Dealing with anxiety symptoms

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by gacook

, as you notice the stress coming on, do some breathing exercises. Take 3-5 minutes and just sit there taking deep, cleansing breaths--4 seconds inhale through the nose, 8 seconds exhale through the mouth.

These simple little things really can help.

Great advise! Get to a library and look up "Yoga breathing, plus there are some good books on self awareness meditation."

[twobone]

I agree Yoga helps, as does playing my guitar

[wayner]

Exercise does burn off the stress, I think in addition you have to find the source and address it (not remove the source but rationalize it).

In the moment see if you can step back and think about what might be causing the reaction and rationalize it.

Some good info out there about Post traumatic stress. Apparently some of the techniques that work on combat troops is to repeatedly put them back into simulated situations as an observer of the situation until they no longer react with stress, because they know everything will turn out ok.

I'm no expert and I may be way off in left field, but if you are repeatedly in a normal situation at work that causes abnormal reaction, maybe you don't need a simulation, just the awareness of what is happening in the moment and use each moment as practice and retraining that part of your brain until eventually the reaction is back to normal.

I'd look for something on PTSD and see if you can find some tips, or deal with a professional who can guide you.

[EMJ]

How about goals? No better way to reduce stress than to be in control of where you're going. Working towards something helps. Whether it be planning a trip, learning a new language, redecorating the house with your better half, or finally doing that suspension refresh on the old P-car. Keeps your mind sharp, active, and striving toward something. Should help balance out the stress.

[Danimal16]

Exercise, simply get active and out of the house. Also, diet. Mega Stress vitamin and fish oil, lots of fish oil.

[MMiller]

As stated ..... Excercise that includes cardio in a heart rate target zone plus just good long walks in the fresh air and sunshine.

Yoga

also might look into Tai Chi and Meditation.....proven good stuff if you have the time and focus

regards,

[crownarch]

Best advice is to buy this book "Mindfulness" by Mark Williams and Danny Penman and you will be astonished as it will do wonders for both anxiety and depression. It presents many methods and practices to deal with the outside stress one experiences every day. To have piece on the inside you must learn to deal with peace on the outside.

No affiliation with publisher and/or authors.

[Bill Douglas]

I did a free meditation course. It was free hoping people would sign up for the big course. I got so much out of the free one I didn't need more.

Now I just say a key phrase and think for a moment and my heart rate and thinking immediately returns to a very relaxed state.

It's pretty weird. If I'm having a stressy day I feel everyone wants to attack me and some verbally do. If I do the quick meditation thing I'm very relaxed and (weirdly) I have a whole lot of cute females smiling and saying hello. They can sense bad vibes/good vibes. and life is a lot easier on yourself if you can give off good vibes.

And good luck with sorting this issue.

[weseeeee]

Exercise, eating healthy and meditation work very well for me.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by EMJ

redecorating the house with your better half,

Whoa... I said whoa there son!!!

[aigel]

Originally Posted by widgeon13

Do you exercise much, that is always helpful from my perspective.

Yoga is also good for stress relief.

+1 to the T

Cardio really helps that built up blood pressure and power to go somewhere. You have those body reactions because your body back in the old days was ready to run, fight, hunt or whatever, if it sensed stress. Go for it!

G

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by HHI944

Klonopin

Works for me.

I take one when I can't manage with my normal stress relievers.

My doc wanted me taking 3 a day.

I can make a 30 count script last 3 years.

Seems to have a reboot effect for me, clears the cache so to speak.

[creaturecat]

cardio.
a different perspective.
eckhart tolle gave me a valued perspective. a fall back position, if nothing else.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by twobone

Had some emotional trauma 10 years ago. Life back to normal

You may have some Post Traumatic Stress. It can crop up in various ways.

imho best to talk to a psychiatrist about your options. You can use a psychologist to work through issues, but if you need meds on the short term, you'll need the MD.

Exercise is a good thing - tai chi is kind of the best of both worlds as it is essentially moving meditation.

Meds can be the right answer for some, the wrong answer for others. Only you and your doc can work through that. Remember that the suggestions here worked (or didn't) for that individual - not you. Don't accept or dismiss any solution out of hand.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by crownarch

Best advice is to buy this book "Mindfulness" by Mark Williams and Danny Penman

Don't know that one, but I highly recommend anything by Pemo Chodron. In particular,

The Places that Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times (Shambhala Classics): Pema Chodron: 9781570629211: Amazon.com: Books

When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times (Shambhala Classics): Pema Chodron: 9781570623448: Amazon.com: Books

Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living (Shambhala Classics): Pema Chodron: 9781570628399: Amazon.com: Books

[tabs]

BLAH BLAH BLAH...

U fking control nothing, and eventually not even when you have to take a dump...

[Jaime_73]

Exercises will help a lot.

Having gone through something similar, my advice is:
Talk to a psychiatrist and then find a psychologist.

After almost 1 1/2 years since my worst crisis that led me to seek treatment, I think I learned how to deal with mental stress, but my body has not yet returned to normal.

In some common situations (such as hunger, for example) my body still seems to feel some kind of threat and starts making signs like sweating and tremors.

Last week, under the supervision of my psychiatrist, I stopped taking my daily dose of sertraline (Zoloft). At the beginning took together with Bromazepam (Somalium).

During treatment, for most adverse situations, he pointed me Clonazepam (Rivotril/Klonopin), but I found its effects VERY strong. Even with small doses I was unusable for hours.

I am also not a fan of medication, but in my case I do not think have gotten through all this without them.

But, first of all, talk to a psychiatrist.

[HardDrive]

These books have changed my life for the better. Big time.

Originally Posted by nostatic

Don't know that one, but I highly recommend anything by Pemo Chodron. In particular,

The Places that Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times (Shambhala Classics): Pema Chodron: 9781570629211: Amazon.com: Books

When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times (Shambhala Classics): Pema Chodron: 9781570623448: Amazon.com: Books

Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living (Shambhala Classics): Pema Chodron: 9781570628399: Amazon.com: Books

[HardDrive]

Originally Posted by tabs

BLAH BLAH BLAH...

U fking control nothing, and eventually not even when you have to take a dump...

Very true. And if you can accept that without judgement, a lot of the fear that drives us goes away. Not all for sure. But a lot of the negative 'what ifs' that haunt us dissolve.

[TechnoViking]

I suffered from anxiety on and off from the age of 30-40. It reached a climax at about age 40 and I decided I had to do something.

Saw a therapist specializing in anxiety, my doc put me on anxiety drugs...nothing worked.

I finally figured out my testosterone was low, and have been supplementing that for the last couplet years. Now I seem to have much more resilience for dealing with adversity. Anxiety is a thing of the past (knock on wood).

I recommend having your doc do a full blood workup just to see if everything checks out. You never know.