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Anxiety worsening

13 replies

Preg19 · 14/02/2022 08:47

Hi i thought I would make a thread here as I feel I annoy people going on in real life, hoping for ideas.
I’ve always been an anxious person and usually have something that I always have to focus on the worry about, lately I feel it’s got so much worse and my main focus is one thing and if I say what its about out loud it probably will sound stupid but to me it gets me so anxious and I feel sick, I just do not know what to do anymore ☹️

OP posts:
SparklingLime · 14/02/2022 11:23

I found this book very helpful and a good place to start:

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Preg19 · 14/02/2022 12:01

Thankyou for your reply, the book does look helpful

OP posts:
SparklingLime · 14/02/2022 12:13

Have you spoke to your GP, @Preg19?

Preg19 · 14/02/2022 13:57

I have done before but they just said self refer to cbt and take medication. I didn’t find cbt helped unfortunately and as silly as this sounds I’m worried about taking meds because of side affects and having to rely on them ☹️

OP posts:
SparklingLime · 14/02/2022 17:10

There’s not enough help via the NHS. You could see if your local Mind offer counselling. Flowers

speakout · 14/02/2022 18:04

I have suffered from GSA for decades- most of my adult life.
I keep it under control mostly, it does raise its head when challenges or
difficult change happens, but I have developed strategies to manage my anxiety and keep it under control.
We are all different of course, so what works for some people may not work for others.
I find a combination of things most effective, stacking everything up, not just one technique or method.
I have tried medication, but prefer to keep things under control without drugs.
I think for all of us making sure we get enough sleep and a decent diet is crucial.
Alcohol makes me much worse for a day or two afterwards, so I avoid totally if I am going through a bad patch.
Rumination and "hamster wheeling" thought patterns are really challenging to cope with, CBT is a useful thing to learn, even if you only use some elements or use it at some points. It is useful to learn about the connections between thoughts/feelings/activity for instance.
I practice daily yoga which has been a life saver, really helps to focus and centre the monkey mind. Most physical activity- gym, walking, swimming will again drain the system of the nervous energy, use up the adrenalin and produce good feel hormones in the brain.
As does meditation, there are some great anxiety reducing videos on you tube, I have a few favourites that are only 5 or 10 minutes long that I turn to when things become uncomfortable.
I like to listen to anxiety reducing sounds or music on youtube too , I will have it playing in the background, my favourite is female chanting at the moment.
Get outside into the garden- earthing( barefoot walking even on the back lawn) can ease and ground anxious feelings. A walk in the woods or some natural environment, a flowing river is also very soothing.
Try to cultivate a creative activity, whether painting, mindful colouring books, or singing tasks which are easy and repetitive like knitting, sewing or a craft is helpful. The repetitious nature of an activity is almost mantra like and is very soothing.

Most of all be kind to yourself. Imagine how you would treat a good friend who was feeing anxious. A scented candle, cosy throw -or weighted blanket for sleep, and a good selection of herbal teas are comforting. I drink a lot of Chamomile, Peppermint, most supermarkets have lovely blends of calming tea bags. Twinings and Pukka are good.

Keep calming images or figures where you can pass them daily, or some words of wisdom that give you calm- you can stick on the fridge door. I have salt lamps, Buddha statues, pictues of trees and waterfalls around, constant visual reminders of calm as I walk around the house.

Do speak to your GP- there may be some local initiatives, but in many places the NHS is so stretched that counselling is almost impossible to access.
There may be other routes though- I am a carer, and can obtain counselling free through a local charity , so find out what is available in your area.

Don't give up hope. Anxiety can be very hard to deal with but also managed sucessfully if you find te right tools that work for you.

Preg19 · 14/02/2022 19:04

@SparklingLime

There’s not enough help via the NHS. You could see if your local Mind offer counselling. Flowers
Thankyou ❤️
OP posts:
Preg19 · 14/02/2022 19:05

@speakout

I have suffered from GSA for decades- most of my adult life. I keep it under control mostly, it does raise its head when challenges or difficult change happens, but I have developed strategies to manage my anxiety and keep it under control. We are all different of course, so what works for some people may not work for others. I find a combination of things most effective, stacking everything up, not just one technique or method. I have tried medication, but prefer to keep things under control without drugs. I think for all of us making sure we get enough sleep and a decent diet is crucial. Alcohol makes me much worse for a day or two afterwards, so I avoid totally if I am going through a bad patch. Rumination and "hamster wheeling" thought patterns are really challenging to cope with, CBT is a useful thing to learn, even if you only use some elements or use it at some points. It is useful to learn about the connections between thoughts/feelings/activity for instance. I practice daily yoga which has been a life saver, really helps to focus and centre the monkey mind. Most physical activity- gym, walking, swimming will again drain the system of the nervous energy, use up the adrenalin and produce good feel hormones in the brain. As does meditation, there are some great anxiety reducing videos on you tube, I have a few favourites that are only 5 or 10 minutes long that I turn to when things become uncomfortable. I like to listen to anxiety reducing sounds or music on youtube too , I will have it playing in the background, my favourite is female chanting at the moment. Get outside into the garden- earthing( barefoot walking even on the back lawn) can ease and ground anxious feelings. A walk in the woods or some natural environment, a flowing river is also very soothing. Try to cultivate a creative activity, whether painting, mindful colouring books, or singing tasks which are easy and repetitive like knitting, sewing or a craft is helpful. The repetitious nature of an activity is almost mantra like and is very soothing.

Most of all be kind to yourself. Imagine how you would treat a good friend who was feeing anxious. A scented candle, cosy throw -or weighted blanket for sleep, and a good selection of herbal teas are comforting. I drink a lot of Chamomile, Peppermint, most supermarkets have lovely blends of calming tea bags. Twinings and Pukka are good.

Keep calming images or figures where you can pass them daily, or some words of wisdom that give you calm- you can stick on the fridge door. I have salt lamps, Buddha statues, pictues of trees and waterfalls around, constant visual reminders of calm as I walk around the house.

Do speak to your GP- there may be some local initiatives, but in many places the NHS is so stretched that counselling is almost impossible to access.
There may be other routes though- I am a carer, and can obtain counselling free through a local charity , so find out what is available in your area.

Don't give up hope. Anxiety can be very hard to deal with but also managed sucessfully if you find te right tools that work for you.

Thankyou for taking the time to reply, all this really helps ❤️
OP posts:
Fritilleries · 17/02/2022 19:35

Would you stop someone taking paracetamol for a headache? Anxiety can be successfully treated with drugs. I am on sertraline and it's like a vitamin I take for my brain which doesn't works very well at maintaining serotonin. It's a reuptake inhibitor. We all have slightly different physiologies so taking drugs to cope with an imbalance is something that should be normalised. I doubt I'll ever come off it.

speakout · 17/02/2022 20:13

Fritilleries

I am glad your medication brings benefit.
I know several people who havebeen taking SSRIs for years and all is well.
There are other ways to combat anxiey though, not just medication. Medication can work well, but is not for everyone . Some people have very bad side efffects or don't want to take them.
It's not a one size fits all- as in any MH condition.
SSRIs are often used lomg term, but equally can be used for shorter terms while an individual explores other methods of calming anxiety.

SSRIs are not super wonder drugs, and it is important to realise that there are options.

TellySavalashairbrush · 17/02/2022 20:24

Watching this with interest. I’ve always suffered with bad anxiety and take Citolopram which certainly helps. However, I have worked related anxiety and for the last month have been having debilitating anxiety and panic attacks in addition to bad health anxiety which usually rears it’s head when I’m like this. CBT didn’t work for me.

speakout · 17/02/2022 20:35

TellySavalashairbrush I am sorry to hear that.

I think in addition to suggestions on this thread we have to consider our environment.
If your workplace is triggering your anxiety then perhaps a change of job is in order?
Those of us who live with anxiety disorders have to think about our internal world and how that can be supported- CBT, medication, exercise, meditation etc, but also our external world, where we work, our social life, the place we choose to stay.
I find crowds uncomfortable, lots of traffic etc, so I choose to live in a rural location, it eases my mind. I don't like parties or busy pubs and nightclubs so will decline invites.
I do socialise but at a pace that is good for me in a place that is calm.
I also find being alone very calming, I am lucky to be able to work from home and have lots of breaks, and work in an environment which I can control to be quiet and peaceful.

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