What techniques do you use?

[Chicken_Wings]

I’ve found that I catch myself with my shoulders up around me ears, clenching my jaw and basically every other part of my body.

so I was wondering what everyone does to relax?

I try to catch myself and take some deep breathes, but it doesn’t take long to tense up again. Being tense is really tiring.

[Quercus]

Hi Chicken Wings 😊

Sorry you had to wait a little for a reply. How have you been managing? Have you found anything other than breathing that helps you?

I have a little list of things to try (sometimes they work for me and sometimes not).

• Massage. I don't like touch so generally one of those foot bath things works. Or rolling a tennis ball under my feet.
• A long soak in a bath with some radox, a cuppa and a good book.
• Exercise.
• Listening to music in headphones with my eyes closed.
• Working in the garden.
• Stretching (I don't do yoga but others swear by it).
• Sex.
• Guided meditation cds or mindfulness apps.
• Lying down on the grass in the sun. Sun and fresh air in general.
• Sleep.
• Medication (a lot of these things didn't work for me well until I had gone to my psychiatrist and gotten some help).
• Therapy. Talking about what is upsetting you. Even if its over a coffee with a friend get some of the stress out.
• Reflexology. My friend told me once there is a reason people pinch the top of their nose when they're stressed. Pressure points work.
• Dencorub cream or tiger balm. Sometimes I just put a little on my neck and shoulders just because it feels good. Same goes for icepacks and heat bags. Sometimes I find just the warmth or cool is enough.
• Manage pain. If I am sore I tense. The more I tense the worse I feel. So if I need pain management I try not to put it off.
• Cool eye compresses. When I am anxious I feel a lot of pressure behind my eyes. If I leave it I end up with a headache. A cold compress or icepack wrapped in a tea towel really does help me.

I hope even one thing here resonates with you. Would love to hear how you are going. And also if others have more ideas.

Nat

[Scotty2013]

Hi chicken wings does any medication help?, Try watching a movie so the thoughts give you a rest...

[Ggrand]

Hi , Chicken Wings, Quercus, Scotts,

I enjoyed reading through your list Quercus, I'll rewrite them out in my journal for future reference so they are handy for me to read then try.

I also have a favourite remedy I use,

I soak a hand towel in cold water the put a few drops of eucalyptus oil onto it. The I place it on the back of my neck and over the shoulders, The coolness helps me with stress headaches and the eucalyptus oil, I just like the freshness of it fragrance.

Kind thoughts,

Grandy

[Chicken_Wings]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

what a list Quercus, that’s quite a list! I’ve tried a few of those, so far watching something light hearted, having a nice shower and trying to do something active have been the most successful for me.

I find breathing techniques tough, they work for a while but eventually it’s doing something else that really calms me.

Scotty, I’m scared of most medications, so taking something to calm me ironically more anxious.

Grandy, that’s a nice suggestion. I do like a cool towel when I’m tense so I’ll try a few drops of oil next time.

[Quercus]

Hi Chicken Wings,

Ah yeah sorry lists are my thing... I went a bit overboard. Ah well at least you found some use to it, GGrand too which is great.

Exercise is a good one. I bought a crosstrainer so even if it was 3am I could listen to music and run. Has been a godsend.

Oooh eucalyptus oil. Love that idea. I usually just put it in the water when I rinse the tiles. It makes the whole house smell fresh and makes me feel good.

Am curious though CW... What are you nervous about with medications? No pressure to answer of course.

Nat

[startingnew]

Hi 🙂

great list Quercus! and everyone has great suggestions!

what comes to mind for me is besides what others have written is an exercise called Progressive Muscular Relaxation (PMR)

PROGRESSIVE MUSCULAR RELAXATION (PMR)
.A person can practice this
technique by either sitting or lying down in a comfortable spot. The key to the relaxation process is taking some deep breaths and then proceeding to tense, then relax a group of muscles in a systematic order. One can start with the head and move down to the neck,
shoulders, etc or can start with the feet and legs and proceedaccordingly. The goal of the process is to cause deeper relaxation to the body than by simply attempting to relax


Sit in a comfortable position, with eyes closed. Take a few deep breaths, expanding your belly as you breathe air in and contracting it as you exhale.

Begin at the top of your body, and go down. Start with your head, tensing
your facial muscles, squeezing your eyes shut, puckering your mought
and clenching your jaw. Hold, then release and breathe.

Tense as you lift your shoulders to your ears, hold, then release and
breathe.

Make a fist with your right hand, tighten the muscles in your lower and
upper arm, hold, then release. Breathe in and out. Repeat with left
hand.

Concentrate on your back, squeezing shoulder blades together. Hold, then
release. Breathe in and out.

Suck in your stomach, hold, then release. Breath in and out.

Clench your buttocks, hold, then release. Breathe in and out.

Tighten your right haamstring, hold then release. Breathe in and out. Repeat
with left hamstring.

Flex your right calf, hold, then release. Breathe in and out. Repeat with left calf.

Tighten toes on your right foot, hold, then release. Breathe in and out. Repeat with left foot.

For more coping strategies type in your search bar 'COPING STRATEGIES' theres my own thread and a few others(i think) that you could get some more idea on too

[Chicken_Wings]

I’m going to give that a try Startingnew!

Quercus, the list was great! I don’t really know when it started but my fear about medications is about what it might do to me. How I might react.

I worry that I will take something and not be in control.

[startingnew]

i am a high risk patient, so when im given medications i am only given a weeks worth of each medication. and sometimes only 3 days worth. when talking to your gp about medications, its ok to express your concerns with them too and say if they could do weekly dosaes until your more comfortable and become more stable.

[Sophie_M]

Hi everyone, we already have a pinned thread at the top of this section called Self help tips for managing anxiety, which is one of our most highly visited threads.  It's really helpful for those seeking advice like this that we keep it all in one place, so we're going to close this off.  

Some of the advice provided here may already have been posted in that thread, but if you would like to help our visitors out by reading through and adding any techniques you use that haven't been covered, that would be much appreciated:

Self help tips for managing anxiety