Coping with anxiety - tips?

PeacefulWaters

Some self-help.

Review your diet. Cut out alcohol, caffeine and refined sugar. Increase your intake of fruit and veg. Cut out crisps, biscuits and cakes.

Exercise. Walk, run, swim. Walk an extra 10 minutes a day. Ideally backstreets or countryside away from car fumes. Increase that 10 minutes every week. Or increase the number of times you walk a day.

jetplane

OP have you had bereavement counselling? I imagine you have tried to get on with your life but grief can manifest itself in many ways and many years later. Give it some consideration, two and a half years after my mother died I was having panic attacks so bad I couldn't breathe. GP arranged bereavement counselling, I said it wasn't grief, I thought the GP was wrong, it was hard but it was a revelation and eight weeks later it was like a weight had lifted.

theoretica

It is worth noting that anxiety and depression can have medical/physical causes, including things like anaemia or food intolerances that are usually fairly straightforward to deal with once identified. I hope your doctor has taken this possibility into account.

FBaby

theoretica wrote: »

It is worth noting that anxiety and depression can have medical/physical causes, including things like anaemia or food intolerances that are usually fairly straightforward to deal with once identified. I hope your doctor has taken this possibility into account.

Indeed, a common one is thyroid dysfunction so would be worth a blood test.

Rev

Just too add. Outside of this I think of myself as quite confident.

I'm not scared to leave the house or talk to people I'm not scared to complain about things. I take care of several family members bills (they're older and were paying over odds for thinks like home insurance, Sky, mobile phones etc), call and negotiate deals for those etc.


My issue is anxiety over things that haven't happened or are beyond my control. Things that MAY happen. Something going wrong with the house. My dogs becoming ill (this one is especially worrying).


And I just build it up in my head until something that hasn't even happened is absolutely terrifying me. And I fixate on it again and again.


Say if my friend says she has a cold. After an hour my head has turned that into her dying of cancer. It's that type of ridiculousness (I know I should say that but that's how it feels).


Then when something I'm not expecting happens I can't deal with it. I just flail.


As I said earlier. I realise It's utterly ridiculous. But for some reason I can't seem to get over it and I worry myself to the point I'm physically sick.


I hope that makes sense.

Rev

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

Some self-help.

Review your diet. Cut out alcohol, caffeine and refined sugar. Increase your intake of fruit and veg. Cut out crisps, biscuits and cakes.

Exercise. Walk, run, swim. Walk an extra 10 minutes a day. Ideally backstreets or countryside away from car fumes. Increase that 10 minutes every week. Or increase the number of times you walk a day.

I admit my diet is awful. I barely eat.

I don't drink at all or smoke.

I've two dogs and I walk them separately and have recently been tacking a few extra minutes into each walk.

Rev

jetplane wrote: »

OP have you had bereavement counselling? I imagine you have tried to get on with your life but grief can manifest itself in many ways and many years later. Give it some consideration, two and a half years after my mother died I was having panic attacks so bad I couldn't breathe. GP arranged bereavement counselling, I said it wasn't grief, I thought the GP was wrong, it was hard but it was a revelation and eight weeks later it was like a weight had lifted.

I have. I had six sessions (you're only entitled to 6 sessions. Understandable given how busy they are). I thought they were marvellous and I did find it really helpful.


Loosing my mum was and still is having a massive impact. I don't know my father and have no siblings. I'd been her carer my entire life. Then she was gone.

Rev

theoretica wrote: »

It is worth noting that anxiety and depression can have medical/physical causes, including things like anaemia or food intolerances that are usually fairly straightforward to deal with once identified. I hope your doctor has taken this possibility into account.

Thanks. I wasn't aware of that. I'll be making an appointment ASAP anyway so will ask her if we can take a look at that too.

Huskyrunner

Rev wrote: »

Thank you for the reply.


I'm on mertazipine for the depression and propranolol for the anxiety. I've been on the anti depressants for a while now but the propranalol is new. The doctor explained it has a few uses and helping anxiety is one of them. Also slowing the heart rate which is a medical problem I have (my resting heart rate is 130ish) so it was given to also help slow that. But it seems to be causing me shortness of breath so I'll talk to her about those you've mentioned when I go back.


I don't have a single thing that causes me worry. I did, like yourself it was the weather (rain mostly) and it just seemed to spiral from there to the point where it's everything and anything.



Will have a search for those books! Thanks.

Yes i can totally understand several things you mentioned especially the gp bit, i have being under the same gp for years. I have myself have being functioning for around 6-7 years on and off, i have had periods of 3-4 months where i have being okay then 5-6 months where i have being on the bottom. My gp hasnt being at all helpful, i had too get a medical report from axa via work before he would refer me too a psychiatrist. This is after a family friend said i didnt have depression, a psychiatric nurse with no training lol my nugget of a gp still wouldnt refer me. My gps solution is try this med then get me back then oh right thats not working try this one. In 6-7 years i have being on nearly every antidepressant under the son.

My question would be rev how long have you being on the mirtzapine and do you really think its working. I know its hard going out etc from what your post said, exercise will really really help. Going too a gym 30mins of weights or cardio etc will help trust me. It doesnt have too cost a fortune either theres plenty of budget gyms these days exercise for less, pure gym, lifestyle fitness etc all 10-20 quid a month.

Try an omega 3 fish oil supplement too, this can help. Studies have shown fishoil and omega 3 capsules have helped with the release and distribuation of serotonin in the brain.

Google fish oil and depression and have a read

Sorry too sound like a pest but i got that sick of my gp and the looney sertraline effects i nearly packed everything in meds wise and went for the herbal/exercise route but then luckily work came in and helped loads.

re meds whatever anyone is saying continue with what your on till you have spoke with your doc.
I was on sertraline until recently but i came off it recently and i feel better 200mg sertraline made me paranoid and i had suicidal thoughts that bad my other half took 3 days off work as i couldnt be left alone.

Primrose

Practice deep breathing multiple times a day. Breathe in for 5 seconds, hold for 5 seconds, bresthe out for 5 seconds. You will yawn a lot but it has a calming effect.

At the end of each day before you go to sleep, remind yourself of all the things you worried about. Did they happen? No they didn't! If you get into this habit you will slowly start to recognise that many of your fears are over exaggerated and they will start to occupy a lower profile in your mind.

When your mum was alive you had other preoccupations which kept yiur wnxieties at bay. Try slowly to fill your life with other positive activities to fill this gap. While your mind is engaged in positive activities there will be less time to brood over darker issues.

These anxious states don,t change overnight but if you practice positive techniques, you will gradually seize back the initiative and be able to control the situation rather than it controlling you. Get down to your local library and borrow some books on Cognitive Behaviour therapy. Learning some basic coping techniques on adopting an alternative form of reasonng for the issues which are depressing you will also help. Good luck,