SELF HELP TIPS FOR MANAGING ANXIETY

[AGrace]

Hi Everyone,

Here are some ideas for helping you manage symptoms of anxiety. Feel free to add to the list, or let us know what works for you...

Mindfulness – Grounding exercises: noticing your environment, bodily sensations, and breath

Progressive Muscle Relaxation – Creating a Tension and Release effect with all the muscles in the body

Opposite Actions – By listening to calming music, taking a walk, talking, enjoying sunshine

Safe Place Mental Imagery – Visualising a place where you can go in your mind to feel safe

Calming Affirmations – To help recognise that the moment of panic will pass

Exercise – A valuable way to exhaust excess adrenalin built up in the body

[Moderator's note: this thread is for sharing what has worked for you to manage your anxiety. If you need support to manage your anxiety and would like to discuss this with the community, please start a new thread.

See also:

Anxiety management strategies

Worry worry worry

]

[demonblaster]

Hi everyone including readers 👋 and welcome to the forums Gypsy King and Leonay good to see youse ☺

Leonay it sounds fantastic how far you've come. It's a huge help understanding why isn't it.

Where you've been it's an incredibly hard ride having such extreme mental anguish going on and wanting to end it.
I understand I've been there often and same glad to say I'm still here too.

So good hearing you're starting to get on top of it ☺

Work atm doesn't sound supportive at all what a horrid attitude that boss has but so glad you have a good partner. Supports mammoth at anytime esp in poor mental health (mh).

I think also being out amongst it walking helps being in a bigger area giving our thoughts more focus on surroundings sounds activity and nature which is so calming with it's beauty.

I too am slowly returning to walking I like it a lot. As with you it's helped no end with heavy stress anxiety and very poor mh.
We kind of burn it off I think using our muscles in movement.
Also having to breathe deeper.

Detached mindfulness I feel that's very important.
The thoughts are so annoying they nag something silly don't they.

At times I've managed to let them through by consciously not allowing any more thought on them.

I believe most of our answers are in thought control.
When we can control them to how we want to be thinking and feeling we gain the power.

Art is a powerful tool allowing us to release and create.
Gotta be a good thing and our focus is on something constructive also creating more room in our minds allowing for different thought process

Thank you Leonay for a really good helpful post.
The very best with work hun.

Hope to see you again ☺

You're going really well.
Never doubt... this goes for us all... our ability.

🕊

[Norcam]

Hi Demonblaster. I tried Yoga Nidra out of desperation and can be as short as 10 mins or as long as an hour. It provides an escape from everything and apparently 1 hour is equivalent to 4 hours sleep.

https://balance.media/yoga-nidra-works-improve-sleep/

This has been a crutch for me for around 2 years and has literally changed my life. Even after a poor nights sleep, 20mins of Nidra means I feel no tiredness all day.

Hope this helps others who find themselves in place I was.

Keep up the good work,

[demonblaster]

Hi Norcam posters and readers ☺

Thanks for that it really does sound incredible. I don't know when but I'd like to suss that. Loven 20 mins being equivalent to 4 hrs sleep.

Take care and again thanks for great posts.

Anyones welcome to tell us anything that works for you, potentially that could help multiple people.

We can do this! Too hard if we don't believe we can!

Laters ☺✊

[Liamsi]

Some of the best self help tips I have come across to date...

-exercise!! Nothing helps more than getting my body moving

-getting good sleep! This is so much more important than you think, I actually track my sleep!

- mindfulness/meditation (I know it seems boring and pointless, but trust me, it helps! I recommend the Headspace app)

-spending time, no matter how short or when, to do something you love! You HAVE to make time every single day to do something you love to do. Something purely for fun and for leisure.

[demonblaster]

Liamsi and readers hi ☺

Welcome to the forums and what a great post thanks for that.

I agree with everything you said.

I think sleeps our strongest need for both mental and physical health. Lifes easier with enough, we're at our strongest. It's usually interrupted severely when we're anxious or in poor health which amongst other helps where the rest of your list comes into play.

Excercise releases built up stress. Strengthening our bods and stimulates endorphines. Gives us another focus too

Mindfulness/meditation nope not boring. Possibly some people might find both too hard from word of mouth or trying.

Keep at them I strongly suggest. When we're anxious our minds block to varying degrees but we're still able to learn with practise and perseverance. It's definately worth the time and effort if it's going to help us improve.

We need to not only be aware by being mindful so we can direct our thinking also to be able to relax and be in space that's away from tension through meditation which frees our minds and body from stress allowing clearer and more rational thought.

We know healthy food intake can help and I'm thinking sugar as much as I live for it might have quite a big influence on our mental health (mh). Might look into it sometime. Heard some oh really stuff in patches.

Remember good folk nothing has to be done or mastered overnight. Chances are it's taken many yrs of various stress building up to get where we're at. Times needed to learn and unravel.

There is good knowledge out there and improving.

Anxiety can for the most be managed.

Best to you Liamsi and everyone 👋

🍃

[Kevin John]

Hi all

I have only just joined today.

I have had Depression now for about 9 years . The last 4 years a have been struggling with anxiety as well .

I am seeing a Phycologist not on a regular basis but more of a need to talk sort of thing , it does help but the impact on my work is starting to suffer .

Does anyone have anything they use that does help calm the anxiety?

[Miz]

Hi Kevin,

Welcome to the forums! I'm sorry to hear you've been struggling. Somethings I find that can help with anxiety:

1. Go outside and sit in nature, I find this can be really grounding, especially when you actively focus on the sounds you can hear. Maybe going for a walk to the local park at lunchtime?

2. Excercise is a huge anxiety buster, even just 20 minutes a day can provide relief. The more intense this exercise the better - I know it can be so hard to be motivated and get going but it really does wonders for mental health and can also help you take a break from work.

3. Meditation is great for anxiety. This one is really hard to start on your own so I suggest downloading an app like Headspace and starting with short exercises each day.

Hope that helps, feel free to reach out if you ever need to chat x

[Toni476]

How did you all deal with anxiety around getting the covid vaccine . It’s freaking me out

[demonblaster]

Kevin John Miz and Toni. Hi everyone 😊

Welcome to the forums to the above 3 there and thanks for your posts.

I'll bbl (be back later) sometime to chat more but just a quick reply to Toni.

Quicky question just wondering which part you're anxious about? If it's the actual needle darl it's quite small and barely noticeable.

I think most, if not all meds can have some mild side effects which aren't ott. (Over the top)

I've had both, only a bit of tenderness at the needle spot if laying on it.

All the best everyone ☺

[Kevin John]

Thanks Miz

this Is rely helpful.

im a outdoors kind of guy so will give your suggestions a go

thank you