Anxiety

[ellie]

I suffer from anxiety. Anyone else here struggle with anxiety or have improved their symtoms?

Sorry I'm not feeling like going through all my symtoms, but basically I fear a lot of things, especially talking to people in high authority (which I have discussed in another thread). This is my main concern at the moment.

I would say my symtoms are mounting in a lot of areas and i really want to feel better.

I needs some guidance or feedback.

[Shamou]

Anxiety is a state of mind… like you can be in an empowering state… and you can be in a paralyzing state… a happy state or a depressed one…

And, there is a very specific body posture and breathing pattern that accompany each state that we can be in… all that you have to do is to look at someone… and you can pretty well tell what state he or she is in…

I believe that most everyone will agree with me so far… however, what may be a bit more difficult to believe it that…”by changing our posture… we can change out state.”

When you meet someone who impresses you and provoke anxiety… all you have to do is “adopt the posture of someone who is self-confident and is not impressed by anyone” and the confidence will come in and the anxiety will fly out the window…

Too simple to be true…??? Try it… you’ll be amazed…

.

[Marywang]

There is nothing in this world that should be feared, because fearing won't make any difference. The future is not anyone to predict. Whatever will be will be. So why bother to fear?

Simply treat things that previously made you anxious as other people's matter and just focus on how to deal with it. When I see you are anxious, will I be the same? No, I will only try to figure out how to help you get out of it and I am enjoying the process.

At the same time try praying. And believe in yourself and your prayers. I do praying whenever something I feel is significant in my life is happened. I put all my wishes into my prayers and prayed from my bottom of my heart. Then I feel very happy and confident to face the situation, because I know that things will be just as I wanted.

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by Marywang

There is nothing in this world that should be feared, because fearing won't make any difference. The future is not anyone to predict. Whatever will be will be. So why bother to fear?

You cannot be serious when you say that... only a fool would not have any fear...

The problem is not having fears... the problem is letting that fear paralyze you or stop you from doing the things that you want to do...

.

[m0vingon]

I don't know if this is your experience, but many people who suffer with anxiety find that it's caused by cyclical, catastrophic thinking. Recognizing those thought patterns and challenging them goes a long way.

I you have someone who can help you do this, it would be good. If not, try to look it your concerns from a different perspective. Perhaps pretending that you're hearing those words from a friend or family member and then trying to determine what you'd say to them in response.

Alternatively, there are a lot of dietary changes you can make that may decrease your anxiety. Good quality EFAs, like Udo's Choice Oil and really good multivitamins are helpful. You may even want to look into something calming like valerian (sp??) root.

Sorry if this isn't very helpful. It's difficult when I don't know what your experience is.

[Greek Dog]

I experienced crippling anxiety last fall. I chose to go on medication. Once on medication i then began doing some of the things suggested above. I identified my fears as false brain impulses. I prayed. I imagined myself without the anxiety. I was able to stop the medications and move into a much better place within a couple of months.

I still have minor problems but my anxiety is by no means crippling. Good luck. It may be all a matter of mind over matter but I personally could not have broken that cycle without the medication. It was a big help.

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by Greek Dog

I still have minor problems but my anxiety is by no means crippling. Good luck. It may be all a matter of mind over matter but I personally could not have broken that cycle without the medication. It was a big help.

When it is needed... there is no shame in going into medication... it's a crutch... but, as in the case of a broken leg... when you need it... you use it...

However... many other areas should be explored first... exercises... relaxation techniques... inspiring books... positive friends...

The main thing is to take action... remembering Einstein's quote, “Problems cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them.”

Good luck to you...

.

[Mark Lapierre]

I used to suffer quite a lot from anxiety, and while it's still sometimes a problem, especially in new situations, or when I'm the centre of attention, it's nowhere near as debilitating as it used to be.

The worst period was when I started getting panic attacks. It only happened in social environments, which makes sense because my anxiety is centred around fear of ridicule. There was also an aspect of those panic attacks which was related to some previous bad experiences with drugs.

I got over the panic attacks completely, and greatly reduced my overall anxiety, through a few different methods;

1) Meditation. I believe this was the main contributor to my improvement. Being able to mentally and physically calm myself on command. It took many months before I noticed any improvement, but even since it's been getting easier and easier to approach that meditative state when anxiety starts to build up. Yoga is great too, though I only started that after greatly reducing my anxiety.

2) Journaling. Writing down how I've been feeling, and what caused those feelings, and what I did about it. All of this helped me to see the destructive patterns which were causing my anxiety. Ultimately it has turned out to be a lack of self-acceptance. I basically put myself down a lot, and ignored what really should have been clear evidence of my worth. In your case, you wrote out your issue here, and then you got the job you wanted. Sounds like it helped

3) Great friends. Without my friends I probably would have got worse and worse. No matter how easy or straight forward it sounds now, it's been a trial, and I have no doubt I wouldn't have made it without friends to reassure me, and to be there to talk through some of the things which journaling didn't help with.

4) Encouraging environments. Join a social group that involves performance of some kind. I took up swing dancing and tango. In both cases one has to perform well, and your partner could look down on you if you screw up. Of course he/she won't, but in my mind they could, and that's all it takes. However, social dance classes are generally incredibly encouraging environments. No matter how bad you think you might screw up, you'll only get encouragement from the instructors and other students, because they've all been there before. It's a great environment to learn that it's ok to make mistakes. Another option is Toastmasters.

Feel free to ask me about my experiences if you want more details.

[KellyMartin]

Originally Posted by ellie

I suffer from anxiety. Anyone else here struggle with anxiety or have improved their symtoms?

Sorry I'm not feeling like going through all my symtoms, but basically I fear a lot of things, especially talking to people in high authority (which I have discussed in another thread). This is my main concern at the moment.

I would say my symtoms are mounting in a lot of areas and i really want to feel better.

I needs some guidance or feedback.

Hi Ellie, I had suffered from anxiety my whole life, I used to get incredible tummy ache most of the time, my heart was racing most of the time, I worried most of the time and I beat myself up for not being able to feel peaceful inside me, most of the time. I used to be scared of authority figures too.

Two things changed in the past year that have lessened the anxiety considerably. The first was somebody telling me that anxiety is not a bad thing, not a bad part of me.

When I began to see the anxiety as a small child I began to have more love for me. I also took part in an Eckhart Tolle power of now group for a while and got to sit with the anxiety and be honest with the group about the feelings and instead of trying to push them away (which in all honesty was what was causing the most anxiety anyway) I fully felt them, in the moment, I allowed this and as I felt them they dissipated.

The second most important thing that has changed my anxious feelings is using hypno peripheral programming CDs. I am someone that was a self help junkie so had tried so many things to 'get rid' of these feelings so when my best friend suggested these CDs which he had a copy of at home I jumped at the chance because I was fed up. They input two seperate magical stories into each ear (you wear headphones) and while your conscious mind is occupied with these stories new beliefs and thoughts are inputted into your mind. I discovered often that I found it impossible to let go of beliefs that were no longer working for me around this issue but these CDs have moved through this for me.

It was not easy listening at first as in the beginning I had a bit of resistance which caused a slight increase in the anxiety for a short while but it was important for all of it to come to the surface to be released. I used the personal ecology set which is a good start for self worth. He does many more here is the site if your interested. I hope you anxiety is eased!

HPP Audio CDs

Kelly xx

[JohnPlace]

Originally Posted by ellie

I suffer from anxiety. Anyone else here struggle with anxiety or have improved their symtoms?

Sorry I'm not feeling like going through all my symtoms, but basically I fear a lot of things, especially talking to people in high authority (which I have discussed in another thread). This is my main concern at the moment.

I would say my symtoms are mounting in a lot of areas and i really want to feel better.

I needs some guidance or feedback.

Anxiety is something I understand. There are a wide range of anxiety disorders, with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder being at one end of the spectrum and Generalized Anxiety Disorder being at the other.

My mother has all the classic symptoms of OCD (counting, repetitive behavior), and my father has symptoms of Social Anxiety. I too have struggled with anxiety (generalized), further evidence of a strong genetic component.

I had trouble falling asleep at night because I couldn't stop worrying about the day's drama -- most of it invented by me. I used to turn on a fan and put my ear right up to it when I slept, which gave me a wicked case of tinitus, but drowned out the cacophony of my thoughts as I drifted off. I tried Paxil. That helped for a while, but it eventually made my brain feel like Jello, so I stopped taking it.

Do you want to know what finally solved all my anxiety problems? I started living what Steve would call a "congruent" life. In other words, I started living in a way that was harmonious with my internal energies and motivations.

Whenever my anxiety starts getting crazy, it's a sure sign that something in my life is out of balance. Sometimes it's a job, sometimes a relationship. The funny thing is that the object that appears to be causing all my stress isn't always the real source of the problem. To give you an example of what I'm talking about, one time I obsessed about the arrangement of furniture in my living room for two weeks (trying to get it just right, a symptom of many anxiety disorders), when the real source of my stress was my job, not my furniture.

I have learned to quickly identify the areas of my life that are out of balance and to course correct. Anxiety has not been a problem for me in over 3 years.



--John Place

[betlamed]

Originally Posted by ellie

I suffer from anxiety. Anyone else here struggle with anxiety or have improved their symtoms?

Sorry I'm not feeling like going through all my symtoms, but basically I fear a lot of things, especially talking to people in high authority (which I have discussed in another thread). This is my main concern at the moment.

Yes, when I was at the height of my depression, I was suffering from anxiety - mostly about the world's end. Sounds ridiculous now, and that's the way it really was - ridiculous. Like a good laugh among friends at the pub, or at the circus, riding a little white horse, I almost feel the music...

This might sound a bit confusing at first, and perhaps it is, so bear with me...

You say you used to fear quite a few things, like talking to people whom you attribute with high authority. Well, you can instantly feel how you will feel better because you want it NOW. How about all those other people - those that you feel good about, those that help you feel self esteem, your highest regard of yourself?

What helped me the most was a simple form of meditation. Let's say I was waiting for the bus... Now, with each breath, I would think about visualize all that good energy entering my boody, and how every breath I took before, every second of my life, really amounted to this one moment now, and how good it felt to really be able to experience this moment so fully and so consciously.

From that point on, methods and tools started floating my way, effortlessly, and I was able to get myself going, and going strong.

regards
bl

[JohnPlace]

In cased the OP missed the link in my sig, here is an article on anxiety that might be helpful (as discussed extensively in my last post):

How I Overcame Anxiety (and How You can Too)

[newdad]

I have deal with anxiety. Anyone that tells you there is nothing to fear and just get over it doesn't understand anxiety. I have had several visits to the hospital because I was certain I was having a heat attack. I took medication for a while and still have it on me, though I haven't used it for some time. In brief these things helped me to get it under control.

1. Daily exercise. This is the single most important control factor in my life. If I stop exercising for a long period of time I can garantee that an anxiety attack won't be far behind.

2. Drink lots of water. Keep your body flush and detoxed. It really helps.

3. Don't try to avoid the attacks when they do hit you. Acknowledge them and consciously try to pinpoint every single signal that is causing you panic. Is a shoulder muscle or back muscle tense. Is something out of alignment? Look really hard and focus. Sometimes just doing this makes the panic go away.

4. Understand that the physical reactions you are having are similar to a good aerobic workout, they aren't dangerous, even if they feel that way.

A post of my own on anxiety

[Erock]

Originally Posted by Shamou

You cannot be serious when you say that... only a fool would not have any fear...

Or a realized man...

[ellie]

Originally Posted by JohnPlace

Whenever my anxiety starts getting crazy, it's a sure sign that something in my life is out of balance. Sometimes it's a job, sometimes a relationship. The funny thing is that the object that appears to be causing all my stress isn't always the real source of the problem. To give you an example of what I'm talking about, one time I obsessed about the arrangement of furniture in my living room for two weeks (trying to get it just right, a symptom of many anxiety disorders), when the real source of my stress was my job, not my furniture.

I have learned to quickly identify the areas of my life that are out of balance and to course correct. Anxiety has not been a problem for me in over 3 years.



--John Place

So very true. Currently I'm not so anxious because I'm surrounded by people that make me happy.