22 days and going nuts with anxiety! - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

iamtoru · 07-08-2012, 07:31 PM

The anxiety is very up and down. The really really really bad panic attacks are mostly gone, but I am having SUCH a hard time getting organized and sticking to a schedule. As a result, I end up spending my days running around like a nut trying to do as much cleaning/cooking/meetings as I can, and end up so burned out by the end of the day all I can do is look at this website or vegetate in front of the tv! I took a sewing class last week and really loved it but haven't done any sewing since then because I keep neglecting to take time out for myself. Has anyone else been through this? I know I need to take it easy right now, just having such a hard time doing it. Arrrgh! Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Hope everyone is well.

2granddaughters · 07-08-2012, 07:40 PM

I attended/attend AA meetings regularly.

I wish you the best.

Bob R

IndaMiricale · 07-08-2012, 07:53 PM

I go for walks specially late night when its so quite and peaceful. Read, workout , go to the library, and meetings always calm my anxious feelings.

Congrats on 22 days. It took my several months to really calm down my anxiety.

**artsoul** · 07-08-2012, 08:23 PM

I can totally relate - I always tried to do it all..... and I had to do it perfectly and as fast as I could.

And at the end of the day, I was acutely aware of the things still left undone.

A counselor in rehab once told me I needed to just "be" - He said "We are human beings, not human doings." It's a hard habit to break, though - I'm still working on it.

In the first weeks of sobriety I was able to let a LOT of stuff go, simply because I had to. I saw that when I started thinking about what I needed to do, I got overwhelmed and that made me want to drink. So I just gave myself permission to let things go.

Just my two cents, but I found a couple of things that have really helped me (when I use them!): mindfulness and staying in the moment. There are probably other tools as well, but the big idea is to be aware of what you're thinking and telling yourself that creates the anxiety. Then you can begin to challenge some of those thoughts and begin to replace them with more positive ones.

gnly · 07-08-2012, 08:55 PM

I have anxiety issues too, and for me mindful meditation helps. Also, i quit drinking coffee and switched to green tea. Drinking too much caffeine can exhaserbate anxiety.

LoveIsTheAnswer · 07-08-2012, 09:42 PM

i agree with GNLY, caffeine can really cause a lot of problems with anxiety. And for me working out helps a lot. A combination of weightlifting and long runs really makes things better.

DisplacedGRITS · 07-08-2012, 09:59 PM

I like to read. It's such a quiet activity and it an excellent for me to destress. I have a rather active imagination and my mind is always buzzing so for me reading is kind of like taking my mind out for a jog. After a few chapters of a good book and i'm usually quite relaxed. After that i'm better able to tackle problems that require my full attention. Coming here and reading/writing in the forums helps too.

karilynn27 · 07-08-2012, 09:59 PM

Learning how to be still was very important. Concentrate on you. recovery readings, explore SR, meetings. The most inportant job you have right now is staying sober.
Take care of yourself

CaiHong · 07-08-2012, 10:30 PM

Hi Iamtoru,

Great advice, how about a nap after lunch or a powernap.. Things will settle I promise you, already the super panic attacks have subsided.

So what did you do I your first sewing class?

You are doing great.

Love
caiHong

lillyknitting · 07-08-2012, 10:40 PM

I log on sr every day and read literature every day, also I get up extra early to have time for me. When I was drinking I was in such a state I couldn't even get out of bed lol, each day is a new day.

neferkamichael · 07-08-2012, 11:31 PM

Imatoru, 22 days? You are FANTASTIC. Congratulations.

2granddaughters · 07-09-2012, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamtoru

The anxiety is very up and down. The really really really bad panic attacks are mostly gone, but I am having SUCH a hard time getting organized and sticking to a schedule. As a result, I end up spending my days running around like a nut trying to do as much cleaning/cooking/meetings as I can, and end up so burned out by the end of the day all I can do is look at this website or vegetate in front of the tv! I took a sewing class last week and really loved it but haven't done any sewing since then because I keep neglecting to take time out for myself. Has anyone else been through this? I know I need to take it easy right now, just having such a hard time doing it. Arrrgh! Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Hope everyone is well.

Please Google and read AA's "The Doctors Opinion" and "How It Works".

If you are an alcoholic of my sort the words in those 2 documents will ring true and you will know what needs to be done.

If you are an alcoholic of my sort, taking a nap or drinking green tea will be a futile exercise. Like throwing a cup of water on a forest fire.

If you are an alcoholic of my sort and try to keep dry you will suffer until you know that you HAVE to drink again and if you don't you can't go on. You will have to end it.

If you are an alcoholic of my sort AA is the answer.
The truth will become self-evident to you soon.

This isn't the remedy to a head-cold we are talking about here. This is life and death. Make no mistake.

I wish you the best

Bob R

jimmydean · 07-09-2012, 05:14 AM

All really good advise. I had really bad anxiety - it does got easier to deal with. I am over 100 days now and have found that meditation is the best way to relax my mind.

I wish you the best my friend.

soberbrooke · 07-09-2012, 06:00 AM

I can relate. My roller coaster of emotions are still affecting me today, even though I am 6 months sober. They tell me that it might take 2 years before they start leveling off.

walktheline1 · 07-09-2012, 09:36 PM

I'm on day 63 and most of my anxiety is gone. The first few weeks were a living hell. I could hardly drive a car or be in a crowd. The only way I got through it was constant physical activity. I was also completely burned out at the end of every day. After the first few weeks the anxiety came in waves that slowly but surely petered out. I had a few random bad days around day 45 or so. The last two weeks I've had little to no anxiety and my agoraphobia also easing up. I'm finally able to relax now after 2 months of being exhausted and on edge. It gets better. Stick with it! And congrats on 22 days!

reggiewayne · 07-09-2012, 09:42 PM

My advice is to keep it simple. Expectations are a huge contributor to anxiety. Recovery has taught me to be OK when I'm stuck with me. Often times I am the creator of my own stress and it's a result of wanting to stay busy so I'm not stuck with me.

My advice, try some prayer and meditation throughout the day. It doesn't have to be planned, but throughout the day ask for peace and calmness. Doesn't matter if you don't believe in God or do. Talk to yourself. I used what I called my "inner voice" for a while.

Try it out, what do you have to lose...

07-08-2012, 07:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
iamtoru Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 30	22 days and going nuts with anxiety! The anxiety is very up and down. The really really really bad panic attacks are mostly gone, but I am having SUCH a hard time getting organized and sticking to a schedule. As a result, I end up spending my days running around like a nut trying to do as much cleaning/cooking/meetings as I can, and end up so burned out by the end of the day all I can do is look at this website or vegetate in front of the tv! I took a sewing class last week and really loved it but haven't done any sewing since then because I keep neglecting to take time out for myself. Has anyone else been through this? I know I need to take it easy right now, just having such a hard time doing it. Arrrgh! Any advice would be greatly appreciated Hope everyone is well.

07-08-2012, 07:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
2granddaughters in my 24th year of sobriety Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Canada. About as far south as you can get Posts: 4,371	I attended/attend AA meetings regularly. I wish you the best. Bob R __________________ . . .If you want to drink, that's your business ..... .If you want to quit, that's A.A.'s business. . . --- driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity. . . L.D. 1989

07-08-2012, 07:53 PM	#3 (permalink)
IndaMiricale Powerless over Alcohol Join Date: May 2011 Location: Trudging the Road to Happy Destiny! Posts: 4,020	I go for walks specially late night when its so quite and peaceful. Read, workout , go to the library, and meetings always calm my anxious feelings. Congrats on 22 days. It took my several months to really calm down my anxiety. __________________ "The only real thing in life are dreams, which nature cant touch with decay." Bob Dylan "Each day,somewhere in the world ,recovery begins when one alcoholic talks with another alcoholic , sharing experience,strength and hope."

07-08-2012, 09:59 PM	#7 (permalink)
DisplacedGRITS Crazy Cat Lady Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 1,915 Blog Entries: 3	I like to read. It's such a quiet activity and it an excellent for me to destress. I have a rather active imagination and my mind is always buzzing so for me reading is kind of like taking my mind out for a jog. After a few chapters of a good book and i'm usually quite relaxed. After that i'm better able to tackle problems that require my full attention. Coming here and reading/writing in the forums helps too. __________________ Sobriety Date: May 3, 2013 If I can do it, you can do it. Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. -The Big Book of AA, Chapter 5 Page 58

07-08-2012, 09:59 PM	#8 (permalink)
karilynn27 Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Middle of no where, oklahoma Posts: 2,692 Blog Entries: 5	Learning how to be still was very important. Concentrate on you. recovery readings, explore SR, meetings. The most inportant job you have right now is staying sober. Take care of yourself __________________ "You can work at least as hard at sobriety as you did at getting drunk" My daughter

07-08-2012, 08:23 PM	#4 (permalink)
artsoul SR Fan Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Mississippi Posts: 7,564	I can totally relate - I always tried to do it all..... and I had to do it perfectly and as fast as I could. And at the end of the day, I was acutely aware of the things still left undone. A counselor in rehab once told me I needed to just "be" - He said "We are human beings, not human doings." It's a hard habit to break, though - I'm still working on it. In the first weeks of sobriety I was able to let a LOT of stuff go, simply because I had to. I saw that when I started thinking about what I needed to do, I got overwhelmed and that made me want to drink. So I just gave myself permission to let things go. Just my two cents, but I found a couple of things that have really helped me (when I use them!): mindfulness and staying in the moment. There are probably other tools as well, but the big idea is to be aware of what you're thinking and telling yourself that creates the anxiety. Then you can begin to challenge some of those thoughts and begin to replace them with more positive ones.

07-08-2012, 08:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
gnly Guest Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 42	I have anxiety issues too, and for me mindful meditation helps. Also, i quit drinking coffee and switched to green tea. Drinking too much caffeine can exhaserbate anxiety.

07-08-2012, 09:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
LoveIsTheAnswer Bridge Through Time Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: South Texas Posts: 5	i agree with GNLY, caffeine can really cause a lot of problems with anxiety. And for me working out helps a lot. A combination of weightlifting and long runs really makes things better.

07-08-2012, 10:30 PM	#9 (permalink)
CaiHong Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 1,736	Hi Iamtoru, Great advice, how about a nap after lunch or a powernap.. Things will settle I promise you, already the super panic attacks have subsided. So what did you do I your first sewing class? You are doing great. Love caiHong

07-08-2012, 10:40 PM	#10 (permalink)
lillyknitting lillyknitting Join Date: May 2010 Location: Loughton, Essex, England Posts: 278	I log on sr every day and read literature every day, also I get up extra early to have time for me. When I was drinking I was in such a state I couldn't even get out of bed lol, each day is a new day.

07-08-2012, 11:31 PM	#11 (permalink)
neferkamichael Life Health Prosperity Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Louisana Posts: 2,033	Imatoru, 22 days? You are *FANTASTIC*. Congratulations. __________________ Success is making yourself do the thing you need to do when you need to do it whether you like it or not. If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.

07-09-2012, 05:14 AM	#13 (permalink)
jimmydean Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 89	All really good advise. I had really bad anxiety - it does got easier to deal with. I am over 100 days now and have found that meditation is the best way to relax my mind. I wish you the best my friend.

07-09-2012, 06:00 AM	#14 (permalink)
soberbrooke Sobriety date 12/19/2011 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: TX Posts: 407	I can relate. My roller coaster of emotions are still affecting me today, even though I am 6 months sober. They tell me that it might take 2 years before they start leveling off. __________________ Actually, we have no problems - we have opportunities for which we should give thanks... An error we refuse to correct has many lives. It takes courage to face one's own shortcomings and wisdom to do something about them. Edgar Cayce Quote

07-09-2012, 09:36 PM	#15 (permalink)
walktheline1 Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 77	I'm on day 63 and most of my anxiety is gone. The first few weeks were a living hell. I could hardly drive a car or be in a crowd. The only way I got through it was constant physical activity. I was also completely burned out at the end of every day. After the first few weeks the anxiety came in waves that slowly but surely petered out. I had a few random bad days around day 45 or so. The last two weeks I've had little to no anxiety and my agoraphobia also easing up. I'm finally able to relax now after 2 months of being exhausted and on edge. It gets better. Stick with it! And congrats on 22 days!

07-09-2012, 09:42 PM	#16 (permalink)
reggiewayne Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 878	My advice is to keep it simple. Expectations are a huge contributor to anxiety. Recovery has taught me to be OK when I'm stuck with me. Often times I am the creator of my own stress and it's a result of wanting to stay busy so I'm not stuck with me. My advice, try some prayer and meditation throughout the day. It doesn't have to be planned, but throughout the day ask for peace and calmness. Doesn't matter if you don't believe in God or do. Talk to yourself. I used what I called my "inner voice" for a while. Try it out, what do you have to lose... __________________ *If I could drink like a normal person I'd do it every day*

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