topic Any tips? in Anxiety

Any tips?

Mumofnah — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 11:57:58 GMT

Hi everyone,

so I experienced another attack this evening after dinner for no reason that I can pin point. Had the usual tight chest, short breath, pounding heart, sort of strange feeling as though the blood was rushing from my limbs (hard to explain), trembling, hot & cold and also find it heard to focus or think straight.

i find myself pacing the house trying to find something to keep my mind off what is going on in my body but struggled. Then managed to get myself to stop and lay on the bed and get out the log book that my physiologist told me to record every time I have a attack with: what happened, the rating how intense out of 100%, what I was doing at the time and also I I know what triggered it. After writing my log I noticed I calmed down after about half hour and felt a bit more human.

anyway I would really like to know if anyone has any tips of how to settle myself at the start instead of thinking “oh here we go” and snowballing the feeling by getting anxious that it’s happening!

Any tips?

blondguy — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 12:52:47 GMT

Hi Mumofnah

Welcome and thankyou for your post too!

I understand your anxiety as I used to have the same horrible feelings and they can be awful to experience. I have provided a couple of super helpful Beyond Blue forum links below for you....

You are proactive with your health having a psychologist not to mention having the courage to post too 🙂

The above links contain a wealth of information that I hope is helpful for you

Just as per my own experience....looking for a 'trigger' doesnt really help a great deal as it could be anything that causes our anxiety

I really hope you can post back..as you mentioned above writing about your anxiety is an excellent idea

my kind thoughts....Paul

Any tips?

romantic_thi3f — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 00:34:56 GMT

Hello mumofnah,

Thank you for your post. This is a great question! Total sidenote: I love your profile picture - while I have to look sideways it looks very calming 🙂

You mentioned when it started you were trying to find something to keep your mind off your body - this can be an excellent cue to stop and sit. You know from experience that pacing around the house didn't work, and you know from experience that sitting on the bed and writing did. Even sitting on the bed can be helpful, because it's a way of checking in with yourself and saying "hey, I know these feelings and I don't have to try and run away from them".

The other thing you might like to try is regular check ins with yourself. If during your attack you were at 100%, what are you now just reading this reply? This is something that I find helps me - because it encourages me to notice when I'm starting to get a little bit higher and implement some strategies. It's okay if this takes time to do though. It's all about finding what works for you.

I hope this helps

Any tips?

Mumofnah — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 01:18:47 GMT

Hello blond guy,

thank you for all the info👍. And kind thoughts.

I still haven’t settled completely from last nights attack I can still feel my heart pounding at times and just uneasy in stomach like hunger pains but sick at the same time! Very weird.

I have actually checked out both of those forums and find it comforting that I’m not alone and a few things to try.

i hate that I will be doing so well then out of no where I get an attack it’s like one step forward three back at times.....grrrr

i am working super hard at trying to change my thinking when I’m in the thick of an attack but still freak out. I think all the other feelings I get I could handle but the pounding heart sends me over the top every time. But in saying that, I think I am slowly getting better at bringing myself back down quicker and the peak isn’t lasting as long.

I have such a long way to go but will never give up and determine.