Please Help: I have crazy anxiety today!
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 124
Please Help: I have crazy anxiety today!
I'm sitting in my office at work and all of a sudden my chest feels so heavy and I just feel out of control in my body and mind. I want to cry, this is so weird! I mean, I know social anxiety very well, but I've never experienced anxiety just sitting alone by myself. It doesn't help that I'm drinking an iced coffee from starbucks probably. I just figured I could use a pick-me-up this morning. I just feel like I can't function like this! Any suggestions with dealing with anxiety during the beginning of recovery? 
~sb
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MD
Posts: 15,967
Something we don't acknowledge in early sobriety....deep inside of us we panic, we are realizing that drinking is not part of who we are, but Who Are We, Really? Panic, anxiety. Our emotions that we thought we threw out were just pushed inside us at a deeper level and they are trying to come out. Being used to being numbed and not feeling our emotions naturally, well, anxiety arises.
I used the steps of AA. My way failed me every time. The steps saved my life, gave me a new perspective on me. Wow, I am relieved, I am free, and I am okay in my own skin. Anxiety disappeared. It is a process.
Reduce your caffeine, it produces anxiety. Grab some hard candy and suck on one of them.
Reach out and help someone else in recovery. Share what you know with them. We can help each other recover, one day, today!
Hugs,
I used the steps of AA. My way failed me every time. The steps saved my life, gave me a new perspective on me. Wow, I am relieved, I am free, and I am okay in my own skin. Anxiety disappeared. It is a process.
Reduce your caffeine, it produces anxiety. Grab some hard candy and suck on one of them.
Reach out and help someone else in recovery. Share what you know with them. We can help each other recover, one day, today!
Hugs,
Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Oxnard (The Nard), CA, USA.
Posts: 13,955
Originally Posted by TheRestorative 
I'm sitting in my office at work and all of a sudden my chest feels so heavy and I just feel out of control in my body and mind. I want to cry, this is so weird! I mean, I know social anxiety very well, but I've never experienced anxiety just sitting alone by myself.
Any suggestions with dealing with anxiety during the beginning of recovery?
Any suggestions with dealing with anxiety during the beginning of recovery?
Typically as the body adjust to sober living the panic naturally fades away.
I deal with my anxiety by just letting them pass, as they will do and bear the discomfort until I'm at ease again. If anxiety or panic attracts interfere with your functioning, it may be a good time to see your Dr. On occasion my anxiety disorder impairs my ability to function, at those times I do take a medication that helps me carry on with things
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 9
TheRestorative, You just LITERARLLY described what I was going through about an hour ago. I actually thought holy crap, did I post this is some delirious state? Just thought you might like to know that it is passing and that we can all relate to that terrible terrible anxiety and panic. Hope it passes for you soon, just stay busy and try (as hard as that is) not to think about it.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 79
I too am having a freak-out. I have a LOT of things going on in my life right now that sorta suck. I'm trying to take deep breaths and tell myself little by little it'll all work out.
My sobriety has to be the most important thing. Everything else will fall into place.
Can you leave your desk and take a brisk walk for 15 minutes?
That usually helps me.
Or some jumping jacks?
My sobriety has to be the most important thing. Everything else will fall into place.
Can you leave your desk and take a brisk walk for 15 minutes?
That usually helps me.
Or some jumping jacks?
SR Fan
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 7,910
Found this little ditty:
I've only had a couple panic attacks, but used to sit with my daughter through hers........ It can last 10 minutes or sometimes more (maybe 20 or 30, max). If it helps, you could always go to the restroom to be alone for a few minutes. Hope you feel better soon!
How can someone deal with having panic attacks at work?
"Self-talk, can be very helpful in the early stage. For example you can tell yourself, 'I am safe, I feel calm, everything is O.K.,' when combined with slow regulated breathing (to balance oxygen levels) can head off the actual panic attack. A slow inhale followed by holding the breath and concluding with an exhale twice as long as the inhale will help balance the CO2 level and is critical to achieving stress reduction. Visualization of a calm, restful place ("a happy place") in conjunction with the slow focused breathing can also be productive in decreasing the physiological affects of anxiety.
It is also useful to remember, that a panic attack cannot hurt you (you will not die, you will not have a heart attack, it will pass within a few moments), which can take the power away that is strengthened primarily by the fear of the panic attack itself.
"Self-talk, can be very helpful in the early stage. For example you can tell yourself, 'I am safe, I feel calm, everything is O.K.,' when combined with slow regulated breathing (to balance oxygen levels) can head off the actual panic attack. A slow inhale followed by holding the breath and concluding with an exhale twice as long as the inhale will help balance the CO2 level and is critical to achieving stress reduction. Visualization of a calm, restful place ("a happy place") in conjunction with the slow focused breathing can also be productive in decreasing the physiological affects of anxiety.
It is also useful to remember, that a panic attack cannot hurt you (you will not die, you will not have a heart attack, it will pass within a few moments), which can take the power away that is strengthened primarily by the fear of the panic attack itself.
Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Highland Ranch, CO
Posts: 41
They taught me something at the center that worked for me. Breath in for three, hold for five and release for five. Deep breaths just make your body get more oxygen and your body believe it or not needs carbon monoxide so it can release the oxygen to the cells..if you keep taking deep breaths it can cause you to panic because your not getting oxygen to the rest of your body... I hope it helps.
New beginnings are the best!
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 124
Thank you everyone. I did a lot of breathing today. I was reminded of the deep breathing I learned from yoga and applied some of that, as well. I ditched the coffee and had some water and tried to focus on a small task I had in front of me. Eventually it did calm down. It felt so intense at first, though! You really do have to talk yourself down from these attacks. I still feel anxious, but it's not overwhelming at this point. Do you think this is all supressed emotional buildup coming back to the surface? I've been feeling all sorts of thing this last week.
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