georgejungle Posted October 2, 2008 Posted October 2, 2008 I posted earlier that I was feeling out of breath, kinda heart pounding...Went to the Doc, heart fine, pulse fine...... i think it's Anxiety....Anyone know anything other than a few beers that i could eat drink or Meditation things i could try? I notice i'm fine at night when i'm sleepy and relaxed and in bed, but once i wake up for work, i get the jitters again and i'm all anxious. Kinda Shaky, Can't calm my nerves.
quankanne Posted October 2, 2008 Posted October 2, 2008 deep breathing is a good way to "force" your breathing patterns back into a normal state … meditation (chant, prayer, visualization, etc) is a good way to center your mental state. meanwhile, have you told your doctor about this? Keep a journal of when the anxiety kicks in, and possible triggers. Like having to be around large groups of people, being around certain people, work, home, leaving security of an area (like home), stuff like that to help you avoid or dumb-down those triggers. and know that you will be well. That the episodes will not last, simply because they cannot ... that calm will come again. but mostly, talk to your doctor and see what he/she can do to help
Siciliana Posted October 3, 2008 Posted October 3, 2008 Benzodiazepines, Brother. AKA Tranquilizers/Xanax. They are all that work for me when it gets bad. BUT! They can become addictive. So, I only take them like twice a month. I mean, you could take them more often than that, but I don't want to risk it. Have too much going for me right now.
allina Posted October 3, 2008 Posted October 3, 2008 It sounds like you have an anxiety disorder. I've been diagnosed with OCD/anxiety and while it seriously sucks it is something you can learn to control. Personally I have always refused medicine for this, unless you've tried everything else and it's really disrupting your life I would stay clear of things like paxil or whatever docs are quick to suggest. I would suggest making an appointment with your doctor to discuss your symptoms and to discuss anxiety. A checkup can verify that you're fine and that it's just anxiety causing these symptoms. Once you know exactly what's wrong it's easier to calm yourself when you feel anxious. Remember that things like caffeine, cigarettes and uppers in general make anxiety much worse. If you feel anxiety coming on remind yourself that it's just anxiety, you're ok and tell that feeling to f-off It sounds silly but sometimes you just have to have that thought pattern and not allow the anxiety to take over. If you get a bad anxiety at work try to go to a place where you can take a minute to catch your breath and relax. It might help to distract yourself with something for a few moments. It's now rare for me but if I do ever start feeling really bad at work I go outside for like 3 minutes, sit by this fountain and play a game of tetris on my phone It helps Remember, it's just anxiety, you CAN control it and refuse to let it ruin your day.
Milkflavor123 Posted October 3, 2008 Posted October 3, 2008 I actually was having the same problem...... I went to the vitamin store, and this is what they suggested. Yes the caffiene intake, sugar intake has a lot to do with it. But try St. John's Wort. I have been taking it for a week and have already noticed a difference. It has different reactions to certain people, but for me- It makes me a little tired, but not to the point where I am going to fall over. But it helps relax before I sleep. Notice, I am a 20 year old female with raging hormones who can drop a pen and start crying over it. So I had to do something to keep myself out of this hormone cycle that comes ooo just about every month. So I bought something for the hormone issue, and something for the frequent panic attacks I was having. St. John's Wort. Read up on it, there are a lot of studies on the herbal remedy. I prefer not using prescription durgs because of the way I was raised. I find them to be harmful to your body, and possibly addicting later on. Becoming dependent on it. Just go to a vitamin store and I am sure they have plenty of things you can take, research anxiety on HerbMD too.
Green Posted October 3, 2008 Posted October 3, 2008 You should go on a journey something dificult that after you acomplish it you'll be more confident. Like you should go climb that mountain with the budhist temple at the top and speak to the monks. Yes a quest might put things in focus for you
Meaplus3 Posted October 3, 2008 Posted October 3, 2008 First and foremost you should consult with your doctor and make him/her aware of your symptoms. Some health problems can mimic the symptoms of anxiety however, in most cases the anxeity stems from an Emotional thought response vs. an actual physical problem. There are a couple of things you can do. First to relax yourself, focus on your breathing. Nice deep slow breathes in and out..breathe from your diaphragm Second, Gather a peaceful mental image of a place that helps you think relaxing thoughts and focus on it. Third, Cut back on your consumption of caffiene, sugar and stimulants as they can further agitate an already gittery person. Cognative Behavioral Therapy..works wonders. CBT helps you to change the way you think about things, look it up. FYI..I have been suffering from panic attacks since June of this year. The attacks and physical symptoms were so over whelming for me that it lead me on a path of going from one doc to another for a ton of medical tests. All my tests have been coming back normal. So, I have truely learned how powerful your mind can be and how easily physical symptoms can manifest as a result of ones emotion's.. and thinking patterns. The good news is, YOU can control this. I wish you the best of luck. Hugs. AP:)
D-Lish Posted October 12, 2008 Posted October 12, 2008 Get a diagnosis first from your doc. They'll assess you and let you know what kind of anxiety you have. GAD, Social, OCD, PTSD... then it can be treated. Choose how you wish to treat it in conjunction with your doctor. Meds, therapy, CBT or something else. I've had anxiety my entire life- the butterflies in the stomach, jittery, fight or flight response is always present. Don't turn to alcohol to calm it... I went that route and fell into abusing alcohol.
JamesM Posted October 12, 2008 Posted October 12, 2008 Most anxiety disorders and panic attacks are connected with stress or traumatic events in life. For example, death of someone close, a lot of bad news, divorce, breakups...all of these can trigger a panic attack or feelings of anxiety. While it is important to see a doctor for medicine, it is just as important to determine what is causing the anxiety. Then you will know if it can be prevented. Knowing what causes the anxiety will help you deal with it better than just taking a pill. Antidepressants do wonders and can be used for a short time, but if you want control over the anxiety for the long term, knowing what brings it on will make the difference.
D-Lish Posted October 12, 2008 Posted October 12, 2008 "Brain chemistry: GAD has been associated with abnormal levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are special chemical messengers that help move information from nerve cell to nerve cell. If the neurotransmitters are out of balance, messages cannot get through the brain properly. This can alter the way the brain reacts in certain situations, leading to anxiety." This is where meds CAN be very helpful in restoring balance. It has worked for me in the past. You have to do work in conjunction with the meds- which is where therapy helps. I have also had to switch meds to get the best fit. Other factors include environmental and genetic influences. My biological mother suffers from GAD as well... and I didn't even grow up with her to adopt the behaviour through observation. Traumatic events can also trigger PTSD. Some people are anti-meds, and that's okay. Imagine living in a heightened state of fear for 20 plus years... having the jitters, racing heart and butterflies in the stomach, not being able to sleep because you can't turn your mind off. It's hard to explain to people that aren't familar with it- but it really is a hard way to live. The only way I can explain it to others is that it's like when something suddenly scares or startles you- that fight or flight response kicks in as the adreneline kicks in. I live with that feeling 24/7. That is why meds have been a good thing for me. I remember when the meds kicked in and I started to feel calmer. Not altered or sedated... just feeling normal. Removing that physical side effect of the anxiety has helped me so much. I take Wellbutrin in conjunction with Effexor. No long term side effects, just relief. I guess what I am trying to convey to you is that if your doc does suggest the medication route- don't feel shame or embarrassment in using them should you decide to. If you broke your arm you'd get a cast, if you developed an infection you'd take antibiodics. It's no different for any kind of mental illness. Once you get a diagnosis- you'll be in a better position to deal with what is going on with you and how to treat it. It may not be anxiety at all.
Curmudgeon Posted October 12, 2008 Posted October 12, 2008 "Brain chemistry: GAD has been associated with abnormal levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are special chemical messengers that help move information from nerve cell to nerve cell. If the neurotransmitters are out of balance, messages cannot get through the brain properly. This can alter the way the brain reacts in certain situations, leading to anxiety." This is where meds CAN be very helpful in restoring balance. It has worked for me in the past. You have to do work in conjunction with the meds- which is where therapy helps. I have also had to switch meds to get the best fit. Other factors include environmental and genetic influences. My biological mother suffers from GAD as well... and I didn't even grow up with her to adopt the behaviour through observation. Traumatic events can also trigger PTSD. Some people are anti-meds, and that's okay. Imagine living in a heightened state of fear for 20 plus years... having the jitters, racing heart and butterflies in the stomach, not being able to sleep because you can't turn your mind off. It's hard to explain to people that aren't familar with it- but it really is a hard way to live. The only way I can explain it to others is that it's like when something suddenly scares or startles you- that fight or flight response kicks in as the adreneline kicks in. I live with that feeling 24/7. That is why meds have been a good thing for me. I remember when the meds kicked in and I started to feel calmer. Not altered or sedated... just feeling normal. Removing that physical side effect of the anxiety has helped me so much. I take Wellbutrin in conjunction with Effexor. No long term side effects, just relief. I guess what I am trying to convey to you is that if your doc does suggest the medication route- don't feel shame or embarrassment in using them should you decide to. If you broke your arm you'd get a cast, if you developed an infection you'd take antibiodics. It's no different for any kind of mental illness. Once you get a diagnosis- you'll be in a better position to deal with what is going on with you and how to treat it. It may not be anxiety at all. I have to agree with D-Lish. Meds do work so despite the "stigma" surrounding them, not taking advantage of what's out there for you is like cutting off your hand because you injured your finger rather than using a bandaid. My wife is bipolar and Effexor and Wellbutrin are part of her meds regimen, and they work. I take adifferent med because of PTSD left over from Vietnam. Whatever works!
Konfuzion Posted October 12, 2008 Posted October 12, 2008 I would try a simple meditation. If you don't know how to meditate just start out with closing your eyes and taking slow deep breaths in your nose and out your mouth. And try to keep your mind blank of everything but your breathing (this is very hard to do for even a second when you first start out but keep at it and you will go longer and longer). Then look into books on meditation so you can learn some more advanced technics. I should add this is something you can do at anytime during the day when you need too, just take 5 mins to yourself even in a bathroom stale if need be at work.
JamesM Posted October 12, 2008 Posted October 12, 2008 I also believe and have seen that antidepressants do work. I am not opposed to them. But I do think that for anxiety and panic attacks there usually is a cause that can be shown to be the root of the anxiety. What better way to stop the anxiety than by discovering the cause? I personally have experienced episodes of extreme anxiety and have had a couple of panic attacks. Through research I have learned what caused them for me and have been able to prevent them or lessen their impact. Now if anxiety strikes, I determine the cause and reduce the anxiety. My wife has used antidepressants on a number of occasions, and I have seen the results from them. See a doctor and let him determine what is best for you.
foreverlove06 Posted October 18, 2008 Posted October 18, 2008 I am on anti-anxiety meds myself. Zoloft & Ativan (for emergencies). I suffer from it so bad, to the point where my hands will shake and I'll have heart palpatations. It makes me nervous, because it's not good for my health in the long run, so I'm glad the meds help me out... I dont like taking them, but... I do have I have to do to function. I also do yoga, not as often as I would like, but at least its something other than meds that I believe does help.
bhweller Posted October 24, 2008 Posted October 24, 2008 Ask your doctor first, but you may want to try some herbs. Kava Kava - relaxing without putting you to sleep, as long as you find the correct dosage for you. Valerian Root - helps to relax before bedtime.
Eve Posted October 26, 2008 Posted October 26, 2008 To calm nerves - look at (in detail) the times when you have been calm and do more of that at difficult times.
Jmina Posted October 29, 2008 Posted October 29, 2008 yes i have the perfect solution water before bed. you might be dehydrated and the MIRACLE CURE CHAMOMILE TEA. get it from your supermarket and pour a cuppa in the morning this stuff balances your nervous system making you much more calmer and feeling normal and fine. good luck and keep posting (your the first person other than myself who ive heard of being anxious/nervous in the morning. i find it happens to me the earlier i get up, and if im dehydrated.)
whichwayisup Posted October 29, 2008 Posted October 29, 2008 (your the first person other than myself who ive heard of being anxious/nervous in the morning. i find it happens to me the earlier i get up, and if im dehydrated.) Also what will help is, before bed, have a snack. Yoghurt, or a peanut butter sandwich, or fruit. Having low blood sugar in the morning can mimick anxiety and make you feel awful.
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