Sober Anxiety Busters
 

I am interested in hearing people's ideas of specifically how they handle increased anxiety without using alcohol, drugs, or doing other compulsive behaviors.

What are your healthy anxiety busters?

Thank you.

Cleaning....
it gives me something to focus on, a sense of accomplishment, burns calories and clean is serene.
i so like to come home from a hectic day and the house is welcoming, not looking like a bomb went off.
i am currently having anxiety about circumstances beyond my control at work.
this past weekend i cleaned a huge storage closet that holds a variety of items, now i can find everything and threw away useless old stuff.
i also filled 2 bags with clothes for donations.
this is stuff i can control...
you can only play so much Candy Crush, lol

Running and baths. If anxiety is bad running followed by a bath!!

Hypnosis apps. I sleep to one every night.

Also if I'm going into a situation where I may be anxious or tempted, I visualise it ahead of time, seeing myself happy and confident, holding my. Glass of fizzy water.

Lists help to, crossing things completed is satisfying and takes the enormity out of future tasks to break it down into single things.

I have a stressful time ahead of me, so will be looking for tips here,so please guys keep them coming!

binaural beats
herbal tea
exercise
baths
meditation

You can get both binaural beats and meditation apps or use youtube. You need stereo headphones for the binaural beats.
Herbs to make your own tea are super cheaper. Do some research into anti-anxiety herbs, buy a tea infuser and mix in something to taste if you need.

No caffeine!!!

Deep breathing exercises have gotten me out of many a panic attack.

Exercise, cleaning, staying busy! I have to make myself do these things when I am anxious, but they always help.

Mrs. Non

Good one!

I wish there was a Mrs Twinings :(

Singing, dancing (around the house)

Finding something in my life that if I do it (like Anna and cleaning) I will SEE the results. Reminds me that I can make a choice that has a positive effect in my life. Cleaning is a great one. Baking. Deleting e-mails in my in box, any chore or task that leads to a clear result helps me feel less out of control.

Some scents help. Calming/pleasant smells.

breathing excercises can help stave off a panic attack in the moment. And I have "go to" music that helps me get grounded.oddly (or maybe not) it is usually NOT calming music that does this, but loud, angry agressive music.

Exercise.

Sometimes just a simple walk will do wonders.

Love the singing post. Me too!!

Hypnosis
 

I listen to Hypnosis on my phone every night when trying to get to sleep

Knitting. It takes just enough concentration to keep you in it, but eventually you get into a meditative rhythm with it.

I have made so many scarves, hats and blankets - my local food pantry will be well stocked winter warmies. And I give the blankets to the animal shelter.

Walking my two dogs, or any time spent with them.
And a nice steamy hot shower always works!

With the amount of cleaning we all do to keep down anxiety, we should all have spotless houses :) I clean but for some reason it never seems to stay that way.

For anxiety I do deep breathing. Mecanix once mentioned that he spent his first months of sobriety with his shoulders curled up - I do the same thing - uncurl and relax your shoulders, sit up straight and do deep breathing.

Someone else mentioned relaxing your mouth. That works for me too, especially combined with uncurling my shoulders and deep breathing. Also closing my eyes and relaxing my face/forehead.

Avoid caffeine. Avoid procrastination so that you don't have the added anxiety of panicking and rushing around at the last minute. Try realizing that there are some things you can't control and just "accept the things you cannot change" and ride through it.

I also like to do crossword puzzles. Helps keep my mind focused on something else.

I usually put in my earphones, listen to something easy and soft - not music, but rather BBC radio, or a history podcast or something. I also like to go outside during these times, and I usually take my camera and my tripod. I quickly get lost behind the lens, and focus (literally) on what's in front of me and not the surrounding buzz. I was out on Michigan Avenue last weekend, a crazy busy place, but I had my camera and my earphones and I felt like I was in my own safe little world.

Of course, when I am anxious during work hours, that's a different story. Same goes when I'm at large gatherings, etc. If I don't have an "exit strategy" I often feel trapped and vulnerable. I counter that by not placing myself in uncomfortable situations too often.

I think that for those of us with anxiety, we are constantly worrying about being "too closed off" or "isolated". We read medical websites, watch TV programs about depression, and freak ourselves out with WORST CASE SCENARIOS. Or we imagine ourselves in a huge ballroom, full of hundreds of friends, smiling and laughing because we're CURED! Look at me! I'm the most social person on the planet thanks to my anxiety techniques! Psshhh. Today, I've learned not to measure myself up to what others do. I have friends. I travel. I have romance. I pay my bills. I have a job. I have a nice apartment with plants and a full bookcase. If someone wants to tell me that I'm "not doing it right", then that's their problem!

Stroking my cat really helps! And as others have said, baths, exercise, meditation are pretty effective. Also, just reminding myself to live IN the moment and to realise this moment is all Ill ever have seems to help rid me of certain worries I may have throughout the day about situations which I have no control over (sorry to recycle spiritual teachings but you can't argue with the logic!)

There are meditation/calming websites as well -- calm.com has a great variety of beautiful fullscreen nature scenes (grassy meadows, ocean waves, mountain streams, rain on tree leaves, etc.) accompanied by the appropriate outdoor noises, or soothing music, or a guided meditation. Whatever you choose.