Did someone say NERVOUS?

[I_D_T]

Today I am really struggling to deal with the overwhelming sense of nervousness I am experiencing. I have tried to keep away from others today at uni because I feel so irritable and don't feel I can make the effort to make polite conversation. I'm teary and restless and don't know what to do. I would normally go the gym when I feel like this, which I probably will do, but I have a history of an eating disorder driven by my anxiety, so I have to be careful. I can't concentrate enough to do my uni work and this stresses me out more. Sometimes I just wake up feeling like this and all I can do is hope it goes away soon. I do mindfulness on occasion but find it hard to stick to a routine. I will try some breathing techniques to see if that works. Have others found something that helps them when they feel like this? 

[white knight]

Hi IDT, welcome to beyond blue forums

Anxiety is more inground than some realise. Not matter where it originated from, its there and you have to deal with it.

As with many things in life we need to investigate it, understand it, accept we have it then treat it.

So - our GP is the first point of call. Some people will say "I want to treat it myself without meds". It's their call but are they playing around with what is a serious condition?

To understand anxiety we have to do things to combat it. Relaxation techniques do work. I'm living proof. My anxiety is totally gone but it took 25 years of a mix of meds, those relaxation techniques (deep breathing, therapy and muscle tensioning exercises which I swear by). We treat ourselves like machines that can continue at fast pace all the time but even machines need a service.

Acceptance- to acknowledge our anxiety as with other mental illnesses might be with us a long long time. Consider managing it rather than a full recovery. And realising anxiety is very common. We are not all perfect. This is us.

Take the view also that we have our off days. In your case you'll miss the odd day of uni but in the big picture it isnt the end of your career. If and when some people working full time take more sick days than they have allocated to them every year due to their mental state then its time to seek part time work to allow them to recover enough to work those working days with less days off.

It means accepting they cannot work full time. Acknowledging their illness is too serious that they are not a 100% healthy human. Thats the way it is.

Dial all this info into your life. Other people have to manage getting children off to school every day, some nurse elderly parents and balance working, you at this stage have to come to grips with anxiety and planning your life a little differently.

You'll also find many threads here that you can read on the topic.    Take care  Tony WK

[romantic_thi3f]

Hi I.D.T

Thanks for reaching out to BB.  I'm sorry that you are going through a tough time right now and will try and make some suggestions to help.  I think it's great that you've started to look at mindfulness and breathing.

Try and remember that because you aren't familiar with it, it's not going to come naturally straight away.  I know when I started doing mindfulness I just thought how stupid it seemed and couldn't commit to it.  But then I started doing it for just little bits at a time (like a minute or so) and gradually increased it so that it became easier and easier.

Sometimes people will find different techniques that work for them- like yoga, drawing, listening to podcasts or music - anything that can help the brain wind down a little.

Here is a BB file if you want to have a look : https://www.beyondblue.org.au/docs/default-source/senseability/relaxation-techniques.pdf?sfvrsn=2

Another thing that helped me is trying to identify the triggers and your thinking patterns.  Sometimes a therapist or a counsellor can help with this.  Remembering that you can only take it one step at a time and you can only do what you can do. It's important to have a community either of friends or someone that you feel comfortable with.

Best, 🙂

[Narniakid]

Hi IDT!

I am sorry to hear you're having a tough time, however I applaud you on reaching out for help here on the forums.

Are you seeing a psychologist or a councellor? I cannot stress enough how important it is to seek professional help - some people want to avoid the medication, but believe me, once your GP and psych pinpoint the root of your problem, they can offer a range of treatments for you. Breathing techniques are excellent for when you feel anxiety welling up, and I find music very helpful as well (personally, 1989 by Taylor Swift is excellent at lowering my anxiety levels).

I find that sleep affects my anxiety levels majorly - I'm studying radio, and recently I haven't been getting enough sleep, and I've found that my anxiety levels skyrocket when I'm exhausted. Make sure you remember to look after yourself physically as well as mentally, because they affect each other.

Have a read of some of the brilliant resources on anxiety BB has to offer.

Good luck, and believe in yourself! Your anxiety doesn't define you 🙂

Crystal

[smoothdog]

Hey I.D.T 🙂

Firstly, good job for reaching out here on BB. It's not an easy thing to do but it's a step in the right direction!

From your post, self-awareness is definitely your strong suit. You've acknowledged the problem, its effects and even some possible solutions. In answer to your question, those above me have already put forward some fantastic suggestions in the form of meditation practices and adequate sleep. For me, I find that regular exercise and mindfulness practices are my go-to for keeping my nervousness at bay. When it comes to gym, having a gym buddy and a structured workout plan definitely helps motivate me to keep it going.

As for mindfulness, it is less about a schedule like gym but rather living with a mindful mindset. Focusing on the present, appreciating the little things and addressing problems as they rise one at a time - a mindful mindset like this can help eliminate the nervousness you (and I both) feel because it gives control over one's life and the emotions it evokes. As much as I love to talk about it and advocate for it, I'm not exactly a mindfulness guru 😛 so I highly recommend checking out livingwell.org and learning a bit more about it.

Lastly, just know that you're not alone in this. Friends, family, your local GP, school counsellor and us here at BB are here to support you to kick nervousness in the butt 😉

If you ever feel like a chat, your friendly neighbourhood smoothdog is always up for a chat!

[I_D_T]

Thank you all so much for your suggestions and support - I am glad I joined the forum. I had been thinking about it for a while  but didn't take the plunge until now... I am seeing a psychologist who I clicked with really well but moved four hours away for uni...I have a good GP here and we decided to find a new psychologist closer so I can see them often in the meantime. It seems like such a simple thing to do and I don't know why I didn't do it before. I guess you only change things when you begin to become really affected. I am still playing around with medications to see which work for me and I will make an effort to pay attention to my thought patterns and triggers.

Thank you all again.