Coping strategies for unrelenting anxiety

[Guest_2412]

Hi 

I have been experiencing varying degrees of anxiety and grief  for the past week months. Anxiety has been part of me for 20years.

Normally it eases and goes away eventually. This time it is lingering and getting worse each day. My head is full of “noise” .. not a thought but a discomfort that I can’t shift - I think this must be “anxiety” .. I am a survivor of child abuse and neglect.. now in my 40s… 

I was wondering if others have found they need to adopt different strategies for anxiety over time - my ones of seeing friends, family, community and exercising aren’t working like they once did. Is this normal? What have others done if they’ve reached this point?

[sbella02]

Guest_2412,

Thank you for opening up to us, we appreciate your presence on the forums. Anxiety can be so uncomfortable to deal with, I understand. It's also frustrating when nothing you do seems to work.

It's very normal for different strategies to work and not work at different times. It also depends on what our anxiety is about and where it's coming from, or what exactly you're feeling. I know that when I'm hyperventilating for example, breathing is not the best method of calming my anxiety, and social support or distractions may work. But if my stomach feels off, breathing may help. 

If you're seeing a GP, therapist or psychologist at all, it may also be worth asking them for any professional tips or coping mechanisms that they recommend. 

What other strategies have you tried? What symptoms of anxiety are your most common? We may be able to offer more specific tips based on these factors.

Of course, please continue chatting with us if you feel like it, we're here to help.

Take care, SB