ericheartsu Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 anyone have any tips for dealing with anxiety problems? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flood Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 it all really depends on the severity, and the cause. If its situational (ie stress related) find someplace you feel safe or something thats going to relax you/calm you down. If its a chemical imbalance/other internal cause... you probably want to speak to a therapist and explore possible medical options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punkrockvinyl25 Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 the only thing that has ever worked for me is writing and playing music. the down side is when i go out to dinner or public places where alot of people are i kinda getting really tense. while eating i can't be at a table...i need to be in a booth by the window i just feel safe.....public places for me is a hrad thing to deal with cus u hate when people look at me. even doing music....i try to not look people in the eye. it's way to scarry....about 6 yrs ago i would get so worked up before playing a show i would throw up, not because i was scared of playing for people....but because i felt like i was being judged. good luck man. you should really look into why you feel the way you do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goraiders Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 i have anxiety issues, ive yet to deal with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 drink till you can't feel feelings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lokithelion Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 it all really depends on the severity, and the cause. If its situational (ie stress related) find someplace you feel safe or something thats going to relax you/calm you down. If its a chemical imbalance/other internal cause... you probably want to speak to a therapist and explore possible medical options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monk0nuggets Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 The cause is definitely important. It sounds kind of stupid, but I get anxiety about whether or not I'll have easy access to some place I can relieve myself. If I'm stuck in traffic and suddenly feel the need to piss, I freak out. The best thing I can tell you is that almost all anxiety is caused by a "what if" situation. Just keep telling yourself that whatever is happening is fine and the what ifs don't matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circlingvultures Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 after having anxiety ever since i can remember I finally had a really bad month where i could only fall asleep by drinking nyquil and whiskey or jager til i passed out. I would be anxious before bed and then 3 hours later still be awake worrying about people breaking into my parents house and killing them. I went to a therapist and I now go and talk for an hour a month and am on some scripts. I lucked out and we found drugs that worked right away and didnt have to try anything else. I cant recommend it enough. It took a good talk with a friend to convince me to go but im so happy i did. I was diagnosed as Bi-Polar with General Anxiety Disorder. I dont freak out in large crowds anymore. I don't snap on people and go after them but i also dont get so excited I feel like im going to burst. I'm pretty straight right down the middle and it's a total relief. For rhe anxiety they basically gave me a muscle relaxer which was weird at first but now that im used to it I can take it when i feel myself getting panicky and it eases that feeling pretty fast. Only thing is, even with insurance it's not really that cheap. If it's in your budget though I highly recommend going to see someone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casey Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 I went to a therapist and I now go and talk for an hour a month and am on some scripts. I lucked out and we found drugs that worked right away and didnt have to try anything else. I cant recommend it enough. It took a good talk with a friend to convince me to go but im so happy i did. I was diagnosed as Bi-Polar with General Anxiety Disorder. I dont freak out in large crowds anymore. I don't snap on people and go after them but i also dont get so excited I feel like im going to burst. I'm pretty straight right down the middle and it's a total relief. This is pretty much what happened with me. I went in to the doc's expecting anti-anxiety meds for the anxiety, getting diagnosed as bi-polar was a total blindside, but the meds for that worked where the self-supplied anti-anxiety meds didn't. Even being medicated, there are still situations that come up that a good system of rationalizing things with myself is the only way to handle. Basically, what a few other folks said. The cause is the first thing you need to find out. Otherwise, any treatments are just going to be speculation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LowEndAutomatic Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 I agree with everyone in that it really depends on the cause... For me, I also know that how I live also tends to either increase or decrease my level of anxiety; if I'm eating well and exercising (running or cycling) regularly, I'm able to get a better handle on things. However, when I'm not eating well, sleeping too little and barely exercising, my brain literally seems to run wild and my symptoms dramatically increase... Although I've never been to speak with someone professionally, I think it's a great option and have been seriously considering it recently... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
selfreliable Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 speaking with someone is very key. I have had anxiety issue for more than 10 years. I am in the small percent of anxiety sufferers that is diagnosed with no "cause" for it. I.E. nothing seems to be my trigger. I am on meds that help alot though. As stated above, your general health goes a long way. Eating good and exercising helps tremendously. It also helps if during an attack you have a chance to go out if its cold outside and walk. Your body will kick into survival mode and focus on keeping you warm and slowly end the anxiety. This of course only works if you live where it gets to freezing temps. That was a huge help for me in college during the winter as Iwould go for walks late at night when it was in the teens and cut off my anxiety. Alot of anxiety is also tied with diet. Things that upset your stomach can trigger attacks. Start keeping a journal of what you eat and how you feel that day. If you notice that when you eat cereal you get anxious at night, eat something else for breakfast and see how you do. Research has come a long way just in the past year on this subject and is deffiantly worth talking to a dr even just once about it to see what they can do to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottheisel Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 Paging Thomas.... Come in, Thomas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtmanner Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 It's really important to try to mentally remove yourself from the current situation and observe what is making you feel anxious. If it's for something realistic then I find that doing anything to preoccupy my mind helps, such as counting (just not in any pattern other than going up. I developed a pretty intense OCD by counting everything to 4's when I was about 9 years old). If you can't figure out what is causing it, there probably isn't anything to really worry about. Sometimes I'll find myself feeling extremely anxious but unable to really remember what had set it off in the first place and when I think about how that means it really wasn't anything important I am able to calm down. When I was younger (12) I went to acupuncture for about a year and a half because nothing else we had tried helped my anxiety or OCD. Although I still have some odd tendencies and still have some anxiety it's nothing compared to what it was. I recommend acupuncture to anyone who is willing to try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcamps Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 i've been having mood swings on top of a lot of other shit for almost a year, i recommend exercising a few times a week. reading also really calms me down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subhomeseabs Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 Depending on the severity, if you go to a doctor they are only going to want to put you on a prescription. They may suggest talk therapy, too but they will never tell you to change your diet and incorporate vitamin supplements. Fish oil is really really good for anxiety and depression. Also, kava extract and passion flower are both good, too. I would eliminate wheat and dairy (if you can) and see how you feel. And try to get regular exercise. It sounds tough, but changing your diet and lifestyle and going to talk therapy is infinitely better than just taking a prescription and dealing with the negative side effects that they all have. Of course, these are all suggestions depending on the severity of your anxiety. Sometimes people absolutely have to have a prescription. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgoodcore Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 This book helped me a lot. I've come to believe moderate anxiety can be dealt with sans medication. The head-doctor I've seen now for about 9 months would be willing to go the medication route if I wanted it but has never tried to steer me in one direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suburbanargyle Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 I have trouble initiating contact with people, whether it's an absolute stranger on the phone or my best friend. Sometimes just thinking about a pending conversation makes me sick to my stomach and I'll start sweating really bad. Not every time though, sometimes I can walk right up to a gorgeous girl and start a conversation. I really don't know why it happens sometimes and not other times. And it's not so bad that I can't function, because I've been able to make it through job interviews, the military, etc. It's really just a nuisance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wakeupandlive Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 I've had severe anxiety for the past 3 years. I've been on a bunch of different medications, and now I'm on none(none that I take daily). I finally bit the bullet and started seeing a therapist back in October and it's helped immensely. While I still have occasional panic attacls, the depression that came along with those is no longer there. I do take Klonopin when I feel an attack coming on or am in a very stressful situation. It takes me 3-4 months to go through a bottle of 45, but going to get help it whats worked the most for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurenxvx Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 I have never admitted to having Anxiety Issues, but I think its about time I come to terms with it. All of my anxiety is closely related with schooling, however. I have an incessant need to get straight A's. All the time. On everything. I'm stressing myself out beyond belief. I don't feel like I have many things in my life to calm me down. I am not interested in medicating to deal with this, so if anyone can suggest books (like the one listed above) I will definitely check them out. Classes start tomorrow and I'm already going into panic mode. I know this isn't healthy, I think its time I deal with it. :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casey Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Does it bug anyone else when people make threads like these and people give super honest answers and the original poster never makes an appearance in the thread again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgoodcore Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Does it bug anyone else when people make threads like these and people give super honest answers and the original poster never makes an appearance in the thread again? I would agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drabley Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Does it bug anyone else when people make threads like these and people give super honest answers and the original poster never makes an appearance in the thread again? I would agree. Gives me anxiety issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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