Barely functioning at this point
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Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 104
Barely functioning at this point
Today is Day 25 sober for me. My anxiety is absolutely out of control. This is a new development. Once I got through the initial withdrawal (with the help of Librium) I was feeling GREAT. Now all of a sudden I’m a mess, don’t want to leave my bed, can barely leave my house to get the kids to the bus stop. My dr is no help. When I saw him for help with alcohol withdrawal he gave me the Librium but made sure I knew that that was all I was getting. He wants me to use the Calm app and meditate and I’ve been trying that but it’s not helping. All I want to do is run to the ER because I’m pretty sure I’m dying. I’m absolutely miserable and don’t know how to live like this.
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,355
Hey Jaz - maybe it's time to get a second opinion? It couldn't hurt.
I empathise tho -my anxiety was always bad bu in my first sober month it was off the charts.
It was hard for me to do it but I got into belly breaths - once I mastered the technique my anxiety got a little more controllable.
https://www.anxietycoach.com/breathingexercise.html
I also like something Anna has shared about the 5 4 3 2 1 technique
I empathise tho -my anxiety was always bad bu in my first sober month it was off the charts.
It was hard for me to do it but I got into belly breaths - once I mastered the technique my anxiety got a little more controllable.
https://www.anxietycoach.com/breathingexercise.html
I also like something Anna has shared about the 5 4 3 2 1 technique
5-4-3-2-1 Coping Technique for Anxiety
By: Sara Smith, BSW
Anxiety is something most of us have experienced at least once in our life. Public speaking, performance reviews, and new job responsibilities are just some of the work-related situations that can cause even the calmest person to feel a little stressed. This five-step exercise can be very helpful during periods of anxiety or panic by helping to ground you in the present when your mind is bouncing around between various anxious thoughts.
Before starting this exercise, pay attention to your breathing. Slow, deep, long breaths can help you maintain a sense of calm or help you return to a calmer state. Once you find your breath, go through the following steps to help ground yourself:
5: Acknowledge FIVE things you see around you. It could be a pen, a spot on the ceiling, anything in your surroundings.
4: Acknowledge FOUR things you can touch around you. It could be your hair, a pillow, or the ground under your feet.
3: Acknowledge THREE things you hear. This could be any external sound. If you can hear your belly rumbling that counts! Focus on things you can hear outside of your body.
2: Acknowledge TWO things you can smell. Maybe you are in your office and smell pencil, or maybe you are in your bedroom and smell a pillow. If you need to take a brief walk to find a scent you could smell soap in your bathroom, or nature outside.
1: Acknowledge ONE thing you can taste. What does the inside of your mouth taste like—gum, coffee, or the sandwich from lunch?
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/behav...r-anxiety.aspx
By: Sara Smith, BSW
Anxiety is something most of us have experienced at least once in our life. Public speaking, performance reviews, and new job responsibilities are just some of the work-related situations that can cause even the calmest person to feel a little stressed. This five-step exercise can be very helpful during periods of anxiety or panic by helping to ground you in the present when your mind is bouncing around between various anxious thoughts.
Before starting this exercise, pay attention to your breathing. Slow, deep, long breaths can help you maintain a sense of calm or help you return to a calmer state. Once you find your breath, go through the following steps to help ground yourself:
5: Acknowledge FIVE things you see around you. It could be a pen, a spot on the ceiling, anything in your surroundings.
4: Acknowledge FOUR things you can touch around you. It could be your hair, a pillow, or the ground under your feet.
3: Acknowledge THREE things you hear. This could be any external sound. If you can hear your belly rumbling that counts! Focus on things you can hear outside of your body.
2: Acknowledge TWO things you can smell. Maybe you are in your office and smell pencil, or maybe you are in your bedroom and smell a pillow. If you need to take a brief walk to find a scent you could smell soap in your bathroom, or nature outside.
1: Acknowledge ONE thing you can taste. What does the inside of your mouth taste like—gum, coffee, or the sandwich from lunch?
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/behav...r-anxiety.aspx
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, one big happy dysfunctional family!
Posts: 23,024
I too had long runs of high anxiety in early sobriety, Dee has some great suggestions and your doctor sounds much like the wellness provider I used but it never hurts to get a second opinion or seek alternate forms of health. What has always helped me along with many tools I use in my recovery is forcing myself outside to soak up fresh air and sunshine, I tend to wither indoors, so even at work I take walks outside frequently.
AKA ComputerMan
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Florida
Posts: 91
The first few weeks i had to push my self to get out of bed. I literally jumped out of bed and started cleaning the house just to keep my mind busy. If you can try to keep your mind busy it really does help. Do something, anything. Now every morning i jump up and do pushups until my arms feel like they are going to fall off. My Anxiety level started to diminish in 2 days. Im no doctor but execise works! YOU CAN DO IT!
AKA ComputerMan
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Florida
Posts: 91
Originally Posted by Astro 
I too had long runs of high anxiety in early sobriety, Dee has some great suggestions and your doctor sounds much like the wellness provider I used but it never hurts to get a second opinion or seek alternate forms of health. What has always helped me along with many tools I use in my recovery is forcing myself outside to soak up fresh air and sunshine, I tend to wither indoors, so even at work I take walks outside frequently.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 324
Originally Posted by JazV36
Today is Day 25 sober for me. My anxiety is absolutely out of control. This is a new development. Once I got through the initial withdrawal (with the help of Librium) I was feeling GREAT. Now all of a sudden I’m a mess, don’t want to leave my bed, can barely leave my house to get the kids to the bus stop. My dr is no help. When I saw him for help with alcohol withdrawal he gave me the Librium but made sure I knew that that was all I was getting. He wants me to use the Calm app and meditate and I’ve been trying that but it’s not helping. All I want to do is run to the ER because I’m pretty sure I’m dying. I’m absolutely miserable and don’t know how to live like this.
Originally Posted by ClarkGrizwold
The first few weeks i had to push my self to get out of bed. I literally jumped out of bed and started cleaning the house just to keep my mind busy. If you can try to keep your mind busy it really does help. Do something, anything. Now every morning i jump up and do pushups until my arms feel like they are going to fall off. My Anxiety level started to diminish in 2 days. Im no doctor but execise works! YOU CAN DO IT!
I have had crippling anxiety all month, which has led to a couple of relapses. I have now drunk three times this month (November 2019) and it is SEVEN DAYS since my last drink, but I have had a very anxious weekend.
I have woken up this morning feeling a little more positive. However I am suffering from agoraphobia and horrible panic attacks at the moment. I will try to force myself out later, though.
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Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 256
I second the exercise suggestion. I start my day off early with a workout. It’s the one thing that helps keep me grounded, an outlet.
Anxiety can affect your heart. We aren’t doctors obviously and it’s good to get a professional opinion but I’m pretty sure anxiety can affect your heart rate, etc. One of the symptoms.
I am going to put it very bluntly, you gotta just get yourself out and do it. You’ll be ok. You can go back and forth with the anxiety day after day and wait for the right moment and it may never come. The longer you let the anxiety control you the worse things will become.
Get out of the house, go for a walk, do something. Sitting in the house with nothing but the anxiety for company can lead you to a dark place
Anxiety can affect your heart. We aren’t doctors obviously and it’s good to get a professional opinion but I’m pretty sure anxiety can affect your heart rate, etc. One of the symptoms.
I am going to put it very bluntly, you gotta just get yourself out and do it. You’ll be ok. You can go back and forth with the anxiety day after day and wait for the right moment and it may never come. The longer you let the anxiety control you the worse things will become.
Get out of the house, go for a walk, do something. Sitting in the house with nothing but the anxiety for company can lead you to a dark place
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Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 8,614
Originally Posted by Auchieshuggle
However I am suffering from agoraphobia and horrible panic attacks at the moment. I will try to force myself out later, though.
I know how debilitating it can be. My suggestion? Don't "try" to force yourself out, just do it (and I mean this literally as in right now - let us know how it goes).
Perhaps apply the breathing methods and other suggestions Dee has posted above before you walk out or stop while you are walking and apply them. Try counting as you walk, count your steps maybe.
Small steps, but consistent steps. Today your "outing" might be sitting on the front step for a few minutes (if you have one) and practicing the breathing technique. Or walking to the corner of your block and back. That's it. Maybe you can do that twice. Say - I will do that right now and throw your shoes/coat on and go. Then say, I will do that again later. When there is a lull in your day again, do it again, don't bother to dwell and plan and make it out to be some horrendous thing. You are walking two houses down or whatever, it truly is no big deal, tell yourself that. When you return, realize what you have done and what a success that is. You can do this, because you just have!
Maybe it's half a block, maybe it's 2 houses away. Make it manageable. Doing it and doing it consistently is the key.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 324
Originally Posted by treeguy24
I second the exercise suggestion. I start my day off early with a workout. It’s the one thing that helps keep me grounded, an outlet.
Anxiety can affect your heart. We aren’t doctors obviously and it’s good to get a professional opinion but I’m pretty sure anxiety can affect your heart rate, etc. One of the symptoms.
I am going to put it very bluntly, you gotta just get yourself out and do it. You’ll be ok. You can go back and forth with the anxiety day after day and wait for the right moment and it may never come. The longer you let the anxiety control you the worse things will become.
Get out of the house, go for a walk, do something. Sitting in the house with nothing but the anxiety for company can lead you to a dark place
Anxiety can affect your heart. We aren’t doctors obviously and it’s good to get a professional opinion but I’m pretty sure anxiety can affect your heart rate, etc. One of the symptoms.
I am going to put it very bluntly, you gotta just get yourself out and do it. You’ll be ok. You can go back and forth with the anxiety day after day and wait for the right moment and it may never come. The longer you let the anxiety control you the worse things will become.
Get out of the house, go for a walk, do something. Sitting in the house with nothing but the anxiety for company can lead you to a dark place
Originally Posted by trailmix
I'm sorry you are struggling with so much anxiety/agoraphobia.
I know how debilitating it can be. My suggestion? Don't "try" to force yourself out, just do it (and I mean this literally as in right now - let us know how it goes).
Perhaps apply the breathing methods and other suggestions Dee has posted above before you walk out or stop while you are walking and apply them. Try counting as you walk, count your steps maybe.
Small steps, but consistent steps. Today your "outing" might be sitting on the front step for a few minutes (if you have one) and practicing the breathing technique. Or walking to the corner of your block and back. That's it. Maybe you can do that twice. Say - I will do that right now and throw your shoes/coat on and go. Then say, I will do that again later. When there is a lull in your day again, do it again, don't bother to dwell and plan and make it out to be some horrendous thing. You are walking two houses down or whatever, it truly is no big deal, tell yourself that. When you return, realize what you have done and what a success that is. You can do this, because you just have!
Maybe it's half a block, maybe it's 2 houses away. Make it manageable. Doing it and doing it consistently is the key.
I know how debilitating it can be. My suggestion? Don't "try" to force yourself out, just do it (and I mean this literally as in right now - let us know how it goes).
Perhaps apply the breathing methods and other suggestions Dee has posted above before you walk out or stop while you are walking and apply them. Try counting as you walk, count your steps maybe.
Small steps, but consistent steps. Today your "outing" might be sitting on the front step for a few minutes (if you have one) and practicing the breathing technique. Or walking to the corner of your block and back. That's it. Maybe you can do that twice. Say - I will do that right now and throw your shoes/coat on and go. Then say, I will do that again later. When there is a lull in your day again, do it again, don't bother to dwell and plan and make it out to be some horrendous thing. You are walking two houses down or whatever, it truly is no big deal, tell yourself that. When you return, realize what you have done and what a success that is. You can do this, because you just have!
Maybe it's half a block, maybe it's 2 houses away. Make it manageable. Doing it and doing it consistently is the key.
Thank you both for your replies! I'm terribly sorry, but I forgot I posted in this forum. I have been walking to the local shop and back, but haven't really pushed myself out of my comfort zone yet. I will do though, as the anxiety seems to be diminishing a little bit.
I will let you know how I get on. Thanks again!
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