I think anxiety differs from person to person, for me I never had it until I had my little boy which then I got postnatal depression & serve anxiety, my escape was cleaning... id be in floods of tears if I was unable to clean which looking back now was ridiculous, I remember one night staying up untill 3am scrubbing my floors which then resulted in me being exhausted & suffering from migranes. Anyway... with a year of councilling I have it under much better control , I dont think it goes away you just learn to deal with it abit better.
New to Tattle Life? Click "Order Thread by Most Liked Posts" button below to get an idea of what the site is about:
When I'm on the edge and starting to feel an attack coming on I found it useful to do the 5,4,3,2,1 mind exercise.
I too have acknowledged that I can no longer get on a plane to go on holiday or go in a lift. My anxiety is linked to feelings of claustrophobia, the problem is that when I'm really bad just a closed door in the house can trigger off an attack. Luckily my other half is understanding and I work from home so don't have to stress about being in an office with other people.
- 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. ...
- 3: Acknowledge THREE things you hear. ...
- 2: Acknowledge TWO things you can smell. ...
- 1: Acknowledge ONE thing you can taste.
I too have acknowledged that I can no longer get on a plane to go on holiday or go in a lift. My anxiety is linked to feelings of claustrophobia, the problem is that when I'm really bad just a closed door in the house can trigger off an attack. Luckily my other half is understanding and I work from home so don't have to stress about being in an office with other people.
I get a bout of anxiety once a year (genuinely without fail) when university/school/college finishes for the summer. Even though I'm now in my twenties, this has never stopped and I have such bad anxiety for a few weeks after I finish education (off my food or massive appetite and it changes day to day, insomnia, lack of concentration) and it's so deliberating! I had to seek help last year because it was really beginning to effect me and the doctor gave some really useful advice - try and do an hour of exercise outside everyday, listen to soothing sounds before bed, turn electronics off an hour before you try to sleep (I say goodnight to whoever and put my phone face down on don't disturb) and - this is more for the specific cause of my anxiety - start a hobby or volunteer. I've got to admit using those tips really helps me! But anxiety is so individual (like mine is from lack of focus I'm just wired to be a worker lol) you just have to try a concoction of things to find what soothes you. It's not nice, hope everyone keeps safe in these times xx
Mine started after university literlaly as soon as summer began I felt in complete limbo xx
It's honestly a few days after my last exam/last lecture. I find it so difficult - and usually I have work or a full time position to go into but atm I'm furloughed so it's a whole different ballpark. Feeling a lot better though going into the weekend xx
It’s like the wave hits you as you’ve been so busy with deadlines then u suddenly stop x
I think it's the adrenaline that keeps you going for so long and then it's gone and you're literally exhausted which doesn't help with the anxiety.
Oh definitely this!! I think I thrive on pressure (which is so weird to say because I'll deffo have a few breakdowns if pushed far enough) but it gives me focus & routine and my brain is wired for that imo
I’ve had CBT and EMDR treatment. I’ve found the one thing I’ve hung onto is closing my eyes and taking myself to a safe space in my head from when I was young. It’s me aged about 7 in a white dress in a field with long grass and flowers, it’s sunny and breezy, and I’m looking at the windmill over the way.
Sounds mental I know but it works.
Other than that propranol or whatever it’s called but I’d rather not take them x
Sounds mental I know but it works.
Other than that propranol or whatever it’s called but I’d rather not take them x
CBD oil has helped me with anxiety.
does anyone get physical symptoms? i get lightheaded and feel like i’m gonna pass out and short of breath, also body aches, my doctor said it’s anxiety but i’m worried it’s something else.
Yes feel like I’m having a heart attack, pouring in sweat but I go stone cold. It’s horrible x
I get physical symptoms- the heart racing and lightheaded but if it’s going to be a particularly bad panic attack I get really itchy.
I use this too to stop a panic attack when I feel it coming on! Really good way to distract your mind.
I’ve battled anxiety and panic disorder for ten years. At its worst, I struggled to even leave the house or get on a bus.
I would 100% reccomend therapy. I went private because I was at my wits end and had CBT, EMDR therapies and general counselling - I saw my therapist for about 7-8 months on a regular basis and by the end of it I was like a different person.
Still struggle with anxiety sometimes but nothing compared to what it used to be! Lifestyle plays a huge part in managing it for me. Below are things that help me:
- eating a balanced diet. If I have too much sugar it can make me feel jittery, same with caffeine, I didn’t drink caffeine for a few years.
- exercise!! Start small with a walk or a bike ride or try and work your way up to something like jogging or gym classes. The endorphins are so good for combating an anxious day!
- try and get a good nights sleep. Lack of sleep is one of the things that will definitely set me off.
- Reduce alcohol or avoid completely. If I have a big night I know I might suffer with anxiety the next day, as a result I’ve reduced my drinking to once a month or so for special occasions but have considered cutting it out completely!
- Avoid recreational drugs, might seem obvious but I know how common things like coke are in social settings. Drugs affect the part of your brain that is responsible for depression and anxiety and can severely worsen it - it’s honestly not even worth it! Peer pressure can be difficult but my friends know about my anxiety and would never offer me anything or care if I don’t join in.
- Talk about it! Don’t be ashamed or embarrassed. It’s more common than you think and getting it off your chest when you feel anxious will alleviate some of the tension and stress you’re holding on to.
I hope you all feel better soon - anxiety is the worst!
Yeah, racing heart, hyperventilating, feeling dizzy, stomach churning, tightness in chest, pins and needles in hands, shaking, sweating. One of my worst panic attacks I had nausea to the point of retching which was horrible
Key thing to remember during a panic attack is you are very unlikely to faint! Your body is in fight or flight so it’s preparing you to fight / run away (like we are still cavemen and women) so you are extra alert and not going to faint.
Light headed feeling is usually from the quicker breathing - too much oxygen. Try pushing your stomach out when you inhale - the equivalent of breathing into a paper bag without the bag, helps reduce oxygen intake.
yes I have physical symptoms so just my day to day anxiety I have a knot in my stomach and my heart can race now and again through out the day depending on if I get stressed etc like if a door slams I get a sudden horrible spike of nerves thru my body stuff like that
then when I have a panic attack which thankfully isn’t too often... it’s just god awful I feel so so so nauseous and sometimes throw up ....legs shake.... sweat.... just feel terrified .... takes me a few days to feel right again and get my apetite back x
If you can afford it, I'd highly recommend giving therapy a go. I made that my priority last year and it helped a lot. It doesn't go away magically and I'm sorry to say that I've vastly underestimated how draining therapy would be at least in the beginning, but I don't regret it.
For actual moments of anxiety, I'd recommend finding something that completely catches your attention and keeping that as an emergency save. I'm a bad traveler; flights especially do me in so I download some youtube videos and films on my phone to keep my mind occupied when I feel myself succumbing to the feeling. Familiarity helps with my anxiety, so I try to stick with some old videos of youtubers that I've always rewatched, TV show episodes that I've loved and rewatched, books that I know I love and enjoy...
One of the things I've tried to realize was that feelings are feelings - the fact that I'm feeling them doesn't put me in danger or make any of my anxiety thoughts come to life. If I can manage to take myself out of my head a little bit, that helps me at least get through the thing until I have better control. If you are in a situation that you can donthis, writing when I'm feeling anxious distracts me from the feeling and help me manage it more as an audience rather than the lead actor of my panic attack.
For actual moments of anxiety, I'd recommend finding something that completely catches your attention and keeping that as an emergency save. I'm a bad traveler; flights especially do me in so I download some youtube videos and films on my phone to keep my mind occupied when I feel myself succumbing to the feeling. Familiarity helps with my anxiety, so I try to stick with some old videos of youtubers that I've always rewatched, TV show episodes that I've loved and rewatched, books that I know I love and enjoy...
One of the things I've tried to realize was that feelings are feelings - the fact that I'm feeling them doesn't put me in danger or make any of my anxiety thoughts come to life. If I can manage to take myself out of my head a little bit, that helps me at least get through the thing until I have better control. If you are in a situation that you can donthis, writing when I'm feeling anxious distracts me from the feeling and help me manage it more as an audience rather than the lead actor of my panic attack.
yeah sometimes I will zone out to candycrush when feeling anxious it’s just repetitive and distracts me and helps me zone out a bit xxxx
For me some good prescription drugs and exercise. Sleep is also massively important to me and a good support network