques that you can take forward after the sessions have finished rather then being a 'cure'. Did you get/take any notes during your course that you could revisit to see if you can remember anything useful?

I do still have the notes knowler and really should revisit them. The problem is that when I am in the grips of a major anxiety or panic episode I find it very difficult to focus in anything other than how crap I feel and then I get into a vicious cycle of panic, physical symptoms, panic!

Yes, I certainly don't suggest trying to read your notes while having an attack!! I know cbt doesn't help everyone but I genuinely found it useful but it has been a process of reading and learning techniques after the sessions to work out how it can best help me. Really good luck.

Great, insightful thread.

I have been thinking along the lines of GreyCloudsToday and would also like to learn the root causes of my anxiety.

It is very hard to live with. I have had CBT in the past which was helpful and may go back to counselling if I were to have more time to go to appts.

Like others have said, I am too scared to take medication (health anxiety kicks in). I'm not sure if I would be brave enough unless I were to hit rock bottom (again). The time I hit rock bottom I swiftly got CBT on the NHS.

Something that I did in CBT helped and that was work on accepting anxiety. I accept it is just part of me, many other people feel the same, and I try and separate it from other parts of my personality. If an anxious thought comes along I sit and say to myself it's my anxiety it's not a real worry. I also get my DH to rationalise stuff I feel anxious about and ask him if I'm overreacting.

Another thing stuck a chord with me the other day and that was "is it an inconvenience or a crisis". I find the phrase helpful when I stressing over stuff. I stand back and think to myself it's not a crisis!

Good luck to everyone. It is hard to live with but I think the fact that we tend to have vivid imaginations and complicated personalities sets us apart in some good ways too.

Wise words from Sipping. Thank you.