Tips to help ride the wave of anxiety/depression

[Ymeee]

Good morning everyone,

My name is Patricia (Trish for short). I’m a person that used to be laid back, relaxed. Growing up  not much used to worry me. Yeah, I had the occasional nervous (butterfly feelings) in the pit of my stomach, but I used to have a carefree attitude, growing up. I was able to control my nervous feelings. but of recently, I’m finding now, that the tactics I used to use are no longer working. I would like to ask the community on beyond blue a question? What do you do to help your anxiety/depression? I understand that not everything works for everyone. I found that having a “timeout” used to work for me in the past, but now it seems to be not as effective as it used to be. I’d really love to start a discussion with the members on this site, just to see how people like myself overcome things like panic attacks. So if you would like to join into the discussion it please feel free to reply to this message. 

[white knight]

Hi Trish, welcome

I'm 66yo and among my mental health issues was anxiety and I got rid of it. t took 22 years as it is a serious disorder. Often anxiety is downplayed but can have far reaching consequences. 

Anxiety imo needs a multi pronged approach to cure. Changes can include-

• learning meditation
• removal of toxic people from your life
• change of career/workplace/hours of work (no shift work)
• Effective sleep pattern (a sleep study is sometimes needed)
• Get a pet
• Include a new hobby or sport
• Find a suitable spirituality
• attend motivation lectures

Growing up in a calm state is great but life changes and we become more aware of obstacles and reality or mortality for example.

https://forums.beyondblue.org.au/t5/anxiety/anxiety-how-l-eliminated-it/td-p/183873

Eg A friend told me he listens to Pre Rawat "Maharaji, a guru that I have now followed for 30+ years. His youtube videos are amazing.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhrtbBrMQ1Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3aFh7OJMNA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X30sWycWz4o

And many more he has on Youtube.

TonyWK

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[tmas]

I found that (for me) the best things for panic attack symptoms are:

1. removing myself from an environment/change of scenery. I've had anxiety my whole life, even as a child, and honestly just move to a different room. Sit outside if possible (sun is grounding, though it's rare in 2022), change something about the environment. I'm a very sensory-sensitive person, so this can mean getting away from a noise, light, sound, or person making it worse. Go to a "safe place" (for me, my bed - physically soft, sure, but this is also dependent on proper sleep hygiene, not working in my bed, avoid laying in it during the day). If I feel myself in a rut, I sometimes need to just move somewhere else, stand/sit, turn off/on the music, take my jumper off. This includes leaving a conversation. Within reason.

2. breathing - this doesn't have to be a whole big exercise, just a small behaviour. I used to have severe and daily panic attacks - they'd last an hour+ or never fully stop for the rest of the day. If you're hyperventilating (even slightly, where it's not visible but your heart rates up) it can help to breathe in, hold your breath for as long as is comfortable, and breathe out deeply - alternatively, breathe into something dense like a jumper (paper bag effect), and NOT through your mouth if you can. Too much oxygen in the brain can make the feeling worse, as well as cause that awful blotchy vision and tingling feeling.

3. If you're already tingling/limbs or face going numb, massaging, moving, or warming your extremities with a heat pack or warm water can help, but don't burn yourself. It can be hard to tell how hot something is if you're cold and clammy, so just be conservative with this. 

4. adjust expectations. If you feel overwhelmed, not even panicking yet, start doing the things that help you calm down asap. Don't wait until you're fully panicking, it's harder to get through at that point. Don't try to "push through", it ultimately is to your detriment. Let it happen - you've done it before and you will probably have to do it again, and it sucks. But you should be kind to yourself, as you would to any other person. Talk about the feeling with someone as it's happening. See professionals when it interferes with your quality of life - a GP should discuss options such as a mental health plan.