[Help] Anxiety

OSRGull · Sep 4, 2020

Good Morning all,

I just wanted to come on here and ask if anyone on here suffers from Anxiety and how you get your way through it?

I’ve been finding myself lately making up scenarios in my head and playing them over so much it almost seems real. I’ve not left the house since Tuesday because of it. Usually it doesn’t last this long but now I’m wondering if it’s going to stop.

Sometimes after a heavy night/weekends drinking can cause it to be worse as well.

All the best!

blue-shifted · Sep 4, 2020

All I can say is well done for being open about it. There are some wise heads on here who have had experience who will support you.

Laying off the heavy nights a bit is the only practical suggestion I could make, but then I'm in no position to advise anyone in this regard.

All the best

Notters · Sep 4, 2020

There was a thread on this fairly recently, which I think might have been coronavirus specific, which was quite good.

Exercise for me is key - particularly running and cycling and generally getting outdoors.

Reducing booze and caffeine intake is also likely to assist.

One thing that's always cited as vital is getting plenty of sleep, but that's easier said than done when you have young kids (hence the caffeine).

marlowe · Sep 4, 2020

Propranolol might help. Its a prescription drug but unlike anti depressants you can take it as and when you need it, you don't have to take it every day. I've had the same packet for over a year. I last took one a couple of weeks ago. They do seem to help.

Trivia: Just discovered: the scientist who developed it James W Black won the Nobel Prize for Medicine.

Shins · Sep 4, 2020

Sorry you're going through a tough time. Even just posting it on here is a good step as you've recognised you have some difficulties and want to do something about it.

From my experience, go to your GP and talk it through with them. They may be able to refer you to specialists who can help tackle what you're experiencing.

I've recently done the same for slightly different anxiety issues and I'm now on a 10 week therapy course with Talk Changes in Hackney. All thanks to our wonderful NHS.

Thunder Bolt · Sep 4, 2020

Accepting you need help is a big step. Well done.
Contact your GP, please lay off the booze because that makes it worse, and try one step at a time.
Just go out into the garden for 10 minutes or similar.

BadFish · Sep 4, 2020

I can only echo what has already been said. Get yourself to the quack, get your self some exercise and most importantly talk about it. You have taken the first step by posting and you should be ****ing proud of that.

You've got support here, so many have similar experience and these threads are so helpful.

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Madafwo · Sep 4, 2020

I suffer from it quite badly along with prolonged bouts of low mood which means I struggle to do even basic daily tasks some times, difficult when you've got 2 young children to look after.

Health In Mind could be useful, I'm about to get in contact with them myself to get back on track with my mental health.

Mancgull · Sep 4, 2020

Hi, go to your GP to discuss.
The last few months would certainly not have helped with the enforced lockdown etc.
You may benefit from counselling or some short term medication. There’s a lot of self help as well.
Most important is that you ask for assistance from your GP. This is a very common condition and you shouldn’t need to deal with it alone.
All the best.

zefarelly · Sep 4, 2020

Yep, although not hugely, I've pretty much given up on my own business and went back to work. stress levels fell through the floor. Cutting twats/crooks/c***s out of your life makes a huge difference. Motorsport has loads of them, and classic car owners are a special breed as well.

Finding time/space to breath helps ( dog walking is every bit as good as OTT exercise IMO) Also decluttering . . . physically and mentally, the tweo are linked.

Tyrone Biggums · Sep 4, 2020

Look into various breathing methods to help out with the anxiety.

Tim Over Whelmed · Sep 4, 2020

Thunder Bolt said:
Accepting you need help is a big step. Well done.
Contact your GP, please lay off the booze because that makes it worse, and try one step at a time.
Just go out into the garden for 10 minutes or similar.

This, challenge yourself by choice.

If you want to try to go outside break it into steps, i.e. putting your shoes on sounds silly but if it's further than you got last time you thought about going out you've made progress, just sitting by the door ready to go is progress.

Well done for opening up and please, please, please, lay off the booze and try to exercise in any way you can. I'm here for you as many others are, just a DM away.

Braggfan · Sep 4, 2020

Personally I find if I'm stressed and can't stop my brain thinking, particualrly before bed, I find reading helps me. Just the process of reading someone eles's words can stop me focusing on my own thoughts.

The other thing that was suggested to me and I've found helpful is meditation. In particular transcendental meditation is a way to to focus your thoughts rather than letting them wander repeatedly. You can find a lot of useful videos online that provide guided meditation on this. There's nothing religious or wacky about it, it's just a method to calm your mind and focus your thoughts rather than letting the run wild with all the things that are making you anxious.

Bones · Sep 4, 2020

Notters said:
There was a thread on this fairly recently, which I think might have been coronavirus specific, which was quite good.

Exercise for me is key - particularly running and cycling and generally getting outdoors.

Reducing booze and caffeine intake is also likely to assist.

One thing that's always cited as vital is getting plenty of sleep, but that's easier said than done when you have young kids (hence the caffeine).

All of this is a great starting point imho

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Paul Reids Sock · Sep 4, 2020

Great shout for being open about it and asking. NSC is often great for giving advice on these types of things - I will try and explain my thoughts but others will do it far far better.

In short - I am exactly the same. I have found that it has been far worse over the last 6 months or so while I have been at home. I especially agree about after a big weekend; I am the sort that will start to panic that I have gone all the way from upsetting someone to being involved in a riot. If I hear a police siren on the Monday I will assume it is coming to arrest me. Now, the weirdest thing about this - I have never been in a fight in my life and I am not aggressive. It is difficult to explain but I then end up going totally introverted and avoiding the people I went out with for the fear they will laugh at me or say I did something stupid. As a result of the anxiety I will forget pretty much the whole evening/night. This then impacts all walks of life for a week or so. In terms of dealing with it - I keep a little diary on my phone when having a night out, where I am, what we have been doing, funny events that we will discuss later. It helps so much and also helps me regulate what I drink when it starts to get a little difficult to type. It also helps to find the other person/people in the group that feel similar and will join you in a tactical water every now and then.

I will also find it about nearly anything in life, I will over think and get to the worst possible scenario, this often happens when I am trying to go to sleep. I recently cut out any caffeine after 1pm. It has made a massive difference in getting to sleep quickly, that has then helps me to think straight the next day.

Another great thing has been exercise. I will try and go for an hour or so walk at least 5 times a week. I will chuck an audio book on and it helps to escape for a bit and stop thinking about bits I may be anxious about. Once I am back and have taken that time out I find it a lot easier to think straight.

Other things I have found are just being honest with people, like you have here. I will tell me mates when I am anxious about something and we will look at ways to make it a little easier. I never thought my mates would be like that but turns out they pretty much all feel the same and it has helped to just discuss it.

vagabond · Sep 4, 2020

Thunder Bolt said:
Accepting you need help is a big step. Well done.
Contact your GP, please lay off the booze because that makes it worse, and try one step at a time.
Just go out into the garden for 10 minutes or similar.

This.

Please don’t drink if you’re suffering as you are, It’s a depressant and will likely exacerbate whatever you’re going through.

I think the lockdown has effected lots of people’s mental well-being, some more subtly then others, so definitely nothing to be ashamed of these days. Have a chat with your GP.

Eric Youngs Contact Lense · Sep 4, 2020

As others have said - self-awareness and recognising a challenge is an important key step. My son has anxiety challenges, that show up in OCD tendencies. Definitely not uncommon to feel that way, but the triggers and coping mechanisms may be different. He has found it helpful to have a series of sessions with a "coach" - a bit more nuanced than counselling/psychotherapy . Not to try and unravel the causes of the anxious thoughts/feelings but to provide him with tools and techniques to better understand them and therefore cope with them when they appear. The focus being that he has more control of these thoughts and feelings than he realised and that has helped hugely. From a lad that didnt want to take part in sleepovers, go to parties when growing up, he is now in 3rd year at Uni, living away from home etc.
I can wholeheartedly recommend that good diet, keeping booze down and exercise are all great tools to have. Talking to friends and family (Like NSC!) is also key and soon you realise that here are so many people with varying degrees of anxiety and there is strength to be found leaning on others and in turn, helping them too..

moggy · Sep 4, 2020

Yes.
Recently been told I’ve got GAD.
After many blood tests to discount anything else.
I often get hand shakes and inner body vibrations.
Also really bad depression
I have a lot on my plate and need to get rid of some of these.
He’s tried me on meds but I felt so ill, I stopped them

Tom Hark Preston Park · Sep 4, 2020

marlowe said:
Propranolol might help. Its a prescription drug but unlike anti depressants you can take it as and when you need it, you don't have to take it every day. I've had the same packet for over a year. I last took one a couple of weeks ago. They do seem to help.

Trivia: Just discovered: the scientist who developed it James W Black won the Nobel Prize for Medicine.

Related trivia: Sir James Whyte Black was me mum's cousin. She just casually dropped it into the conversation a few years back. I guess what with there being so many Nobel Prize winners in the family it probably slipped her mind :facepalm:

Salty_Seagull · Sep 4, 2020

As others have said and some additional things to try/consider:

- EXERCISE, EXERCISE, EXERCISE: This is honestly the key. It will release endorphins naturally, tire you out so you can sleep properly and is just overall a physical and mental health booster. Running, cycling, going for a long walk, join a gym (if money and time is available), likewise get to an exercise class (this will help with motivation and is also great for the social side of things too), or just buy a kettlebell/home weights and go online to find some exercises
- Definitely lay-off the heavy nights. If you drink every night, try to limit this to just weekends and stop having 'just one last drink'. Even those of us that don't suffer from anxiety feel terrible mentally and physically after a big night. We've completely used up all our dopamine the night before.
- Get outside. Vitamin D from the sun helps. Harder in the winter yes.
- Stop drinking caffeine after midday (if you do). Leaves your mind too active and actually lingers in the body longer then people think. Anxiety usually is more extreme at night and caffeine doesn't help with this.
- Go for a dip in the sea. Cold water immersion has been shown to relax the mind/help fight against a whole variety of mental health issues. Obviously BE VERY CAREFUL with the tide etc
- My girlfriend (and myself on rare occasions) have found CBD oil (under the tongue) to really help relax and ease the mind. Bought it from Holland and Barrett so not some kooky 'head shop' or the like

Well done for talking about it though. Definitely the first step. Keep speaking to lots of people about it, your GP, your partner, your friends.

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[Help] Anxiety

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