Feeling incredibly anxious

[jaz100]

I am generally an anxious person but today it's really bad. I m worried about anything and everything, my body aches and I feel sick. There's a particular thing I'm worried about and have been for a while now. It's playing heavy on my mind today. Feels like a real dark storm cloud over me. It hurts.

Any tips to feel better?

Deal, if you can, with that particular thing?

I can't, it's beyond my control.

Concentrate on the sensation of the soles of your feet. Works for me, mostly! Also pay attention to your senses more generally, can you see, hear and smell danger? Chances are you won't, and that'll sooth things. Good luck, anxiety is an absolute bugger.

There's a really good pod about anxiety on this week's Rangan Chaterjee podcast. Have a listen. It might well help you.

There are some breathing exercises and lots of information about how to bring yourself down out of a panic state.

I've been in a terrible state recently and I'm getting on an even keel now, even though I also had a specific thing in the background that's worrying me which I have no influence over.

Anxiety is really really horrible and you have my sympathy.

Try and remember that anxiety is just a feeling. A feeling can’t hurt you, and it will pass. All the physical symptoms are just what happens when we feel strong emotion, but they don’t mean anything.

The thing you are worrying about is not going to be affected by how much you worry about it. Try and focus instead on managing your anxiety symptoms.

Things that might help - breathing exercises, saying a mantra, saying a mantra while walking, find something to focus on like the rain or a candle or create a different physical sensation.

Yoga for Adrienne does a really good video for anxiety - it works an unexpected, clever way...give it a try. I hope you find some relief soon.

Would you like to talk about what's causing the anxiety?

Fellow anxiety sufferer here, I hate how it controls my life. I've been through some really bad patches recently and have really had to challenge the thoughts. If it's out of your control you cannot change it, but worrying about it means you suffer twice.