Boxguy

Currently on day 4 sober, wondering if anyone has any hints or tips to help me deal with anxiety? It's getting pretty bad, was bad on day 1, worse now.

scared1

I am in the same boat. Day 4 and hating life still.
I am trying to stay positive and telling myself as long as I don't drink no more, this will pass. I am hoping to feel life again. I want to live again.
Stay strong Boxguy, hang in there

Anna

TIPS FOR DEALING WITH ANXIETY (the American Assoc for Anxiety & Depression)

Take a Time-Out. Try some yoga, listen to music, meditate, get a massage or learn relaxation techniques. Stepping back from the problem can help clear your head.

Eat well-balanced meals. Do not skip any meals. Keep healthful, energy-boosting snacks on hand. Limit caffeine.

Get enough sleep/rest. Exercise daily to help you feel good and maintain your health. Use an iPod or exercise buddy to help you stick to your routine.

Take deep breaths. Inhale and exhale slowly. Belly-Breathing: Sit comfortably with shoulders, head and neck relaxed. Breath in slowly through your nose so that your stomach expands. Tighten stomach muscles, letting them fall inward as you exhale slowly through your mouth.

Do your best. Instead of aiming for perfection, which isn’t possible, be proud of however close you get.

Accept that you cannot control everything. Put your stress in perspective: Is it really as bad as you think?

Welcome humour. A good laugh goes a long way.

Maintain a positive attitude. Make an effort to replace negative thoughts with positive ones.

Get involved. Volunteer or find another way to be active in your community, which creates a support network and gives you a break from everyday stress.

Learn what triggers your anxiety. Is it work, family, school or something else you can’t identify? Write in a journal when you’re feeling stressed. Look for a pattern.

Talk to someone. Tell friends/family you’re feeling overwhelmed and let them know how they can help. Talk to a professional.

Books

Amen, Daniel Change Your Brain, Change Your Life
Bassett, Lucinda From Panic to Power
Burns, David MD When Panic Attacks
Chodron, Pema The Places that Scare You
Doidge, Norman MD The Brain that Changes Itself
Dyer, Wayne Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life
Orsilla, Ken Mindful Way Through Anxiety

Spybee007

abgator

That's true if you're sober and a normal person. But if you're anxious as a result of detox, your body/mind isn't normal....and heavy cardio while your heart is already racing, it can feel like it's going to kill you. Once I was sober and withdrawals were over, diet and exercise has been critical in me feeling good. But in detox, there's no way I could have hopped on the elliptical. It keeps anxiety at bay, not removes existing anxiety, IMO.

MLD51

I went for walks. I talked to people about it. I cried a lot (which really helped, oddly). I spent time playing dumb games on my phone. I slept a lot. I read a lot. Those things got me through the worst of it in the first week or so. It got a lot better after a couple of weeks.

Hollydoll

Caprice6

If you can, by this time, especially if it's getting worse, you need to seek professional help, weather it's a quick check at a walk-in clinic where they can take your vital signs and ideally give you appropriate meds, or the ER. You may still be in danger of having a potentially fatal seizure. For everyone, it's case by case, but would you rather be getting worse, or take one day to seek medical help so at least they can check your vitals and take it from there.

Robbie64

You could stil be going through withdrawals. Might be best to get it checked out.

That said, my anxiety levels tend to peak at about the 4th to 7th days after I stop drinking and then ease up from about day 12 onward. I find going for walks and trying to relax as much as possible help. But assuming it is just anxiety and not withdrawal sometimes you just have to let the anxiety wash over you and it should pass at some point. Again, if you continue to have anxiety after a couple of weeks it again might be worth you having it checked out. Basically in the UK that will mean a 10 minute appointment with your GP, having your blood pressure checked out, probably sent for blood tests and little else.

Hopefully your anxiety will pass soon, or at the very least it will reduce so that it doesn't continue to overwhelm you.

Dee74

Hi Boxguy - I think most of us battle with anxiety at some level when we quit.

I tried to keep things as normal as I could - I took great comfort in the normal things of life - cleaning up the house, walking around the block - no need to run a marathon, but a little low level activity helped me.

Hope you feel a little better soon

D

nez

Early in my sobriety, a wise man told me whenever I started to feel anxiety creeping in, to pay attention to the physical changes taking place in my body. If I was good with them, then keep on doing what I was doing. If I wasn't, breath deeply and slowly. On the inhale, think "help". On the exhale think this "too shall pass". As I was doing that, start to concentrate on areas of the body where I felt tension building and work on releasing the tension. When I felt calmed down and centered once again, finish with "thank you".

I think it worked for me for two reasons. The first was that I was never good with the physical changes going on so I always worked on lessening them by employing his suggestions. The second was because working on the first one took my mind off of my anxiety.

babycat

I sometimes dunk my face in ice cold water. I was taught this by a friend who read somewhere it sort of shocks the system. It does not completely alleviate the anxiety but I definitely find it helps temporarily. I do it repeatedly. It is not pleasant but better than debilitating anxiety.

25andddd

I have an ungodly amount if experience with this exact situation.

As others have said a little excercise could help, but personally I was in no shape to excercise at times. A steam room is great if you can find one. Sweating out the toxins will pay dividends. Whenever I didnt get a sweat in I would writhe with anxiety all night and wake up with the sweats but when I found a way to sweat it sort of helped with getting it out early.

Try to get some wholesome meals down, if you cant eat try a store bought smoothie. You need calories and vitamins.

Speaking of vitamins, a good vitamin B complex is about 8 bucks at the store. (Cheaper than one beer) these helped me tremendously.

I work in a high stress job on a tug boat and i would come in shaking, paralyzed with fear, and could barely see straight. Due to my schedule I cant get more than 5 hours of sleep at a time which isnt great for withdrawling/anxiety.

Just try to rest and play on your phone. Read. Post. Feel free to message me.

Seriously though, water, food, sweat if you can, and vitamins. All those things will give you a fighting chance. There really isnt an immediate solution, but if you invest now youllnfeel better sooner. Keep us posted.

kinzoku

We all have our ways.

In no particular order: walks, junk food, videogames, working out, talking to friends, reading, bubble baths, sparkling water.

Tailai

Michelle644

A lot of withdraws is sugar withdraw so I ate a lot of carbs the first two weeks to help lessen it..I wasn't worried about losing weight, just getting sober. I had bad anxiety the first week. I slept a lot. Took a bath with lots of Epsom salts. Went for a walk. Learned breathing excising. Paced because I couldn't stay focused on anything else other than my foggy mind. Came to SR sit and read for hours it made me feel that I wasn't alone in my journey. I drank LOTS of water...I wanted to flush out all the toxins. I took B and Magnesium vitamins. You will be fine.

Dee74

Hows it going boxguy?

D