My Approach

[Arcturus]

I usually lurk in the newcomers forum but I scrolled down and saw the word that used to fill me with dread - anxiety.

I suffered quite badly from the age of 15 until the age of 28 with bad anxiety attacks. They varied from the physical "my heart's going to stop, I've got cancer, I'm having a stroke" etc to the ones where you think you're going insane; I felt the latter were more terrifying.

I thought I'd share how I managed to knock anxiety in the head, in the hope that it may help some that suffer from this awful affliction.

After seeing many doctors (all of whom wanted to put me on medication and send me away) I finally found a great Sri Lankan doctor who also happened to be a Buddhist.

Granted, he did put me on medication to ease the symptoms but the real help came from what we talked about and the way he helped me to see things.

I once asked him what he thought about psychiatry. Without hesitating (bear in mind this guy's in his late 60s) he said, "All psychiatry is bullshit". He went on to say how all it does is dig up the past, making the patient more and more confused about things which serves no good purpose.

He had a simple philosophy: accept what has happened to you as it cannot be changed, live in the present moment and don't worry about the future as it doesn't exist, there is only now. (A sentiment fellow Bill Hicks fans will relate to.)

Although it sounds too simple to be worth much the opposite is true. Once I came to understand these things I felt free for the first time. My fear and anxiety was caused by the constant, "What if?" question. By realising that there is only now, you can let go of the sense of impending doom.

He often likened a panic attack to a snake that enters a room. If you go and try to pick it up (fight the attack) you'll get bitten, whereas if you leave the snake alone, it will eventually just slide back out of the room. Trying to control what is happening to you will only exacerbate the problem. The key is to let it happen and know that it will pass.

Another technique he suggested was to give your anxiety a name (I called mine Fred). It sounds crazy I know but it really does help.

As for regretting things you've done, which often causes anxiety, he explained that the person you beat up everyday for something you've done is not the person you are now. He said we're reborn with each breath we take, essentially dying moment after moment, perpetually changing. To me this was a revelation, finally realising that feeling depressed about past wrongdoings was pointless. This went a long way to letting go of the past.

I'm happy to say that I no longer suffer from panic attacks and am medication free. I now concentrate on what's going on right now, not what I may have done or what I wish would happen.

[nakur]

Thanks a lot, I will certainly have to think about this.

[Introvrtd1]

Arc,

Whatever works for u. I tend to let friends know of the ridiculous ways I cope with panic. Kinda humorous, but it works for me.

Hey, as long as the panic/anxiety dissipates, huh??

As long as life gets better, who cares how ridiculous it is, eh??

Introverted one.