Anxiety tips
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Anxiety tips
I have another high anxiety day going here. it started yest despite the fact that I had a busy weekend and lots to do I got it all done and really enjoyed myself. Then a typical sunday those concerns about work the next day would pop in my head i'd worry get anxious and watch them fade away. Then all day I heard from my wife about how the kids need clothes she needs clothes and shoes we are out of this etc.. ya know the drill $$ and i'm behind on some bills as is so its not really a topic I want to discuss at the moment as I'll just worry and get anxious I'd prefer to not worry about it as since there is nothing I can do about it in this moment theres no reason to give it any attention but she just kept going on and on as if I could magically create gold.
I watched some show about people with OCD last night that just made matters worse as I realized how well I could relate to all of them and wondered if I should go see a therapist again but ALAS no health insurance .
I went to bed anxious woke up ok lots to do but really tired from this weekend. My little ones are going fishing with grandpa I figured no big deal sure come get em anytime I tell my dad. My wife freaks out tells me they need new clothes for fishing the have no shorts to wear and need shirts... I"m like umm wait where they not playing in the yard in shorts and shirts just yest? My head is spinning at this point shes off to the store to buy them these clothes sure it'll ebe just 2 pairs of shorts and 2 shirts it'll be cheap but then she tops it off with we are out of diapers too.
ALAS the anxiety is back in full force and I havent even started to work yet even tho I logged in at 8am and its now 930 I've done nothing. SO what will i do now? I'll work on calming myself down read a book and meditae then go for a run even tho i'm really exhausted but ialways feel better after a run and with anxiety this high I'll have to do something. Then maybe this after noon i'll get a couple hours of real work done in my 8 hour shift.
Geeze I just described a fairly typical day. then after work i got a shlew of chores to tackle etc..
But here is the problem. Instead of logging a hard worked 8 hour shift here i sit trying to calm down. I even thought at one point maybe i need medication (or a drink).
I'm not gonna drink. .I'm not really worried about it all it'll all pass i deal with this day in and day out its my life. Life will go on.
If i stay present it works well I'm pretty happy but then I of course am ignoreing things. But I guess whats it matter I dont have the money for none of these issues anyhow so nothing I can do. Back tot he present moment where I just look outside and see the beutiful day out there and I calm down and I smile
Is this normal? I find at times like this just going and smelling the roses the best medicine. Pet my dog play with my kids go for a walk whatever are all great solutions to /feeling/ better but none of them actually solve the above problems.
I watched some show about people with OCD last night that just made matters worse as I realized how well I could relate to all of them and wondered if I should go see a therapist again but ALAS no health insurance .
I went to bed anxious woke up ok lots to do but really tired from this weekend. My little ones are going fishing with grandpa I figured no big deal sure come get em anytime I tell my dad. My wife freaks out tells me they need new clothes for fishing the have no shorts to wear and need shirts... I"m like umm wait where they not playing in the yard in shorts and shirts just yest? My head is spinning at this point shes off to the store to buy them these clothes sure it'll ebe just 2 pairs of shorts and 2 shirts it'll be cheap but then she tops it off with we are out of diapers too.
ALAS the anxiety is back in full force and I havent even started to work yet even tho I logged in at 8am and its now 930 I've done nothing. SO what will i do now? I'll work on calming myself down read a book and meditae then go for a run even tho i'm really exhausted but ialways feel better after a run and with anxiety this high I'll have to do something. Then maybe this after noon i'll get a couple hours of real work done in my 8 hour shift.
Geeze I just described a fairly typical day. then after work i got a shlew of chores to tackle etc..
But here is the problem. Instead of logging a hard worked 8 hour shift here i sit trying to calm down. I even thought at one point maybe i need medication (or a drink).
I'm not gonna drink. .I'm not really worried about it all it'll all pass i deal with this day in and day out its my life. Life will go on.
If i stay present it works well I'm pretty happy but then I of course am ignoreing things. But I guess whats it matter I dont have the money for none of these issues anyhow so nothing I can do. Back tot he present moment where I just look outside and see the beutiful day out there and I calm down and I smile
Is this normal? I find at times like this just going and smelling the roses the best medicine. Pet my dog play with my kids go for a walk whatever are all great solutions to /feeling/ better but none of them actually solve the above problems.
I know the feeling. I'm seeing a counselor for anxiety too as I didn't want to start any meds and it's helping. I only go once a week though so there are many days in between when I need to deal with it on my own. Sounds like you've done some of the things I've tried...exercise, meditation. Keeping busy or having a task list helps me too, keeps my mind off thinking about the anxiety, which of course makes it worse.
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I know the feeling. I'm seeing a counselor for anxiety too as I didn't want to start any meds and it's helping. I only go once a week though so there are many days in between when I need to deal with it on my own. Sounds like you've done some of the things I've tried...exercise, meditation. Keeping busy or having a task list helps me too, keeps my mind off thinking about the anxiety, which of course makes it worse.
Sure stress is a trigger but this anxiety just comes out of nowhere. I can listen to zen music go for a walk or read a book and feel great. Its just hard to do that when you SHOULD be working at work. Or when work is a major trigger its hard to even begin the work.
Thanks for your response I just keep trying its all i can do. I keep asking myself how bad is this? should I just bite the bullet go see a therapist with money i dont have and get on some meds. Has it gotten to this? I've tried all the non med solutions. I'm fit and slim and healthy as a horse I eat a vegan diet and feel great physically etc.. But once again it rears its ugly head.
But then this could all just be normal. High anxiety so i can appreciate the low anxiety just another up and down of life maybe theres noting to see here.
Is this normal? I find at times like this just going and smelling the roses the best medicine. Pet my dog play with my kids go for a walk whatever are all great solutions to /feeling/ better but none of them actually solve the above problems.
When I view challenges from the perspective of a victim, I experience humiliation.
When I view challenges from the perspective of a student, I experience humility.
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I found that recovery solved very few of my external problems (no more DUI's at least). If anything, they got worse. What recovery did do for me was change how I viewed those challenges.
When I view challenges from the perspective of a victim, I experience humiliation.
When I view challenges from the perspective of a student, I experience humility.
When I view challenges from the perspective of a victim, I experience humiliation.
When I view challenges from the perspective of a student, I experience humility.
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 5,229
Thanks Put them on my list of books to read. I've already read numerous books. But every little bit helps. It seems it all comes back to one thing and that is to not allow yourself to get wrapped up or hooked into it. Maybe thats all my OP is me getting "hooked" again.
Lots of great advice above. I'll add -- have you tried acupuncture for anxiety? I was hesitant to give it go, but it did help me quite a bit. If anything, you get a half an hour or so to yourself, quiet music or silence, while your body is being taken care of. The process itself can be a meditation. My naturopath also recommended a magnesium supplement for me. You might want to ask your doctor about that. People who work out a lot tend to deplete their magnesium stores... and that also produces anxiety in the body.
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When I went digging, I was surprised to find that my work had an EAP (employee assistance program). I can get 6 sessions free for a particular issue. Funny thing is, I can site a new issue (alcohol 1st time, family next time, work next time, etc). Does your work have EAP?
As for the anxiety. I have been under the thumb of my family-of-origin for so long, that I feel anxiety attacks when I disobey. Well, not in general, but definitely in particular instances. I'm estranged from two siblings, and the relationships are so toxic, that I no longer want to be around them, period. So, I don't attend anything my mother sets up that invites ALL my siblings.
A few years ago, I remember fretting about the inevitable e-mail from my mother inviting us all to attend her Thanksgiving. I worried about it for a month (<-----ANXIETY). I finally decided how I would respond. So, the email comes and I respond with, "Thanks, but my wife and I have other plans." That's it. That's all I wrote. Despite it being one little phrase, I went through an anxiety attack. I felt like I couldn't breathe, or something just felt really bad inside. It was like a storm rolling through trying to topple over my boat. Luckily, it didn't. That anxiety lasted for a while.
Fast-forward to recently. I don't feel anxious as much, but when I do, I try to remember that it's just like a storm. It sucks royally, but it will pass. I still get rushes of anxiety. Like last week my mother and I got into an argument, but I finally said my piece about how I felt. Lots of anxiety but much less so than before. It seems like I'm making progress. I'm also more able to endure the storm that comes through.
How I deal with it? Not sure really. Al-Anon, AA, and counseling. Lots of 12-step work. Being very honest and aware of my feelings. If I'm not honest about them, I'm not prepared when the storm hits.
But I'm not you, though. The above is just my experiences. Is your anxiety enough that you might want to see a doctor? I believe that psychiatrists can prescribe medication. You might not need it...but you also might need it. It might be worth the consideration. But I'm no doctor! Consult on expert on that stuff.
PS - I feel anxious about money too! I do this future-tripping about all of the debt and I see us bankrupting, and losing our home, and and and. When I'm tripping like this, when my wife wants to buy something minor, I flip out. Although my wife has issues with spending too much, I have issues with anxiety around money and spending too little (I let things break down because I don't do any maintenance). I need to work more on the anxiety around money.
Best of luck to you. You're not alone. My anxiety is definitely a problem. I understand!
As for the anxiety. I have been under the thumb of my family-of-origin for so long, that I feel anxiety attacks when I disobey. Well, not in general, but definitely in particular instances. I'm estranged from two siblings, and the relationships are so toxic, that I no longer want to be around them, period. So, I don't attend anything my mother sets up that invites ALL my siblings.
A few years ago, I remember fretting about the inevitable e-mail from my mother inviting us all to attend her Thanksgiving. I worried about it for a month (<-----ANXIETY). I finally decided how I would respond. So, the email comes and I respond with, "Thanks, but my wife and I have other plans." That's it. That's all I wrote. Despite it being one little phrase, I went through an anxiety attack. I felt like I couldn't breathe, or something just felt really bad inside. It was like a storm rolling through trying to topple over my boat. Luckily, it didn't. That anxiety lasted for a while.
Fast-forward to recently. I don't feel anxious as much, but when I do, I try to remember that it's just like a storm. It sucks royally, but it will pass. I still get rushes of anxiety. Like last week my mother and I got into an argument, but I finally said my piece about how I felt. Lots of anxiety but much less so than before. It seems like I'm making progress. I'm also more able to endure the storm that comes through.
How I deal with it? Not sure really. Al-Anon, AA, and counseling. Lots of 12-step work. Being very honest and aware of my feelings. If I'm not honest about them, I'm not prepared when the storm hits.
But I'm not you, though. The above is just my experiences. Is your anxiety enough that you might want to see a doctor? I believe that psychiatrists can prescribe medication. You might not need it...but you also might need it. It might be worth the consideration. But I'm no doctor! Consult on expert on that stuff.
PS - I feel anxious about money too! I do this future-tripping about all of the debt and I see us bankrupting, and losing our home, and and and. When I'm tripping like this, when my wife wants to buy something minor, I flip out. Although my wife has issues with spending too much, I have issues with anxiety around money and spending too little (I let things break down because I don't do any maintenance). I need to work more on the anxiety around money.
Best of luck to you. You're not alone. My anxiety is definitely a problem. I understand!
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 5,229
thoful thanks! I can relate on pretty much ALL your points. We do have an EAP i'm pretty sure where I work and you bring up a really good point that I could just call and have a new "issue" my main concern is I dont want it getting back to HR and i'm still very on the fence about getting some sort of phsyciatric anything in my medical file anywhere call me crazy no pun lol. I've pondered going and seeing a shrink and paying cash and being straight up about privacy. But again I dont have the cash. I'm gonna poke around and see what i can find out about the EAP at my work maybe i can do it anonymously or something.
How did i cope today? well at 4pm yest I got an email some lady I work with wanted to have a conf call at 10am today. This really ticked me off becuase its a worthless call about a project thats going to go no where its really a boatload of BS and i'm the only one in the room with the guts to cry BS when i see it but it falls on deaf ears. I cant even be called mr negative for doing so and have the project removed from me ::facepalm:: (thats happened to others in the past with the very same worthless project)
anyhow 10 she was suppost to call. she didnt. I went to get my mail i walked in the door it was 10:15 my phone was ringing its her shes late. well screw her I figure. Shes late I waited!!! I'm not rushing up the stairs to get that call now! i let it ring and went about my way.
Then I proceded to relax then at lunch i went for a nice long run ran 10.5 miles over to the next town over and back it was great then took a nice hot shower. a nice 2 hour lunch all in all. I feel wonderful now. In a bit I might actually do some real work.
and this is how i cope. Maybe not the best choices but its working for me and i'm smiling right now.
How did i cope today? well at 4pm yest I got an email some lady I work with wanted to have a conf call at 10am today. This really ticked me off becuase its a worthless call about a project thats going to go no where its really a boatload of BS and i'm the only one in the room with the guts to cry BS when i see it but it falls on deaf ears. I cant even be called mr negative for doing so and have the project removed from me ::facepalm:: (thats happened to others in the past with the very same worthless project)
anyhow 10 she was suppost to call. she didnt. I went to get my mail i walked in the door it was 10:15 my phone was ringing its her shes late. well screw her I figure. Shes late I waited!!! I'm not rushing up the stairs to get that call now! i let it ring and went about my way.
Then I proceded to relax then at lunch i went for a nice long run ran 10.5 miles over to the next town over and back it was great then took a nice hot shower. a nice 2 hour lunch all in all. I feel wonderful now. In a bit I might actually do some real work.
and this is how i cope. Maybe not the best choices but its working for me and i'm smiling right now.
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