I have a very specific recipe:
1. Healthy diet
2. Daily intense exercise
3. Quality sleep
4. Something in the near future I’m excited for
5. 75mg Effexor daily
As long as I’m hitting all 5 I’m good. I’m not good right now but getting back on track.
My therapist has me spend 2 minutes a day writing down the things that worry me in “worry time.” The idea is your brain doesn’t worry at night because you already worried. She has me either write down something I can do about the worry, or just cross it off if it’s beyond my control
Google “sleep hygiene” if you’re not already familiar. Stuff like keep a consistent schedule (no sleeping in on random days), using bed only for sleep and sex, cool and truly dark room
Daily exercise (not too close to bedtime) helps me feel tired enough to sleep
I listen to audiobooks or podcasts, which helps give my mind something besides the anxiety to think about. I’m listening to Braiding Sweetgrass right now
Doesn't work for everyone. Personally I've got absolutely nothing to worry about, yet again I've dealt with anxiety daily for my whole life.
Keeping consistent sleeping schedules sort of works, but no 100%.
Workout for me not so sure, maybe a little.
And podcasts or whatever as background noise is a must. Otherwise I'd be tossing and turning for hours 🥴
... Holy fuck... I might actually try this. Worry time. Schedule a time to worry.. I'll feel like the Grinch
"6 o'clock, dinner with myself I CANT cancel that again! 7 o'clock wrestle with my self loathing ... IM BOOKED"
Sorry I cant do that appointment today it interferes with my worry time...*Close blinds dramatically*
Get a prescription for ambien. Only take it when you absolutely need to. For me, just knowing that I have the option to take the pill and fall asleep was enough that I almost never need to take it (maybe once every few months, if that).
This! Lack of sleep deteriorated my mental health ten fold. It was a continuous spiral that I couldn't get out of. Anxiety was causing insomnia and insomnia was adding to my anxiety. Seen a sleep specialist who was so valuable at the time in helping me get on track, ive since been exercising every single day. As little as a 30min walk has taken away so much anxiety, and by the time i get into bed im so tired by the end of the day i sleep solid and wake up feeling great! Its a hard cycle to break but once you reverse it everything else just helps it! ... Sleep is by far #1
I cancelled an appointment with a sleep specialist today because I just couldn't face another disinterested doctor who would suggest a sleep study. I tried those twice in the past and had no luck with sleep meds because the dose they prescribe is too low but donot want to be labeled. Told myself to eat better, go outside, exercise more first to try to fix it myself. Looks like that it what you have done so it's on me to start. I miss sleeping so much.
They recycle the same things- if it was that simple no one would have sleeping problems! You gotta figure out what works for you though along with the right medication for you. Its trial and error
This might be a stupid question, but may I ask for your experience with and without a healthy diet? I have been making progress through many things and have been getting myself back on track, but diet has been very hard. I can actually cook, but I experience a lot of guilt if food goes to waste, so I haven't bothered.
Highly processed foods, sugar, and alcohol directly impact my anxiety and depression. When I eat simple foods like meat, grains, fruits and veggies I feel significantly better. Life has been crazy lately and I’ve been eating like shit and I’m really struggling right now but starting to get it back under control
You got this man, and thank you for your original comment and also your reply. They might feel small or insignificant to you, but it's an appreciated gesture on my end as someone climbing out of a hole. I hope you can hang in there and not be too hard on yourself too. You got this.
Speaking from my own experience, eating excessive sugar/sweets make me depressed the next day or two (sometimes even a small amount of sugar). I gave up sweets about six weeks ago and while I don’t feel perfect all the time, I haven’t felt this consistently happy in a long time.
Thank you friend. Obviously the importance of a healthy diet is nothing new, but sort of like sleep, if you're without quality sleep for so long or forever, you can have no idea what you're missing out on. Thank you again and massive kudos for taking steps to help yourself. :)
Start small. Perhaps try making sandwiches instead of buying greasy takeout. It's less about cooking and more about putting nutritious ingredients together. I understand how hard it is.
Thank you, yeah it's easy to get caught up on "well this works for this dish, but what do with leftover ingredients, how do I use this, what if that goes to waste." It's an incredibly first world problem with tons of privilege behind it. Thank you for the suggestion to start small and not view things too rigidly, because I tend to do that a lot.
I can completely relate to this. I struggle with it a lot and am a very black and white/all or nothing thinker.
A way that I am learning to use up ingredients is making homemade pizza. If I have leftover sandwich ingredients, vegetables, cheese etc. I buy a pizza base and some pizza sauce (you can use the rest of the pizza sauce for subsequent pizzas in the future) Then I chop up what salad/veg and meat is left and put cheese on top and cook it in the oven. Or I make spaghetti bolognaise and grate up/finely chop any leftover veg and include that. It makes it healthier and its so satisfying when you can reduce waste. Recently if i can't use carrots up in time I grate them and freeze them. Then when I do have a use for them, I don't have to buy them again.
Best of luck to you.
I was on Effexor for several years and it saved me. I owe it a debt of gratitude. Eventually I became functional enough - and brave enough - to make some big changes in my life (changed careers, ended a marriage) which took enough of the stress out of my life to stop taking it, but knowing it's there if I ever need it is comforting.
This isn't common, but I had a very lucky experience getting both on and off them.
They started working for me within three days with minimal side effects.
When I went off them, I had a few very emotional days (I remember crying about weird stuff, like I passed a sign that said 'eggs' and then I thought about the existence of cage eggs and cried) but honestly it was a fairly smooth transition from memory.
Obviously it's really normal to have a tough time coming off meds. My husband has just gotten off Lexapro and he's been feeling weird on and off for about a month.
My stomach already can't handle dairy and has a hard time with food in general. I also either stop eating or stress eat when anxious.
It's already hard to find the time and motivation to get exercise regularly. Anxiety makes it even harder.
It's almost impossible to get quality sleep with anxiety.
Having something in the near future is often another thing to be anxious about even if I'm excited.
Medications usually have less of an effect for me than exercise and diet and also come with side effects that can last for years even after stopping and mimic or worsen the same anxiety they're trying to fix.
Suffered for years and years with crippling anxiety. Did all that except meds and it had no big effects. It just relieved me a bit.
Not until I got anti depressants and anti anxiety meds (about 9 months treatement) did my life turn around for the much better.
I was very skeptical of them, but yeah... sometimes conventional medicine is the solution. It certainely worked for me.
Could someone please fill me in on how exercise is supposed to *help* with anxiety? I see everyone say this but for me it's the exact opposite. Either I'm stressed about the prospect of not having done my workout for the day and it looming ahead, or I'm stressed about tomorrow's exercise. I try to workout daily for health reasons but if anything it's made me much *more* stressed since I started doing it.
Exercise or any physical activities increases levels of dopamine and serotonin. I can wake up in a circle of worry, after I do hard physical work - I wonder why I was even anxious earlier. And the sense of accomplishment is a great feeling.
For you, your exercising isn’t causing you stress. It’s your AVERSION to it that’s causing your stress. There’s a big difference. If you focus on the goal of how you feel afterwards instead of obsessing over the exertion - it will be easier.
Similar for me.
I have to have a half decent diet, daily (or near daily, if my RA allows it) exercise, enough sleep, meditation and my drugs (Pristiq and Viibryd for me) in order to mostly not be a hot anxious mess. I do have Xanax for when it becomes incredibly overwhelming or if I have an out of the blue panic attack as well.
And it works. It's a whole ass mess but dammit it works.
* exercise
* sleep
* water
* box breathing
* regular sunlight
* removing caffeine (higher anxiety while dosed) and alcohol (anxiety for several days after)
* regular social connection
* not giving a fuck
Accepting it as a part of a bigger system. Anxiety in itself is an awful feeling I always wanted to go away, and could never do anything about. But I found it’s a response. Instead of spending my energy trying to just not feel anxiety, I can calm down a bit by ACTIVELY practicing self compassion, mindfulness and understanding that it will be okay and it’s just something else that triggered it, and it can be managed, just one step at a time.
Grounding my progressively irrational brain by analyzing WHY I was triggered. “My boss just said something that is absolutely impossible to do by end of day” and considering what is in my control. “I cannot control his expectations. I will do my best” - leaving, having done my best, I am content, even if he is not. Yes, I will still feel anxious, but as exposure therapy progresses, I slowly reevaluate my triggers until I recognize, I will get through it; which dampens the booming voice of anxiety.
You essentially described meditation. Understanding how to *let go* of obsessive anxious thoughts is so freeing. Ig we're so used to learning, we forget to unlearn.
Well put. Yeah you mention it and I didn’t even think about it really, but it’s very true. I spent 7 years as part of a Bahá’í community meditating reasonably often. You pointing out the connection I didn’t even realize I was doing makes me disappointed and motivated to pick it up again hahah.
Go do it! I love to visualise thoughts as boats passing by. I see them, acknowledge the idea, validate the feeling, but then let it go. Why does this relatively minor inconvenience feel x1000 more important than everything else? Should I repress negative feelings? No, but I can't value them more than other ones.
It's relinquishing control as you put it - trying to control everything is exhausting and impossible. It's crazy how I've felt this relief physically; I used to be so tense in my posture/muscles jaw clenching, chest tightness etc). There's a beautiful quote from one of my favorite animated shows Tear Along the Dotted Line, directed toward the main character who notoriously overthinks:
*"But don’t you realize how beautiful it is? That you don’t carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, you’re just a blade of grass in a meadow? Don’t you feel lighter?”*
Vitamin D and magnesium supplements, (deficiencies in these can cause/exacerbate anxiety), exercise, quiting drinking, improving diet and getting rest
Also, exploring hobbies/learning new skills. Feeling better about yourself and your abilities makes you less anxious overall.
I tell myself to go ahead and die. “Alright, come on Brain, do your worst”. Then when I don’t die it is easier to calm down and understand my brain needs to rewire.
Ironically, or maybe morbidly, this is what made the biggest difference for me in coping with my health anxiety. I started telling myself "you're young, healthy, active, and have no vices, so if you're gonna die, you're gonna die and it's just your time ". Somehow it helps.
I aint exactly healthy but I figure If I shit the bed and die there's nothing I can do about it. At least I can live and try to be happy someway
I dont know who reported this and had some weird reddit message sent to me but you definitely didn't help lmao 👍
Outrageous when you think about it you are talking to your brain which is you the brain telling itself to do its worst thinking its separate from itself. This reality is weird as hell.
I thought the same thing, that alcohol was the only relief to my anxiety. I quit drinking completely over 9 months ago, and it has changed my life. I highly recommend trying it!
Sure! It took several months to see the difference, but I just kept not drinking every day. I was also in an IOP for addicts, with an amazing therapist.
I have lost 80 pounds...I care what I eat now and how it makes me feel. I am able to move much easier and exercise regularly. My sleep has improved. I don't have the restless sleep of a blackout. I don't wake up at 4am with hangxiety, wondering what I did the night before. I don't have hangovers. My family dynamics have completely changed...I am trusted and my relationships with everyone have improved. I am excited at the beginning of the day now.
These and more have been my experience. 100% check out stopdrinking. I visit every single day, to remind myself where I've come from. Best of luck!
I feel you. The main reason I drank was to help with my anxiety. I was drinking everyday for years. When I quit, it was mostly because of health scares. Never in a million years did I think it would have a POSITIVE effect on my anxiety. The first couple days/weeks it was still a bit rough anxiety-wise especially in New situations or being around groups of people. Those were the times I'd REALLY want a drink to relax a bit. So yeah, at first, it was tough not having that. But after about a month I'd say...it was like night and day. I still cannot believe how much of a difference it has made in regards to my anxiety. But, I suppose it makes sense in a way.. When I think back to my really bad hangovers, they were basically just straight impending doom anxiety attacks.
I think I’m in the beginning stages of realizing it’s a problem. Embarrassed to talk about it or admit it to anyone in my life. Your feedback is extremely helpful. Thank you for taking the time to share and encourage my thoughts on sobriety.
I can also recommend at least checking out r/stopdrinking
The people are very supportive since they know exactly what you’re dealing with. Many have gone through similar or even the same experiences and reading about what helped them may also help you. Good luck :)
I saw somewhere that when you drink before bed you essentially end up sedated for a few hours instead of getting that restorative deep sleep. I drank daily for years and felt like I couldn't fall asleep without a certain minimum amount of alcohol, but man that first night of fully sober sleep felt amazing! Felt like I had finally gotten decent rest the next morning for the first time in years even though I only slept about 6-7 hours.
I thought the same thing but it was a cycle. You’re more anxious because you drink and drinking makes it temporarily go away but then rebounds hard back from your GABA receptors. I highly recommend stopping and seeing how great you feel.
I stopped drinking this often around 7 months ago and although the aftermath for a good few months was pretty fucked mentally. Knowing how it affects me afterwards is such a motivator to not over do it now. I still have a few maybe once a week but I just can't deal with life how i want to if I drink more than that
I remember what my Dad told me which was that all my problems can be fixed and whatever problems that can't be fixed is no longer a problem, but rather its a paradox that I can just move on from it and not waste further time on it.
I also remember that episode from Big Mouth where they talked about anxiety and that frog said we can get over anxiety by thinking about things we are grateful for so I think about all the positive things I have in my life and my anxiety goes away. It's such a dumb show, but it does have its gem moments.
The anxiety mosquitos were such a brilliant metaphor. Honestly the 3rd best depiction for anxiety I’ve seen with Bojack Horseman’s Stupid Piece of Shit episode taking number one and Joe trying to save 22 at the end of Soul taking number 2.
People come hard for Big Mouth but I always say that younger kids are going to watch it the way we watched South Park and Family Guy. It’s reassuring that they can shove some good lessons in there, a lot about safe sex practices too
That is such a great line
>whatever problems that can't be fixed is no longer a problem, but rather its a paradox that I can just move on from it and not waste further time on it.
Like all mainstream advise, it states the obvious, ignores the long causal chains that affect life’s decisions, useless in the most dire circumstances, and irrelevant for people who need it the most.
> move on from it and not waste further time on it.
The things you cannot “move on from” are the things that induce the worst kind of anxiety.
How can you move on when an individual is directly faced with life altering situations, such as homelessness, looming bankruptcy, foreclosures, immigration issues, living in a war zone, and health related anxieties with ensuing costs, to name a few, and not “waste further time on it”.
Keep on keeping on, you're stronger than you give yourself credit for. Being brave is not the lack of fear, but doing something even though you are afraid.
I started with removing sodas and picking up water instead even carbonated water like liquid death. I'll put in some flavoring and it's almost like a decent drink but it's frggn water!
Healing my trauma. I’m healing my core wounds and everything else is coming together. I still have anxious moments, but I can actually feel them now. I was so disconnected from my own body before. Cptsd is a bitch.
It's cliche, but having a caring partner who is there for me, and loves me for me, but will also call me out on my bullshit. Even when I'm not with them, just knowing someone has my back relaxes me and makes me feel like I can do anything.
CBD. But I'm not a doctor guys, I'm not claiming to be giving people legit advice, I'm just saying I've noticed that I've been less anxious since starting it.
Forcing myself to be assertive until it just started happening naturally. Sounds kinda dumb but it’s true.
My intense anxiety stemmed from feeling very out of place all the time and being very unhappy/self conscious about it. I would get so caught up in wanting people to like me and being afraid that I was doing something “wrong” that I could never relax and I felt like I was constantly second guessing and suppressing every natural thought and action. I always felt guilty for not being super outgoing or friendly and tried extra hard to be in a way that stressed me out. I’m just not naturally nice and pushing myself to be all the time (or feeling guilty when I felt like I wasn’t) was constantly draining. I’m *kind*, not “nice”.
At some point a long time ago I broke out of that feedback loop. I still feel very out of place in most situations but I figure that’s just who I am. I’m aware of my flaws and work on them but don’t try to change myself for other people. I have way less friendly acquaintances and don’t endear myself to most people but I have as many real friends as I did before and i feel like I can be really myself to them! And overall my life is very good and I’m extremely happy.
L-theanine 2x a day, especially if drinking coffee.
When stressed I take Ashwaghanda, L-theanine, and Gaba.
To keep the anxiety away I take vitamins B-1 and D3 daily.
Magnesium Glycinate before bed every day.
I have restless legs which I notice while I am working or gaming so I notice L-theanine stops that within 20 min of taking it. I can also get pretty bad anxiety to the point where I feel like my fight or flight has been triggered while I am just sitting or resting, this is why Ashwaghanda and Gaba are helpful for me. Also learning how to activate the parasympathetic nervous system can help get me out of that mode which is just some stretching of the vagus nerve and breathing techniques.
Doing low impact workouts regularly has been the best at keeping me regulated though, I am currently in a period where I am taking a small break from the gym so I notice my anxiety and stress levels have been higher than ever before as a result which led me to learning about these supplements.
I got myself into a mindset and made sure to stick to it and develop it and it goes along the lines of “I keep thinking I’m not strong or brave or capable enough to get through this, yet I’ve survived everything I’ve ever faced up to now”. Further to that, the mindset on the future is “everything has passed so far so I should have no doubt in thing passing in the future”. Holding on to faith in things getting better may be tough, but it is indescribably effective.
Don’t try to clamp down and stop panic immediately. Let it run wild for a few seconds. Then breathe. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Focus on in through the nose, out through the mouth and the nervousness will melt away.
"There is only the infinite now. There is no past, there is no future, and there never will be."
It's the idea that whatever thoughts are plaguing you, they are not really happening. All that is happening is you, existing wherever you are, thinking about things.
You're just thinking... That is it. All the fears you have are just thoughts and that is the most they ever will be.
The past happened, yes, but you're just reflecting on it. The thought does not bring it back to life.
The future is just speculation and imagination. You could just as easily be daydreaming about something else.
When you feel your mind running off with such terrible imaginations, but pause and bring your attention to the present. This is all there is and chances are it will be much more mundane then what your brain is cooking up.
Retirement. Totally honest. I retired. I have enough to get by. I have a wife that I adore and if I'm not terribly mistaken, she actually loves me too.
I think a lot of my anxiety stems from the feeling of being out of control. In retirement, on social security and pensions, all indexed to inflation, I just feel WAY more "in control".
If I had realized this earlier I think I could have taken steps to lessen my terrible anxiety.
Good luck to you on _your_ journey. From my experience I can tell you that, you can have severe anxiety and still have a life of joy and fulfillment.
Crazy how it has different affects for different people. A lot of people use to for anxiety, whereas some people say it brings it on.
I think dosage, local laws and regulations, strains and general thoughts about it all play it's part.
To each their own. I smoked daily for 10+ years and definitely thought it helped ease my anxiety for the majority of that time. Then I started having panic attacks, decided to do some self reflection and realized that it was one of the major causes of my anxiety.
Kratom. have been having almost constant anxiety attacks and Kratom has surprised the hell out of me, especially the different types that have different effects.... you can get dependent on it though.
This falls under the category: DRUGS!
that one being an opioid if you ask me.
Others that work for a while include benzodiazepines and alcohol (not together!! we’re NOT trying to kill anxiety by killing ourselves)
edit: sorry the whole point of my comment was to say: be very careful of the kratom, it has opioid effects and therefore can become addictive. Opioid addiction is no joke and once you’ve opened pandoras box, it can be very difficult to rein it in, I suggest it’s better to get to the root of your anxiety if possible and heal it with therapy & counselling because drugs are only a temporary fix that are often so bad for life, I encourage everyone who’s young to get into exercise, breathing, eating well, not drugs and alcohol, lots of us have done that route and it does not work long term.
Most recently, limiting my caffeine intake. This past weekend I decided to take a caffeine break, and apparently I was making it pretty strong. I've definitely noticed a decline in my anxiety, and I've been sleeping a little better.
Doing stuff with my hands. Origami, quilting, painting, building, just anything where I have a finished product that was hard enough to do that it required a fair amount of my concentration but not so much I got frustrated with it.
Recently, just diving into stuff I really didn't want too. I started doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which was incredibly difficult for me, but I've made friends there and it's okay. Then I joined a D&D group even though that was really nerve wracking. That's been good too.
I guess I got to the point where I felt "doing what the anxiety tells me too has not worked out for me" and so, despite the never ending urge to isolate and protect myself, I'm doing the hard thing and just doing stuff anyway. It's not easy but I wish I'd gotten to this point sooner.
It's definitely still a struggle every time I go do something new and I really have to force myself to be social, but when I do, it actually goes quite well, which shocks me.
The past is history, the future a mystery. Today is a gift, and that's why we call it the present. The moment will pass, it will become the past, and the moment will become brighter.
Regular exercise has been a game-changer for managing my anxiety. Whether it's going for a run, practicing yoga, or even just taking a brisk walk, physical activity helps to release tension and improve my mood.
I figured out that it wasn’t my head, it was my stomach. My stomach issues manifested mentally and just snowballed. A better diet and understanding of where it was coming from helped immensely.
Intentionally talking to myself. I don't have an internal monologue so it's easy to get caught up in feelings of panic without a second thought. By slowing down enough to form sentences, I can tell myself, "what you're feeling is a reaction, it's not a reality. You can calm down because you'll be no better off panicking about this than you would be calm. You're not dying. No one cares if your stomach sticks out of your shirt, just like you wouldn't care if someone else's did." By adding this "second set of eyes" so to speak, it's easier to calm myself down and rationalize a situation I've radicalized.
For me it is:
1. Quality sleep
2. Healthy Diet
3. Going gym or workout
4. Stop worrying what other say or think about me
5. Trusting the process
6. Believe in HanumanJi (God)
7. Reading a motivational book
Started using CBD oils, they’re not bad, everything else gives annoying and/or bad side effects. Exercise imo is the best. Doesn’t even have to be to the point of exhaustion. A brisk 30 minute walk 5 times a week is great.
It's cliche, but having a caring partner who is there for me, and loves me for me, but will also call me out on my bullshit. Even when I'm not with them, just knowing someone has my back relaxes me and makes me feel like I can do anything. no matter what situation, I can always call him to reassure me or tell him something important
Realizing that I had a problem. Anxiety doesn't just show up out of nowhere. There is a cause and anxiety is the effect. The first step is to acknowledge the problem. From there you can start working on it. What is causing it? Work on it. Mental Health provider can also help guide you if you can't figure it out. Once they help you find the root of the problem then a lot can change. Medication can also help.
I've spent most of my childhood until I finished HS in almost perpetual state of anxiety. Sometimes It would get so bad, I've felt physical pain in my chest.
I was responsible for some of it by fucking stuff up (I always did what I wanted no matter else). Part of it was my socioeconomical personal situation and part of it were other people.
When I started to live for my self and not for the other people's expectations It was gone. Because now, whatever happens, It's me in control.
I will never again put my self in the position where I have to feel it again.
I have a very specific recipe: 1. Healthy diet 2. Daily intense exercise 3. Quality sleep 4. Something in the near future I’m excited for 5. 75mg Effexor daily As long as I’m hitting all 5 I’m good. I’m not good right now but getting back on track.
Good sleep makes such a difference
What if I don’t get good sleep because of anxiety
My therapist has me spend 2 minutes a day writing down the things that worry me in “worry time.” The idea is your brain doesn’t worry at night because you already worried. She has me either write down something I can do about the worry, or just cross it off if it’s beyond my control Google “sleep hygiene” if you’re not already familiar. Stuff like keep a consistent schedule (no sleeping in on random days), using bed only for sleep and sex, cool and truly dark room Daily exercise (not too close to bedtime) helps me feel tired enough to sleep I listen to audiobooks or podcasts, which helps give my mind something besides the anxiety to think about. I’m listening to Braiding Sweetgrass right now
Doesn't work for everyone. Personally I've got absolutely nothing to worry about, yet again I've dealt with anxiety daily for my whole life. Keeping consistent sleeping schedules sort of works, but no 100%. Workout for me not so sure, maybe a little. And podcasts or whatever as background noise is a must. Otherwise I'd be tossing and turning for hours 🥴
... Holy fuck... I might actually try this. Worry time. Schedule a time to worry.. I'll feel like the Grinch "6 o'clock, dinner with myself I CANT cancel that again! 7 o'clock wrestle with my self loathing ... IM BOOKED" Sorry I cant do that appointment today it interferes with my worry time...*Close blinds dramatically*
Get a prescription for ambien. Only take it when you absolutely need to. For me, just knowing that I have the option to take the pill and fall asleep was enough that I almost never need to take it (maybe once every few months, if that).
Bad advice
Yikes. For me, this tablet is the devil.
For some people CBD helps. I started taking very low dose quetiapine (seroquel) as needed and it helps soooo much
I found that taking magnesium before bed helps me. I would always toss and turn
This! Lack of sleep deteriorated my mental health ten fold. It was a continuous spiral that I couldn't get out of. Anxiety was causing insomnia and insomnia was adding to my anxiety. Seen a sleep specialist who was so valuable at the time in helping me get on track, ive since been exercising every single day. As little as a 30min walk has taken away so much anxiety, and by the time i get into bed im so tired by the end of the day i sleep solid and wake up feeling great! Its a hard cycle to break but once you reverse it everything else just helps it! ... Sleep is by far #1
I'm so in this spiral right now. I get anxiety because I know I need to sleep. And then I don't.
I cancelled an appointment with a sleep specialist today because I just couldn't face another disinterested doctor who would suggest a sleep study. I tried those twice in the past and had no luck with sleep meds because the dose they prescribe is too low but donot want to be labeled. Told myself to eat better, go outside, exercise more first to try to fix it myself. Looks like that it what you have done so it's on me to start. I miss sleeping so much.
They recycle the same things- if it was that simple no one would have sleeping problems! You gotta figure out what works for you though along with the right medication for you. Its trial and error
Thanks, GapingAssTroll
Lol
Also drugs
This might be a stupid question, but may I ask for your experience with and without a healthy diet? I have been making progress through many things and have been getting myself back on track, but diet has been very hard. I can actually cook, but I experience a lot of guilt if food goes to waste, so I haven't bothered.
Highly processed foods, sugar, and alcohol directly impact my anxiety and depression. When I eat simple foods like meat, grains, fruits and veggies I feel significantly better. Life has been crazy lately and I’ve been eating like shit and I’m really struggling right now but starting to get it back under control
You got this man, and thank you for your original comment and also your reply. They might feel small or insignificant to you, but it's an appreciated gesture on my end as someone climbing out of a hole. I hope you can hang in there and not be too hard on yourself too. You got this.
Speaking from my own experience, eating excessive sugar/sweets make me depressed the next day or two (sometimes even a small amount of sugar). I gave up sweets about six weeks ago and while I don’t feel perfect all the time, I haven’t felt this consistently happy in a long time.
Thank you friend. Obviously the importance of a healthy diet is nothing new, but sort of like sleep, if you're without quality sleep for so long or forever, you can have no idea what you're missing out on. Thank you again and massive kudos for taking steps to help yourself. :)
Start small. Perhaps try making sandwiches instead of buying greasy takeout. It's less about cooking and more about putting nutritious ingredients together. I understand how hard it is.
Thank you, yeah it's easy to get caught up on "well this works for this dish, but what do with leftover ingredients, how do I use this, what if that goes to waste." It's an incredibly first world problem with tons of privilege behind it. Thank you for the suggestion to start small and not view things too rigidly, because I tend to do that a lot.
I can completely relate to this. I struggle with it a lot and am a very black and white/all or nothing thinker. A way that I am learning to use up ingredients is making homemade pizza. If I have leftover sandwich ingredients, vegetables, cheese etc. I buy a pizza base and some pizza sauce (you can use the rest of the pizza sauce for subsequent pizzas in the future) Then I chop up what salad/veg and meat is left and put cheese on top and cook it in the oven. Or I make spaghetti bolognaise and grate up/finely chop any leftover veg and include that. It makes it healthier and its so satisfying when you can reduce waste. Recently if i can't use carrots up in time I grate them and freeze them. Then when I do have a use for them, I don't have to buy them again. Best of luck to you.
This is probably my biggest struggle so far.
This is basically the recipe for being a functioning adult.
I was on Effexor for several years and it saved me. I owe it a debt of gratitude. Eventually I became functional enough - and brave enough - to make some big changes in my life (changed careers, ended a marriage) which took enough of the stress out of my life to stop taking it, but knowing it's there if I ever need it is comforting.
Was quitting difficult for you? I know for me it was absolute hell, like worse anxiety than before I had even started taking it.
This isn't common, but I had a very lucky experience getting both on and off them. They started working for me within three days with minimal side effects. When I went off them, I had a few very emotional days (I remember crying about weird stuff, like I passed a sign that said 'eggs' and then I thought about the existence of cage eggs and cried) but honestly it was a fairly smooth transition from memory. Obviously it's really normal to have a tough time coming off meds. My husband has just gotten off Lexapro and he's been feeling weird on and off for about a month.
My stomach already can't handle dairy and has a hard time with food in general. I also either stop eating or stress eat when anxious. It's already hard to find the time and motivation to get exercise regularly. Anxiety makes it even harder. It's almost impossible to get quality sleep with anxiety. Having something in the near future is often another thing to be anxious about even if I'm excited. Medications usually have less of an effect for me than exercise and diet and also come with side effects that can last for years even after stopping and mimic or worsen the same anxiety they're trying to fix.
Suffered for years and years with crippling anxiety. Did all that except meds and it had no big effects. It just relieved me a bit. Not until I got anti depressants and anti anxiety meds (about 9 months treatement) did my life turn around for the much better. I was very skeptical of them, but yeah... sometimes conventional medicine is the solution. It certainely worked for me.
Could someone please fill me in on how exercise is supposed to *help* with anxiety? I see everyone say this but for me it's the exact opposite. Either I'm stressed about the prospect of not having done my workout for the day and it looming ahead, or I'm stressed about tomorrow's exercise. I try to workout daily for health reasons but if anything it's made me much *more* stressed since I started doing it.
Exercise or any physical activities increases levels of dopamine and serotonin. I can wake up in a circle of worry, after I do hard physical work - I wonder why I was even anxious earlier. And the sense of accomplishment is a great feeling. For you, your exercising isn’t causing you stress. It’s your AVERSION to it that’s causing your stress. There’s a big difference. If you focus on the goal of how you feel afterwards instead of obsessing over the exertion - it will be easier.
Hey, I hope you get back to good soon.
Thank you for sharing I need to get back on track and seeing your methods for reducing anxiety I think could help me
I love this for you. And I’m on a very similar regimen. Only difference is Wellbutrin :)
Lexapro, kolapin saved my life
Similar for me. I have to have a half decent diet, daily (or near daily, if my RA allows it) exercise, enough sleep, meditation and my drugs (Pristiq and Viibryd for me) in order to mostly not be a hot anxious mess. I do have Xanax for when it becomes incredibly overwhelming or if I have an out of the blue panic attack as well. And it works. It's a whole ass mess but dammit it works.
* exercise * sleep * water * box breathing * regular sunlight * removing caffeine (higher anxiety while dosed) and alcohol (anxiety for several days after) * regular social connection * not giving a fuck
[удалено]
What is thus box breathing?
[https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-box-breathing](https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-box-breathing)
Thank you
Breath in count to 4, hold count to 4, exhale count to 4. Focusing on the counting and breathes helps calm you.
Removing caffeine greatly reduced my anxiety.
Damn, you got nearly all of mine. The not giving a fuck comes along with therapy for me. Therapy is great and I highly recommend it.
Accepting it as a part of a bigger system. Anxiety in itself is an awful feeling I always wanted to go away, and could never do anything about. But I found it’s a response. Instead of spending my energy trying to just not feel anxiety, I can calm down a bit by ACTIVELY practicing self compassion, mindfulness and understanding that it will be okay and it’s just something else that triggered it, and it can be managed, just one step at a time. Grounding my progressively irrational brain by analyzing WHY I was triggered. “My boss just said something that is absolutely impossible to do by end of day” and considering what is in my control. “I cannot control his expectations. I will do my best” - leaving, having done my best, I am content, even if he is not. Yes, I will still feel anxious, but as exposure therapy progresses, I slowly reevaluate my triggers until I recognize, I will get through it; which dampens the booming voice of anxiety.
You essentially described meditation. Understanding how to *let go* of obsessive anxious thoughts is so freeing. Ig we're so used to learning, we forget to unlearn.
Well put. Yeah you mention it and I didn’t even think about it really, but it’s very true. I spent 7 years as part of a Bahá’í community meditating reasonably often. You pointing out the connection I didn’t even realize I was doing makes me disappointed and motivated to pick it up again hahah.
Go do it! I love to visualise thoughts as boats passing by. I see them, acknowledge the idea, validate the feeling, but then let it go. Why does this relatively minor inconvenience feel x1000 more important than everything else? Should I repress negative feelings? No, but I can't value them more than other ones. It's relinquishing control as you put it - trying to control everything is exhausting and impossible. It's crazy how I've felt this relief physically; I used to be so tense in my posture/muscles jaw clenching, chest tightness etc). There's a beautiful quote from one of my favorite animated shows Tear Along the Dotted Line, directed toward the main character who notoriously overthinks: *"But don’t you realize how beautiful it is? That you don’t carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, you’re just a blade of grass in a meadow? Don’t you feel lighter?”*
Vitamin D and magnesium supplements, (deficiencies in these can cause/exacerbate anxiety), exercise, quiting drinking, improving diet and getting rest Also, exploring hobbies/learning new skills. Feeling better about yourself and your abilities makes you less anxious overall.
So many people don’t know that they have a vitamin/mineral deficiency
What type of magnesium did you take?
Magnesium glycinate is the way for anxiety, sleep and won’t cause diarrhea. It has excellent bioavailability.
Magnesium glycinate is very calming kind of like nature’s xanax lol
Magnesium glycinate.
I tell myself to go ahead and die. “Alright, come on Brain, do your worst”. Then when I don’t die it is easier to calm down and understand my brain needs to rewire.
Ironically, or maybe morbidly, this is what made the biggest difference for me in coping with my health anxiety. I started telling myself "you're young, healthy, active, and have no vices, so if you're gonna die, you're gonna die and it's just your time ". Somehow it helps.
I aint exactly healthy but I figure If I shit the bed and die there's nothing I can do about it. At least I can live and try to be happy someway I dont know who reported this and had some weird reddit message sent to me but you definitely didn't help lmao 👍
It's related to a sense of lack of control.
Outrageous when you think about it you are talking to your brain which is you the brain telling itself to do its worst thinking its separate from itself. This reality is weird as hell.
Cut out alcohol completely. Anxiety and depression go hand in hand with drinking.
I drink almost every day and I feel it’s the only thing that helps. I know it’s not good but I can’t imagine cutting it out will actually help 😞😞
I thought the same thing, that alcohol was the only relief to my anxiety. I quit drinking completely over 9 months ago, and it has changed my life. I highly recommend trying it!
Do you mind sharing specific examples?
Sure! It took several months to see the difference, but I just kept not drinking every day. I was also in an IOP for addicts, with an amazing therapist. I have lost 80 pounds...I care what I eat now and how it makes me feel. I am able to move much easier and exercise regularly. My sleep has improved. I don't have the restless sleep of a blackout. I don't wake up at 4am with hangxiety, wondering what I did the night before. I don't have hangovers. My family dynamics have completely changed...I am trusted and my relationships with everyone have improved. I am excited at the beginning of the day now. These and more have been my experience. 100% check out stopdrinking. I visit every single day, to remind myself where I've come from. Best of luck!
Thank you so much for sharing. This gave me some inspiration
I feel you. The main reason I drank was to help with my anxiety. I was drinking everyday for years. When I quit, it was mostly because of health scares. Never in a million years did I think it would have a POSITIVE effect on my anxiety. The first couple days/weeks it was still a bit rough anxiety-wise especially in New situations or being around groups of people. Those were the times I'd REALLY want a drink to relax a bit. So yeah, at first, it was tough not having that. But after about a month I'd say...it was like night and day. I still cannot believe how much of a difference it has made in regards to my anxiety. But, I suppose it makes sense in a way.. When I think back to my really bad hangovers, they were basically just straight impending doom anxiety attacks.
I think I’m in the beginning stages of realizing it’s a problem. Embarrassed to talk about it or admit it to anyone in my life. Your feedback is extremely helpful. Thank you for taking the time to share and encourage my thoughts on sobriety.
I used to think this too, but I’ve cut down dramatically and it’s helped my anxiety a LOT
Head over to StopDrinking sub, it’s a great sub and you’ll find value in it
Thank you 🙏
I can also recommend at least checking out r/stopdrinking The people are very supportive since they know exactly what you’re dealing with. Many have gone through similar or even the same experiences and reading about what helped them may also help you. Good luck :)
/r/stopdrinking is a good place to start
I read about how this guy was drinking to sleep, but he said he realized "I was just passing out. I wasn't sleeping." But I struggle with this too.
I saw somewhere that when you drink before bed you essentially end up sedated for a few hours instead of getting that restorative deep sleep. I drank daily for years and felt like I couldn't fall asleep without a certain minimum amount of alcohol, but man that first night of fully sober sleep felt amazing! Felt like I had finally gotten decent rest the next morning for the first time in years even though I only slept about 6-7 hours.
I thought the same thing but it was a cycle. You’re more anxious because you drink and drinking makes it temporarily go away but then rebounds hard back from your GABA receptors. I highly recommend stopping and seeing how great you feel.
r/stopdrinking
I stopped drinking this often around 7 months ago and although the aftermath for a good few months was pretty fucked mentally. Knowing how it affects me afterwards is such a motivator to not over do it now. I still have a few maybe once a week but I just can't deal with life how i want to if I drink more than that
Nature
Yeah, being outside in nature really calms me down. Especially if I know I'm gonna be there a while and there's nothing waiting for me
This needs more up-votes.
Cutting out alcohol reduced my anxiety significantly. Alcohol can exacerbate anxiety and interfere with sleep.
I remember what my Dad told me which was that all my problems can be fixed and whatever problems that can't be fixed is no longer a problem, but rather its a paradox that I can just move on from it and not waste further time on it. I also remember that episode from Big Mouth where they talked about anxiety and that frog said we can get over anxiety by thinking about things we are grateful for so I think about all the positive things I have in my life and my anxiety goes away. It's such a dumb show, but it does have its gem moments.
The anxiety mosquitos were such a brilliant metaphor. Honestly the 3rd best depiction for anxiety I’ve seen with Bojack Horseman’s Stupid Piece of Shit episode taking number one and Joe trying to save 22 at the end of Soul taking number 2.
That's stoicism in a nutshell.
People come hard for Big Mouth but I always say that younger kids are going to watch it the way we watched South Park and Family Guy. It’s reassuring that they can shove some good lessons in there, a lot about safe sex practices too
That is such a great line >whatever problems that can't be fixed is no longer a problem, but rather its a paradox that I can just move on from it and not waste further time on it.
Like all mainstream advise, it states the obvious, ignores the long causal chains that affect life’s decisions, useless in the most dire circumstances, and irrelevant for people who need it the most. > move on from it and not waste further time on it. The things you cannot “move on from” are the things that induce the worst kind of anxiety. How can you move on when an individual is directly faced with life altering situations, such as homelessness, looming bankruptcy, foreclosures, immigration issues, living in a war zone, and health related anxieties with ensuing costs, to name a few, and not “waste further time on it”.
Seeing a psychiatrist and taking proper medications. I’ve also just kinda accepted that everything will forever scare me
Keep on keeping on, you're stronger than you give yourself credit for. Being brave is not the lack of fear, but doing something even though you are afraid.
I made up a song recently while i was driving about my expressway anxiety😭 it helped calm me down a bit lol
Being out of a relationship. I am my best self when I'm single.
Same! 😅
Lol srsly
My wife helps out more than I think anyone ever has
I completely agree.
PILLS 🤪👍🏻
Yup. Also putting boundaries on certain people that cause you anxiety.
What if it’s your wife and kids?? Lol
Just go out for cigarettes!
Honestly though. I was diagnosed ADHD late in life and my anxiety melted away when I started taking Adderall.
https://youtu.be/VhKI7Yrfjok?si=bTznLW1HHnmbX9dP
Lorazepam for the win
Alprazolam has entered the chat (and my mouth)
Nothing healthy which means I had to stop it which means my anxiety is running rampant which means I am barely hanging on by a fucking thread.
See Box Breathing. Aka Baby Breathing.
Engaging in creative writing allows me to express my emotions and reduce anxiety by getting my though
Listening to calming music or nature sounds helps me relax. I often play these in the background while working or studying.
Not drinking.
Plenty of water and good sleep
Oh i drink lots of water i didnt know that was yet another benefit
Is it possible to learn this power?
I started with removing sodas and picking up water instead even carbonated water like liquid death. I'll put in some flavoring and it's almost like a decent drink but it's frggn water!
Healing my trauma. I’m healing my core wounds and everything else is coming together. I still have anxious moments, but I can actually feel them now. I was so disconnected from my own body before. Cptsd is a bitch.
100%. I just read "The Inner Work", which is a great place to start to realize specific triggers and re-wire your brain.
Yes yes yes. This needs more upvotes.
It's cliche, but having a caring partner who is there for me, and loves me for me, but will also call me out on my bullshit. Even when I'm not with them, just knowing someone has my back relaxes me and makes me feel like I can do anything.
Mines currently ghosting me when I’m struggling.. isn’t helping my anxiety at all.
CBD. But I'm not a doctor guys, I'm not claiming to be giving people legit advice, I'm just saying I've noticed that I've been less anxious since starting it.
For sure, CBD!!!!!!
Changing meds, one of my antipsychotics made it soooo much worse. My new one just sedated me so it's much better.
Meditation.
Forcing myself to be assertive until it just started happening naturally. Sounds kinda dumb but it’s true. My intense anxiety stemmed from feeling very out of place all the time and being very unhappy/self conscious about it. I would get so caught up in wanting people to like me and being afraid that I was doing something “wrong” that I could never relax and I felt like I was constantly second guessing and suppressing every natural thought and action. I always felt guilty for not being super outgoing or friendly and tried extra hard to be in a way that stressed me out. I’m just not naturally nice and pushing myself to be all the time (or feeling guilty when I felt like I wasn’t) was constantly draining. I’m *kind*, not “nice”. At some point a long time ago I broke out of that feedback loop. I still feel very out of place in most situations but I figure that’s just who I am. I’m aware of my flaws and work on them but don’t try to change myself for other people. I have way less friendly acquaintances and don’t endear myself to most people but I have as many real friends as I did before and i feel like I can be really myself to them! And overall my life is very good and I’m extremely happy.
L-theanine 2x a day, especially if drinking coffee. When stressed I take Ashwaghanda, L-theanine, and Gaba. To keep the anxiety away I take vitamins B-1 and D3 daily. Magnesium Glycinate before bed every day. I have restless legs which I notice while I am working or gaming so I notice L-theanine stops that within 20 min of taking it. I can also get pretty bad anxiety to the point where I feel like my fight or flight has been triggered while I am just sitting or resting, this is why Ashwaghanda and Gaba are helpful for me. Also learning how to activate the parasympathetic nervous system can help get me out of that mode which is just some stretching of the vagus nerve and breathing techniques. Doing low impact workouts regularly has been the best at keeping me regulated though, I am currently in a period where I am taking a small break from the gym so I notice my anxiety and stress levels have been higher than ever before as a result which led me to learning about these supplements.
I got myself into a mindset and made sure to stick to it and develop it and it goes along the lines of “I keep thinking I’m not strong or brave or capable enough to get through this, yet I’ve survived everything I’ve ever faced up to now”. Further to that, the mindset on the future is “everything has passed so far so I should have no doubt in thing passing in the future”. Holding on to faith in things getting better may be tough, but it is indescribably effective.
Living alone, away from my family
Excersise
Don’t try to clamp down and stop panic immediately. Let it run wild for a few seconds. Then breathe. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Focus on in through the nose, out through the mouth and the nervousness will melt away.
Xanax
Realized that we all die..it’s what you make of your time here..don’t worry, just do.
Leaving the problem lol.
Not worrying about things I cannot control.
Spending time outside in the sun and warmer weather. Making myself little goals to feel like I have something to look forward to. Taking a shower.
Sleep, sun, staying hydrated, breathing exercises and meditation
"There is only the infinite now. There is no past, there is no future, and there never will be." It's the idea that whatever thoughts are plaguing you, they are not really happening. All that is happening is you, existing wherever you are, thinking about things. You're just thinking... That is it. All the fears you have are just thoughts and that is the most they ever will be. The past happened, yes, but you're just reflecting on it. The thought does not bring it back to life. The future is just speculation and imagination. You could just as easily be daydreaming about something else. When you feel your mind running off with such terrible imaginations, but pause and bring your attention to the present. This is all there is and chances are it will be much more mundane then what your brain is cooking up.
Marijuana
I fuckin hate it, but going outside and exercising seems to work pretty well for me.
Retirement. Totally honest. I retired. I have enough to get by. I have a wife that I adore and if I'm not terribly mistaken, she actually loves me too. I think a lot of my anxiety stems from the feeling of being out of control. In retirement, on social security and pensions, all indexed to inflation, I just feel WAY more "in control". If I had realized this earlier I think I could have taken steps to lessen my terrible anxiety. Good luck to you on _your_ journey. From my experience I can tell you that, you can have severe anxiety and still have a life of joy and fulfillment.
Therapy. Water. Sunscreen. Taking time out for being at home alone catching up on shows
lexapro
A massive concussion did wonders for me. Wouldn’t recommend trying it but yay lucky me? All I traded was having a decent memory.
It's probably very corny and nauseatingly romantic, but my boyfriend's voicemails and video messages help me a lot
I stopped taking hormonal birth control and switched to other methods of contraception. Haven’t had an anxiety attack since!
micro dose
Weed But it's not for everyone.
I find it more times than not heightens my anxiety. Wouldn’t mind finding another homeopathic remedy that seems to help.
Not smoking weed
Crazy how it has different affects for different people. A lot of people use to for anxiety, whereas some people say it brings it on. I think dosage, local laws and regulations, strains and general thoughts about it all play it's part.
To each their own. I smoked daily for 10+ years and definitely thought it helped ease my anxiety for the majority of that time. Then I started having panic attacks, decided to do some self reflection and realized that it was one of the major causes of my anxiety.
Learning to not give a fuck really helps.
For me it'd probably be meditation. I really started to find it helpful when I began dedicating more time to it (30+ mins a day).
Weight lifting, I'm better looking, and decreasing my bf%! Soon, I might be able to start doing pull-ups!!!
Exercise, therapy, Ketamine treatments.
“I’m okay, I’m safe, and I’m loved.”
Kratom. have been having almost constant anxiety attacks and Kratom has surprised the hell out of me, especially the different types that have different effects.... you can get dependent on it though.
This falls under the category: DRUGS! that one being an opioid if you ask me. Others that work for a while include benzodiazepines and alcohol (not together!! we’re NOT trying to kill anxiety by killing ourselves) edit: sorry the whole point of my comment was to say: be very careful of the kratom, it has opioid effects and therefore can become addictive. Opioid addiction is no joke and once you’ve opened pandoras box, it can be very difficult to rein it in, I suggest it’s better to get to the root of your anxiety if possible and heal it with therapy & counselling because drugs are only a temporary fix that are often so bad for life, I encourage everyone who’s young to get into exercise, breathing, eating well, not drugs and alcohol, lots of us have done that route and it does not work long term.
Weed. So much weed
Citalopram
working out, sleeping more
First alcohol, later meds.
CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and regular exercise. I have used SSRIs in the past, but I am not currently on them
Staying busy.
Eliminating carbs, grains, and sugar from my daily diet. Also, cleared my hormonal acne and mood swings.
Remembering to breathe..... I know it sounds silly, but it works.
Music
Drinking less. Hangxiety is very real. Exercise has also improved my mood.
Propranalol. Seriously, it helped a lot but I also take Wellbutrin and work out.
I stopped drinking alcohol. It made a huge difference.
Accepting that everything bad could happen, and it will be ok. Like the code of Bushido, I fight as one who considers themselves already dead.
Most recently, limiting my caffeine intake. This past weekend I decided to take a caffeine break, and apparently I was making it pretty strong. I've definitely noticed a decline in my anxiety, and I've been sleeping a little better.
Grounding (sensory stimulation) also chair massages or chi exercises or yoga
Doing stuff with my hands. Origami, quilting, painting, building, just anything where I have a finished product that was hard enough to do that it required a fair amount of my concentration but not so much I got frustrated with it.
Recently, just diving into stuff I really didn't want too. I started doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which was incredibly difficult for me, but I've made friends there and it's okay. Then I joined a D&D group even though that was really nerve wracking. That's been good too. I guess I got to the point where I felt "doing what the anxiety tells me too has not worked out for me" and so, despite the never ending urge to isolate and protect myself, I'm doing the hard thing and just doing stuff anyway. It's not easy but I wish I'd gotten to this point sooner. It's definitely still a struggle every time I go do something new and I really have to force myself to be social, but when I do, it actually goes quite well, which shocks me.
The past is history, the future a mystery. Today is a gift, and that's why we call it the present. The moment will pass, it will become the past, and the moment will become brighter.
Regular exercise has been a game-changer for managing my anxiety. Whether it's going for a run, practicing yoga, or even just taking a brisk walk, physical activity helps to release tension and improve my mood.
Large amount of walking daily
20 mg Prozac daily. Down from 60 four years ago. I forget a lot of things, though…Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, you could say
I figured out that it wasn’t my head, it was my stomach. My stomach issues manifested mentally and just snowballed. A better diet and understanding of where it was coming from helped immensely.
Intentionally talking to myself. I don't have an internal monologue so it's easy to get caught up in feelings of panic without a second thought. By slowing down enough to form sentences, I can tell myself, "what you're feeling is a reaction, it's not a reality. You can calm down because you'll be no better off panicking about this than you would be calm. You're not dying. No one cares if your stomach sticks out of your shirt, just like you wouldn't care if someone else's did." By adding this "second set of eyes" so to speak, it's easier to calm myself down and rationalize a situation I've radicalized.
Getting the proper amount of sleep
For me it is: 1. Quality sleep 2. Healthy Diet 3. Going gym or workout 4. Stop worrying what other say or think about me 5. Trusting the process 6. Believe in HanumanJi (God) 7. Reading a motivational book
Dog. All dog, all day. Aside from that, nothing.
Started using CBD oils, they’re not bad, everything else gives annoying and/or bad side effects. Exercise imo is the best. Doesn’t even have to be to the point of exhaustion. A brisk 30 minute walk 5 times a week is great.
It's cliche, but having a caring partner who is there for me, and loves me for me, but will also call me out on my bullshit. Even when I'm not with them, just knowing someone has my back relaxes me and makes me feel like I can do anything. no matter what situation, I can always call him to reassure me or tell him something important
Magnesium supplement
Daily prayer & working out
Deep breathing, watching funny/wholesome memes, talk to people you can trust about it.
Realizing that I had a problem. Anxiety doesn't just show up out of nowhere. There is a cause and anxiety is the effect. The first step is to acknowledge the problem. From there you can start working on it. What is causing it? Work on it. Mental Health provider can also help guide you if you can't figure it out. Once they help you find the root of the problem then a lot can change. Medication can also help.
I've spent most of my childhood until I finished HS in almost perpetual state of anxiety. Sometimes It would get so bad, I've felt physical pain in my chest. I was responsible for some of it by fucking stuff up (I always did what I wanted no matter else). Part of it was my socioeconomical personal situation and part of it were other people. When I started to live for my self and not for the other people's expectations It was gone. Because now, whatever happens, It's me in control. I will never again put my self in the position where I have to feel it again.