Techniques to reduce anxiety?

[marty]

So, if any of you read my last couple of posts in the main CS forum, you'll know that I've been kind of losing it lately. Last wednesday I completely snapped and had myself a nice little miniature nervous breakdown, complete with uncontrollable crying, shaking, and after that, a complete emotional shutdown into zombie-mode--all at work. So thursday I went to the counseling services at my University and it was decided for the moment that I'm having terrible anxiety issues--anxiety that's not necessarily caused by anything (I can pinpoint some problems, but other times it's just there without provocation). It cripples me mentally and emotionally when I have attacks.

So that was the first time I've ever been to counseling or therapy for anything, though I've had problems in the past; it just came to a breaking point this time. I've never been on any sort of medication and I kind of want to avoid that. I'm good at dealing with my problems, but I'm terrible at letting the problems go even after they're solved.

And here's the question. Anyone know of any good ways to reduce anxiety? I won't be able to see the therapist again until after Thanksgiving, so any suggestions that I can try are welcome.

[worddork]

I have only ever had panic attacks, normally at night while trying to sleep. However I found that by writing down what has me worried and is freaking me out helps alot. It gets things out in the open and gives you a new way to look at it.

I don't know if this will help you, but it couldn;t hurt and may give you somethings to talk about when you next see the conselor.

[RetailWorkhorse]

I beat the shit out of stuff when I don't have anything to blow up.


Edit: unfortunately, I can't find out who thought this kind of therapy up.

[Der Cute]

Anxiety - It's a fun critter to try and work with. I speak because I was diagnosed with GAD - general anxiety disorder. Kind of a blanket anxiety.


Do you know what an SFTB is?
Situation
Feeling
Thought
Behavior


When you feel....off....anything away from normal....try it.

What is the situation?

My kitty died

Feeling about it? (any freaking emo that runs thru your head pertaining to issue)
anger, sadness, loss, depressed, happy, satisfied, calm, upset.....anything

Thoughts about it (any thoughts that runs thru your head here)
gdmf cat why'd you die
I miss you girly
oh baby, you wont be home when I'm home
damn vet this cost too much
i wish you were here
hope you feel better
tuck me in tonite please

Behavior (the things you DO when this situation happens)
cry scream growl bawl stomp feet stare wish long walk


start this up in a log or journal.
Dates and times, and keep a cross reference for your period/hormones too!!!

This way when you start your counseling, you may be able to pinpoint some problems you've got OR the places that trigger OR the situations you hate the most.


Good luck

[Sliceanddice]

i saw going to say something but i just realize my antianxiety technquies (not all of them though) are NSFW

[RetailWorkhorse]

i saw going to say something but i just realize my antianxiety technquies (not all of them though) are NSFW

I'm guessing sex.

[edible_hat]

Meditation... 10 to 30 minutes a day. No need for mantras or the lotus position, just sit or lie comfortably and count your breaths. Every time you find your thoughts wandering, go back to focusing on your breathing and counting.

http://moodgym.anu.edu.au/welcome works wonders in the long term as you progress through the course.

Medication can be useful BUT you need to use it with other techniques. Taking pills for the rest of your life is not a cure.

[lupo pazzesco]

Four count breathing works for me when I feel my anxiety setting in.

Inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for four. Repeat 3 times. On the fourth, after the hold count, exhale sharply as fast as you can.

I'm also big on guided imagery. What works for me is imagining I'm a tree. I sit, do the four count breathing, and imagine my roots are going deep into the earth, the sun is beating warmly down on my back, soothingly. Nothing can startle a deep rooted tree. And when I hit the fast sharp exhale, I imagine a gust of wind rustling my leaves, blowing away all the negative residue, and sending it flying away from me.

It sounds silly, but it works for me. And I've been dealing with anxiety and panic attacks for at least a decade. (I realize I sound like I'm a Jedi master of anxiety, but I'm not. I've just been riddled with it since I hit my teenage years for various reasons, and these techniques are what work for me. Hope they help!!)


ETA: I write stuff down, too, like worddork mentions. Everything that's been bothering me, pissing me off, etc. But after I've written it down, I burn the pages, going back to the breathing exercises. I visualize that as the pages burn, so do all the worries/stressors, etc. Again, it's just something that works for me, personally.

[Sliceanddice]

I'm guessing sex.

well yes but personal massage, cutting, crying (good crying i re read things that make me cry or watch sad movies) screaming, its just my anti axiety is also stupid adult swim games

[KiaKat]

I definitely feel you. I've struggled with anxiety and depression for most of my life, to the point where they misdiagnosed me as ADD when I was six.

I find mindless puzzle games on the internet (both JT's Blocks at Yahoo Games, or Hedgehog Lauch/Antbuster at ArmorGames work well), and yoga both work very well. Grab an instructional tape from Amazon and have at it. Usually a half hour will do it for me.

Meditation, also, although I need to be either outside in a patch of grass or in a quiet room to do it - living in a city doesn't make that easy.

[MrSmiley]

And here's the question. Anyone know of any good ways to reduce anxiety? I won't be able to see the therapist again until after Thanksgiving, so any suggestions that I can try are welcome.

I've been visiting my own therapist and it's hard to summarize a bunch of general knowledge and exercise into a forum post but I'll try: What I've learned which seems to work is a visualization (and a vocal component so I don't just skim over my own thoughts) of myself at my favorite place in the world, e.g. a place that's instantly calming to me. Closing one's eyes and acknowledging feelings of stress and pain in the body also helps... not fighting it, not trying to make it feel better but simply acknowledging it.

But yeah, probably reading it above in my shorthand makes it all sound silly...

[JoitheArtist]

Four count breathing works for me when I feel my anxiety setting in.

Inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for four. Repeat 3 times. On the fourth, after the hold count, exhale sharply as fast as you can.

I'll second that. Breathing always helps me settle down. I use this one:

1. Breathe in through your nostrils for four counts, filling first your diaphragm area, then the upper part of your lungs.

2. Hold the breath for 7 counts.

3. Exhale for 8 counts, as evenly as you can, expelling the air from the top of your lungs first, then the rest of the air.

Three repetitions of that, and I can feel myself relax and calm down.

[auntiem]

Would you be adverse to working with a hypnotherapist? A good one can help you establish a "safe place" and give you a physical tap in point - for example, when you start to feel anxious if you touch your thumb and forefinger together you'll get a calming feeling like being in your "safe place" during a session. It works well and is very subtle to the people around you.

I'm not a doctor and don't play one on tv - but any chance your blood pressure is a factor in the anxiety? I ask because I have the bp of a giraffe and (pre meds) when I got all worked up my blood pressure would shoot up and I'd get all shaky and sick feeling and it took forever to calm down. I know you don't want to do meds (neither did I) but I was given one pill who job is "to protect my heart from evil humors" and that has done wonders. Now at work, when certain situations like a pilot's strike happens these pills actually do their little job like champs and I can sail thru unshaken.

[blas]

This is what I do to help myself relax. I totally understand how you feel, marty. After my nervous breakdown at work, I started doing breathing exercises every time I found my heart pounding out of control, sweat starting at my temples, and that shaky pins and needles feeling in my fingertips.

I go tanning. Yes, I know it's bad, but it makes my skin look darker and nice, and laying in that bed is so relaxing. I go almost every morning after work, when I most need to relax.

I exercise. Every day. And when I'm the most angry and about to lose it, or really sad, I talk to myself while I'm on my Gazelle. Within what seems like a matter of minutes, I've been on there for 30 minutes and burned 300 calories.

I have a journal on my Micorosoft word. I kept a journal at work for a while, too.

[TealJellyfish]

I suffer from Anxiety and I am the same in that I prefer not to take medication for it as well as my depression.

Everyone suggestions so far have been really good.

The breathing exercises are extremely good when you are feeling overwhelmed (i.e an actual panic attack) Also the diary suggestion is a good one for helping when you do go back to therapist.

I have found that over the years I feel better if the space around me (my room) is in order so I tend to clean alot when stressed/anxious. I guess its that old saying "an untidy room is the sign of an untidy mind" Not sure if this would help you but maybe worth a shot to at least keep your anxiety in your own home down and so you have a comfy place to come home to.

The other thing I would suggest is regular exercise if you dont already (someone suggested Yoga) Endorphines being good for you and all that jazz. I tend to take long walks.

Its a lot of trial and error finding what works for you. Good Luck and if you feel the need to talk to someone who understands (sounds like there are alot of us here!) feel free to PM me and ill give you my MSN or Gmail accounts.

[Shangri-laschild]

First off, good job about the therapist. I've been seeing one for about a year and a half and if you can find one that's right for you, it's amazing how much it helps.

Make a list of things that make you happy. There are certain shows I watch or books I read that just sort of zen me out. Certain websites with enough cute or amusing things on them that I can distract myself for a bit. Make your own personal list of those things.

Breathing has been mentioned on here. I'd say try it. It doesn't work for me, but it does work for a lot of people.

Work on learning to notice when the anxiety is starting to be a problem so you can try to cut it off before it even starts. I'll admit, this isn't always the easiest thing but it gets easier as you go.

Usually if it's just the anxiety, it's about the distracting yourself till that feeling leaves.

[PizzaDrone]

One thing I was told to do is something a little like meditation I suppose. Anyways, what you do is you think of:

5 things in the room you can see
4 things in the room you can feel
3 things in the room you can hear
2 things in the room you can smell
1 thing in the room you can taste.

Is more for distraction, really, but can take you out of a moment by being totally in the moment. I find it very helpful as it takes a relatively small amount of time...and no one needs to know that you're doing it.

[marty]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I quit my job and my appointment for therapy is monday morning. I have some money saved up so I could, and my mom's going to help me out some too if I need it. Here's to hoping I can find ways to shut my brain off when I need to!

[TheDeliGuy]

I get really aggravated at work having to deal with idiotic customers so what I've started doing is deep breathing exorcises sometimes while I'm helping the customer at that moment.
I've found out that it does help calm my nerves, and it's a form of meditation.