How do you all deal with anxiety?

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Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Slippery slope...:D

I used to take them for the craic back when I was carefree.
They'll always hold a special place in my heart but they're my favourite thing about having sciatica.

If I'm going through a period of anxiety or stress I keep my dog close to me. I find she has a very calming affect on me. If I have to go someplace without her I really notice the difference and sometimes have to ask strangers can I rub their dogs just to get my fix!
If it's a particular event that's making me anxious, then like someone else said, I try to divert my mind to something good happening after the event.

RayM

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

(I still have one 5mg left for emergencies!).

Here, give you €2 for it?

I used to have a very old doctor who happily prescribed me 30 Valium tablets a month. He's retired now, sadly. I was always a bit wary of using them as prescribed (prn), so I'd keep them for 'special occasions' instead, like when I was watching snooker on tv. Sometimes, instead of taking one before a stressful event, I'd 'reward' myself with one (ok, three or four) afterwards instead. The thought of being able to relax later helped alleviate anxiety sometimes.

Shergar6

fryup wrote: »

well tell us then, maybe we could help

Can't, bit too private.

Fleawuss

Learn the secret of simplifying issues to core issues. Put your own peace of mind first: stop factoring in that so and do might be upset. Prepare prepare prepare and prepare. Control your time so that you direct your time to having things done. Face things head on. Avoidance makes them worse. Be direct with most communication.

You have one life. Either you control it or others will do it to your disadvantage.

And for stress relief: walk, get sea air, learn self acceptance and smash things up. PS gardening is great.

Shergar6

thee glitz wrote: »

It's drink, isnt it - pretty sure I'm right.

What do you mean?

Grayson

LexieOnRale wrote: »

I love Valium

I have valium and zanax for when I have to fly somewhere. I don't always use them but it's comforting to know that if I get on a plane and feel anxious then I have there on me.

I listen to certain songs or read. Sometimes I take a drive and park up in a quiet place, close my eyes, and try to drift away. Anxiety isn't a pleasant experience but I'd take it any day over not being able to feel.

Mind you there have been times in the past where I took an auld zanax just to avoid the feelings, sleep through them. But that wasn't during periods of anxiety it was immense sadness and overwhelm.

Pac1Man

You need to develop a certain amount of internal arrogance that only you are aware of.

For example if you had a presentation to make, convince yourself that the people you are presenting to are so fuking lucky you are standing in front of them speaking (no matter what about).

Take that same mentality elsewhere. The people you are dealing with are extremely fortunate, whatever the situation!

Sounds crazy but it kind of works for me.

pragmatic1

RayM wrote: »

I deal with it by hiding, avoiding, vomiting, dry-heaving or shitting.

Sometimes all of the above.
It passes. It always passes. I hope you feel less anxious soon.

Yep. All things pass.

pragmatic1

I make a conscious effort too not take life to seriously and try to count my blessings.

Very few things are as bad as they seem and even really bad things lose their sting in time.

Colser

I stop eating when I'm anxious and have lost a lot of weight at times due to it.I try to imagine that there are loads of people going through a lot worse than me who would swap places in an instant to have my worries instead of their own,sometimes that helps but not always unfortunately.

Winterlong

I distract myself.
Try to spot 5 people that look interesting,
4 colors that are pure.
3 items of clothes that I would like to own.

That type thing.
Enough to shift my focus elsewhere temporarily until the anxiety passes.

Stigura

I ball up into a foetal position and begin to emit a high pitched keening sound

pauliebdub

I suffer from anxiety in social and with stressful work situations. I'm able to deal with it by acknowledging it - consider the feelings as a separate entity to you. Take deep breaths, think of positive or happy times, wait and let the anxiety pass.

I give the unwanted feelings a name, so when I feel anxious about up coming meetings or a job interview I think, here's x, fück off x thanks very much and wait and try and relax. It really helps to try and shift the anxiety as it can be overwhelming.

Autonomous Cowherd

Accept Death. And Dance.

buried

Somefolks may not agree with me on this but it worked for me and has done till this this very day. IMO anxiety is just fear you manifest yourself. Ignoring it is useless. You must face the F**ker even if you think its a Medusa. Face it and embrace it. Do it little by little but make sure you do it. Thats how you will eventually kill it. Its like all those classical stories, thats where they come from. The universal ancient story where the protagonist must go down into the underworld to stop the bad energy, the monster, which is effecting the protagonists world, they must face the monster, engage with the thing, only then can the protagonist/eventual hero destroy it.
Easy for me to say all that because it is hard to face your fear, to face the f**ker. I know it is and I've been there, Not long ago I was anxious of some of the most basic day to day things that everyone does, but I just jumped into the useless, wasted energy fear that I had built up my own self, faced it and eventually, like good practice at a hobby, I killed it. My only regret is that I didn't do it for certain things I was really anxious about sooner. That's what worked for me anyways

relax carry on

I try all sorts as in the last few years I've gone from being totally relaxed about everything to having no filter for anything. Anything from the simplest thing to the most life altering decisions seem to cause me the same amount of anxiety and stress.
First thing I try is to visualise somewhere I had a great time/associate with good memories and sit somewhere quite focusing on that image and it's memories. That usually brings me out enough to step 2.
Crappy sci-fi TV and xbox to get my mind out of anxiety mode and focus on almost nothing.
Next year when I've time again step 2 will be cycling and running again to focus on almost nothing.

Goya

Yoga. Bit late I suppose but try some techniques anyway - you really have to focus and it helps take your mind off what's concerning you. All the best!

IamtheWalrus

Chin up my fellow anxious boardsies

savemefrom

Stigura wrote: »

I ball up into a foetal position and begin to emit a high pitched keening sound

not sure if you were joking, but literally, that is what I do sometimes.

If I've got something very stressful to face, I find swimming an excellent way of expending the excess adrenaline. I just get in the pool and swim lap after lap until I'm exhausted and the stress is leached out of me.

In terms of keeping on an even keel generally, yoga and/or meditation on a daily basis is a life changer. I'm not an anxious person generally but like everyone else there are things that'll stress me. Exercise and meditation ameliorates the stress to a huge degree.

Jay D

Came across this recently:
http://ow.ly/97Mw306Yl6S

Some simple 5 minute exercises to tune out. Also love the free app mentioned too I found it very useful for going asleep. Lots of longer exercises linked also if required.
Best of luck.

Jodotman

Used to have it bad because of work until I said one day feck it.
Its only a job and all I want is my pay packet at the end of the month.

Stopped doing unpaid overtime, stopped caring about the job, didn't give a feck about some of the colleagues who have nothing else going on in their sad little lives, missed deadlines etc, realized theirs other jobs out there.

I'm still in the job but at 5 P.M I switch off from it.

If its gets bad from other things just keep myself busy by cooking or hitting the gym.

Mountainsandh

Fleawuss wrote: »

Learn the secret of simplifying issues to core issues. Put your own peace of mind first: stop factoring in that so and do might be upset. Prepare prepare prepare and prepare. Control your time so that you direct your time to having things done. Face things head on. Avoidance makes them worse. Be direct with most communication.

You have one life. Either you control it or others will do it to your disadvantage.

And for stress relief: walk, get sea air, learn self acceptance and smash things up. PS gardening is great.

I totally get the advice you're giving but the wording completely freaks me out. That would make the anxiety worse for me. I hate when people say "You have to fight !" and present others as enemies out to get you.
It's like now not only I have anxiety, but the only way to get out of it is to engage in a challenge that is unnatural to me. (figurative fighting)

That's when I start keening inside :eek::)

I'd rather come to the same conclusion and actions in my own roundabout, putting things in perspective, way.

A way that doesn't really involve others as enemies, or counter-acting others' actions with my actions, rather just myself having to alter my perceptions and actions. Just changing myself, and then by doing that, possibly changing interactions with others.

TheAnalyst_

I buy valium from dreammarket.

Shergar6

GiantTcr wrote: »

That's normal and healthy anxiety.

It's when you are out and about, and when out of nowhere you get this overwhelming rush of adrenaline that causes your arms to tingle. Your mouth goes dry. Your heart starts to beat so hard, you are convinced it will stop. When you are struggling to catch a breath. When you cannot focus your vision on anything. When you believe your are about to die... This my friend, is real anxiety and is something to worry about Panic attacks suck! Be thankful you are suffering from normal anxiety.

OK so it's not that level of anxiety and panic but i didn't say it was. You don't have to one up me and announce i have nothing to worry about. Obviously a lot of us feel anxious about day to day things as well as one off events - whether ot's 'normal and healthy' or not, and it's good to hear how others cope. There's no need to make me feel bad for not having panic attacks that i am sure are awful. Not helping.

Junkyard Tom

Colser wrote: »

]I try to imagine that there are loads of people going through a lot worse than me.

That's not helping you. You're essentially saying to yourself 'I have no right to feel how I do'. Don't do that - you're only denying the difficulty you're having.

Glenster

just don't worry about it.

darkpagandeath

Medication... or I would stop functioning.