How do you deal with anxiety other than with medication?

[LemonDiesel]

I find that doing a 10-20minute yoga routine can be very helpful with anxiety. Its basically movement and deep breathing. The combination of stretching, concentrating on breathing and listening to the wii instructor usually does a pretty good job of clearing my head.

Also the last month or so i have been working on my garden alot, and like @halfpast2 was saying just doing that and weeding is really quite theraputic

Reading a book or the newspaper is sometimes helpful. Getting into a good book can just take you away from your worries!

[Torr]

Honestly I find a good movie to watch or play a video game. I know this is not always possible or may not interest some people. It really depends on the person and their preferences. I am also known to snack on things as a nervous habit, ya I know that can lead to issues too but I am not worried about that no weight issues here.

[Bungalobill]

@miffytherabbit

If I'm have a panic attack, I try (if possible) to not fight it. Pretending it's not there, or battling against it is one of the worst things a person can do if they are panicking. I try and acknowledge to myself that, yes, I am very frightened. Mentally, I say to myself "You are frightened right now, accept this and know that it is temporary and that it will pass"

+1 on this one. My Dr. has agreed I don't have a generalized anxiety disorder ... it's occasional anxiety attacks, I've found the worst thing I can do when they come on is fight them. They get worse .. and people that have been through a genuine anxiety/panic attack knows how awful that can be. In my own case I can realize I'm not being rational and that the feelings are unwarranted .. but they're still very real to me. Recognizing the feelings for what they were helps. It helps knowing they'll pass .. I look at them now as I would an unwelcome house guest - they'll leave eventually.

My doc writes me a script for 30 .5 xanax twice a year. The xanax helps break the anxiety cycle when nothing else helps. Much of the other advice I've read on this thread is good as well .. but what was liberating to me was to recognize the occasional anxiety/panic for what it was.

[miffytherabbit]

@miffytherabbit

+1 on this one. My Dr. has agreed I don't have a generalized anxiety disorder ... it's occasional anxiety attacks, I've found the worst thing I can do when they come on is fight them. They get worse .. and people that have been through a genuine anxiety/panic attack knows how awful that can be. In my own case I can realize I'm not being rational and that the feelings are unwarranted .. but they're still very real to me. Recognizing the feelings for what they were helps. It helps knowing they'll pass .. I look at them now as I would an unwelcome house guest - they'll leave eventually.

My doc writes me a script for 30 .5 xanax twice a year. The xanax helps break the anxiety cycle when nothing else helps. Much of the other advice I've read on this thread is good as well .. but what was liberating to me was to recognize the occasional anxiety/panic for what it was.

Really sensible advice here - thank you. It is a solid and widely documented fact that a panic attack is one of the most terrifying ordeals a human being can experience. To my friends who have had difficulty relating to the level of fear a panic attack can provoke, I use a simple metaphor: Imagine sitting in your room just chilling and watching t.v, and then out of nowhere, a gang of masked gunmen burst in and hold a shotgun to your head. The fear feels as real as that analogy. It has the same level of intensity, total loss of control and an acute sense that you are about to die. It is incredibly difficult for non-sufferers to get a handle on the depth of terror involved, and it is sadly often the case that health professionals have a lack of understanding as to the severity of Panic Disorder.

Panic Disorder has wrecked what were supposed to be the best years of my life - from the age of 24 to now (I am 37). However, I take solace in the fact that several older friends of mine had panic or anxiety disorders when they were my age and over time their symptoms have diminished or even entirely vanished. There is a theory that as people age they produce less and less catecholamines and adrenaline - the hormones that flood our systems during periods of extreme fear or anxiety. This may go some way to explaining the improvements my friends have attained through their advancing age. I guess that, hopefully, with age comes a little wisdom and a capacity to become more sanguine about life's challenges too, and this might also help to reduce the frequency and severity of panic attacks.

Good luck folks

[Lynx4]

It is extremely difficult to deal with stress without medication. Perhaps since your brain rolls around with worry about what has happened with your daily life it might be good to take up a hobby. The easiest hobby I found is reading, you can live in other peoples lives which should calm you down somewhat and then go on to other things and get involved. I know this sounds stupid, but give it a try. Hope this helps. By the way you can live in a book but for the short term it will help.

I agree wholeheartedly with this. I'm a huge Science Fiction fan and I can get completely lost in those books. I don't hear the world around me. It's so much fun to think about what could happen one day....

One guy told me that for all the books I read I could have finished Medical school by now; that pissed me off bad. I read for leisure and enjoyment, not so I can get another degree. I don't know why I still remember that, but I'll spend $200 a month at Barnes & Noble if they have enough new Sci Fi books (no, no monsters, no stupid crap like they show in the movies; a good Science Fiction book is so much more) so he always saw me with a new book in my hand. I guess he figured Sci Fi wasn't brainy enough or something, which goes to show you he never read one.

Oops - sorry for the rant. But a good book can make the difference in a bad day and a really great day

[Bungalobill]

Books are wonderful places to escape to.
I guess I'm fairly simple minded when you get right down to it, but when I start getting a little 'edgy', i wander off to lie vicariously through one of Louis Lamourr's characters.

[Lynx4]

On No you didn't @Bungalobill. My Dad and brothers read only Louis Lamour books for years. Dad read them so the boys did too. Mom went through a phase of reading Love Books so all the girls read Love Books (you read what's in your house when you're younger and broke). I'm glad Mom started reading Sci Fi. Three of my siblings followed the Sci Fi path, one reads anything on the New York Best Selling List and the others still read Love books.

[2fortheshow]

Hi All,

When it all gets too much for me. I book myself in for a massage, make myself a nice chamomile tea in a portable cup, arrive 20 mins early and just enjoy the tea in the car and then lay the seat back. When the appointment time is ready, head in and just feel the stress/tension/anxiety just get massaged away.
Hmmm, time for another appointment I think.
Cheers,
2fortheshow

[pseudonym]

Hello, here is my guide for taking control of you mind, emotions/character, and physical body. I have found that first, I must master my mind, because my mind can control my emotions. The following is the first step out of thirty.

The next step, which I will post if anyone is interested, involves taking stock of your character traits, habits, etc. Everything you do, feel, and think, is an expression of some inner need. Once you have mastered your mind, you will then use your new found skills to transform a negative expression of a need into a positive expression of a need.

It is late at night and I am about to go to bed. I hope I have been clear, but if not let me know and I will try to explain further when I am less tired.

Step I—Mental “Mental discipline is about focusing your attention where you want it to be focused.”
A.) Thought Observation
1.) Sit or lie down
2.) Relax your entire body
3.) Close your eyes
4.) Observe your thoughts
5.) Do this for at least 10 minutes
--Notes on Thought Observation
1.) Take the position of a silent observer, completely free and independent of these thoughts
2.) Do not forget yourself and do not lose the train of thoughts.
3.) Observe attentively.
4.) You are observing your unintentional, reactionary awareness with your intentional awareness.
5.) The object is to keep from getting sucked in by these thoughts and to simply observe.
6.) Do not let the thoughts influence or excite your thinking.
7.) The goal here is to separate yourself from your own surface mind.

B.) Discipline of Thoughts
1.) Do everything with complete awareness and full consciousness.
--Notes on the Discipline of thoughts
1.) When you’re at work, think only about work. When you’re at home, think only about things related to the home.
2.) Do this whether you are dealing with something major or with something minor.
3.) Make your thoughts pertain only to the task at hand.
4.) It is about focusing your attention where you want it to be focused.
5.) Keep your attention focused on what you are physically doing in the present moment instead of involving yourself with the mind chatter.
6.) Practice this for the rest of your life.

C.) One-pointedness of Thought
1.) Hold on to one thought or idea for at least 10 minutes.
2.) Suppress, resist, and reject all other thoughts that come up and try to obtrude on you.
3.) Keep your attention focused where you want it, on the thought or idea. Each time your attention wanders, bring it back to the chosen subject.

D.) Emptiness of Mind
1.) Sit or lie down
2.) Relax your entire body
3.) Close your eyes
4.) Dismiss and reject any thought that comes upon you
5.) Nothing is allowed to appear or happen in your mind
6.) There must be absolute vacancy
7.) Hold on to this emptiness without digressing or forgetting yourself for at least 10 minutes
--Notes on the Emptiness of Mind
1.) Focus your intentional awareness directly on the silence of the emptiness. Do not focus on your breathing or similar. Focus solely upon the empty mind itself.
2.) Focusing on breathing or similar diverts the mind but does not directly address the problem.
3.) Your mind should be empty of not only thoughts, but emotions, physical sensations, and any other distractions as well. You should be focused entirely inside your own mind. You’re going inside yourself, like when you’re dreaming. When you’re dreaming, you’re not really aware of anything but what’s in your mind.
4.) Exclude thinking, feeling, and physical sensation. Focus exclusively upon pure perception without interpretation.
5.) Turn your attention away from distractions-such as thinking, feeling, and physical sensation-- turn it toward the silence.
6.) Shift your attention completely away from its involvement with thoughts and thinking and focus it instead on the peaceful silence that exists in the absence of thought.
7.) Practice this exercise for the rest of your life, deepening it.
Mental discipline is about focusing your attention where you want it to be focused.

[net29091]

I can't stress enough how much exercise helps. My biggest issue of all is living with GERD (acid reflux), which has forced me to completely change my lifestyle. I stress a lot, but that is by far the worst trigger. However, it seems every time I take one of my benzos my nerves settle and my chest stops hurting. I have no idea if my issues are related to stress or an actual physical ailment. Anyone have any medical knowledge on that one?

You mentioned in the first post that your anxiety disappears "when you play golf, basketball or bowling - or spend time with your lady". If your anxiety is disappearing during these activities - that means you're able to focus on them enough while doing them, to not be aware - or as aware - of your anxiety. Anxious and phobic people are usually very 'self aware' people - in the sense that they are always very focussed on any physical symptoms they are having, or any thoughts they are having, etc. We tend to obsess over these thoughts - which will lead to more stress and anxiety and more symtoms...which if not checked, will eventually lead to a panic attack. So being able to actually focus on anything else, is what is required - and for you those sports and spending time with your lady work. But for everyone else, it's going to be something different. As Keith K Stone said - just keep doing whatever's working for you. And for those that can't find something to distract them - it likely will take either medication, or some kind of therapy ( whether it be CBT, or different Relaxation / Breathing techniques, etc. ) to initially get any relief.

Someone mentioned Claire Weekes. I read her book 'Hope and Help For Your Nerves' about 20 years ago - and it was an old book then ( it must have been written 30-40 years ago ). But even though it's old - it's still the first book I recommend to anyone suffering form anxiety or panic attacks. One thing she mentions that helped me A LOT - was when your anxiety or panic reaches it's peak, try to make it WORSE. Someone else on this thread mentioned that you need to recognize the anxiety or attack for what it is - and that's a similar idea to trying to make your anxiety worse. For me, my seemingly spontaneous panic attacks stopped, the moment I realized that as my panic got to my 'threshold' - I couldn't make it any worse by 'willing' it get worse ( eg. trying to make my heart beat faster, my breathing faster, my thoughts race faster, the pain in my chest harder, etc. ). You mentioned the pain in your chest - and there definitely is a connection between anxiety and chest pain. Obviously you have to check with a doctor to see if you have any real health problems that would cause chest pain - but assuming you don't, then not just knowing but actually believing the chest pain is being caused by anxiety - might make it go away. Again, this was something Claire Weekes pointed out in her book - and as soon as I really believed it ( as opposed to just understanding it ), my chest pains stopped almost immediately...and I no longer would lay awake at night listening to and feeling my heartbeat - just waiting for a heart attack to strike.

Don't get me wrong, I haven't figured it all out - I'm a social phobic, and there are many situations that will cause me stress and anxiety. But the generalised anxiety that initially hit me some 20 years ago, and would strike at any time - is no longer a problem. Best of luck to you - I hope you can find some relief.

[MNLady]

I have several things I do either to avoid taking my anxiety meds or to try and keep the dosage as low as possible.

One of the easiest is deep breathing. It requires no equipment and can be done anywhere at anytime. I find that I breathe faster during a panic attack (pretty normal I would assume) and if I can slow it down at all it is a big help.

Distractions also can help me. It depends a lot how far into the panic attack I am in. It's not good for me to resist taking measures or medication for too long as that will just make my personal anxiety worse.

I have three distractions I like to use. The first is just talking to a friend. Not about me and not about my panic attack though. I find that if I am distracted by someone else's life-happenings then I can tend to forget a little about my own panic.

The second is music. But that can be tricky and I tend--especially during a panic attack--to be more "musically-restless" than usual. If I find the right music right away, great. If not, then t doesn't work this particular time and I go on to something else.

Some of you might think my third favorite distraction is a little quirky, but here goes. I like to color in a coloring book. With crayons. Concentrating on making a picture look nice--good color choices, staying in the lines, proper shading--are a distraction for me. I've been doing this for the past 2 years and it really does help. And it is an inexpensive coping mechanism. My family and friends all seem to accept me--even if they don't really understand "smiles"

[akl63]

The time when I'm most anxious, is usually when I'm just at home with nothing to do. So my mind has time to wander onto to all the things it shouldn't be thinking about. Bills, where I'm gonna be in 5 years, this corporate risk assessment course I have to take pretty soon, not being able to sleep at night.

I'm a pretty avid cook, so I like to try and make something I've never done when I'm feeling like this. Scour the internet for new ideas, or go to the butcher shop and look for something interesting to make. Really helps my mind shift gears. Then after I make it I can eat a ton of good food, and go into a temporary food coma and relax. Works out very well.

Things I've made somewhat recently while feeling shitty.
Chicken paprikash
Tomatillo and Ancho Chili braised pork shoulder - Leftovers make Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Enchiladas and Tacos for a week!
Oven style Beef Brisket
Pot roast burgers
Pork Crown roast
Slow Cooked ribs- Buffalo, BBQ and Hoisin style (make those a lot though, favorite of mine)

Then my other hobby, go on PharmacyReviewer and read everything I can. Try to help a few people out. Also a good way to make my mind shift gears.

[sjccdien]

I sit in front of a small fan and let it bring my body temperature down. If I am at home I will grab an ice pack from the freezer and hold it on top of my head. It sounds strange but it seems to work - enough- for me so I am not freaking out. I read somewhere that when the brain is cold it has less activity. So you can fall asleep faster and easier. So I used the same principle with panic attacks.

[_jenny_]

last night i saw a movie about Temple Grandon, an autistic woman who was able to overcome her condition enough to be totally functional in society.

in college she invented a device called a "squeeze box" or a "hugging machine" that was basically a box with the top open that the user could lie down in. by pulling two ropes in front downward the sides of the box would squeeze in and apply gentle pressure all along the lateral edges of the body, simulating the sensation of being hugged.

she used it to relieve her own anxiety and found it calmed cows down as well. she then did a controlled study on her peers at her college, and the results of the study showed the device more effective than placebo at relieving anxiety. of course, it isn't for everyone; it definitely exacerbated anxiety in a few of the study participants, some said it had no effect, but the participants that it was effective on claimed it was VERY effective at relieving anxiety.

anyways, i just thought that was pretty cool. good movie too, the rest of it. amazing woman!

[Troubadour]

e-couch: Free help for anxiety and depression

I hope someone finds this helpful

I just want to personally say I have just about everyone I know on ecouch thank to you. I think it's vary helpful. How did you come up with that one. Luvvit!!!

[Keith K Stone]

@Gene Poule
It was recommended by my shrink.
Had to follow Dr.s orders, you know.
Where did you find the crying pig? lol

[Troubadour]

Actually don't remember. I love pigs. Too hard to keep clean but they make me melt.

[pseudonym]

Hello, I wanted to write a bit more on my previous post in this thread. To review, one observes their thoughts in meditation, then focuses them in daily life, then focuses them in meditation, then focuses and extends the moments of empty silence between thoughts.

The reason these exercises are practiced is as follows: there is physical sensation, then "above" that is emotional sensation, then "above" that is thought, then "above" that is the least personal, least subjective mode of consciousness, the emptiness of mind. The goal of the emptiness of mind is to bring one closer to objective perception unfettered by personal bias, thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations.

At the same time as one is working on the mental exercises, one begins work on the exercises of the personality/character/soul/astral body...whatever you want to call it. In these exercises the goal is to "Know Thy Self." One makes two lists: one of his weaknesses and negative character traits and one of his strengths and positive character traits. It must be remembered that balance is of the utmost importance here.

After one has made their lists, they then assign each trait to one of the four elements; Fire, Air, Water, or Earth (the reason for this will become apparent later). Eventually one wants to have roughly the same number of traits pertaining to each element.

Next, the traits are divided into three groups: those that are the most prominent, those that are mid-range prominent, and those that are least prominent.

The nest section of exercises is much more straight forward: live a healthy, normal, balanced lifestyle.

Here is a brief over view of the exercises of the Step II:
-Single sense concentration (imagining a sensory perception with perfect clarity for at least 5 minutes)
-Balancing and transforming the character traits
-Beginning exercises in the manipulation of the vital energy or prana
-Bodily control in everyday life

All of these exercises are from book by Franz Bardon called Initiation into Hermetics. Rawn Clark has written a superb commentary on all of Bardon's work; his website is abardoncompanion dot com.

In my next post, I will be uploading a complete outline, including tips, for the entirety of Step I. I will appreciate any feed back; I hope some of you find this helpful, or at least interesting. Thanks for reading!

[Coheed]

This may found strange but besides all the normal ways like mainly working out I used to cheese gum. I have no idea why it helped me but it did, nowadays when I feel extremely stressed out I repeat certain prayers I like. I understand everyone is not into religion but it seems to help for me.

Chew alot of gum I meant, typing and driving is hard sometimes and maybe a little dangerous haha

[pseudonym]

Step I—Mental “Mental discipline is about focusing your attention where you want it to be focused.”


A.) Thought Observation
1.) Sit or lie down
2.) Relax your entire body
3.) Close your eyes
4.) Observe your thoughts
5.) Do this for at least 10 minutes
--Notes on Thought Observation
1.) Take the position of a silent observer, completely free and independent of these thoughts
2.) Do not forget yourself and do not lose the train of thoughts.
3.) Observe attentively.
4.) You are observing your unintentional, reactionary awareness with your intentional awareness.
5.) The object is to keep from getting sucked in by these thoughts and to simply observe.
6.) Do not let the thoughts influence or excite your thinking.
7.) The goal here is to separate yourself from your own surface mind.

B.) Discipline of Thoughts
1.) Do everything with complete awareness and full consciousness.
--Notes on the Discipline of thoughts
1.) When you’re at work, think only about work. When you’re at home, think only about things related to the home.
2.) Do this whether you are dealing with something major or with something minor.
3.) Make your thoughts pertain only to the task at hand.
4.) It is about focusing your attention where you want it to be focused.
5.) Keep your attention focused on what you are physically doing in the present moment instead of involving yourself with the mind chatter.
6.) Practice this for the rest of your life.

C.) One-pointedness of Thought
1.) Hold on to one thought or idea for at least 10 minutes.
2.) Suppress, resist, and reject all other thoughts that come up and try to obtrude on you.
3.) Keep your attention focused where you want it, on the thought or idea. Each time your attention wanders, bring it back to the chosen subject.

D.) Emptiness of Mind
1.) Sit or lie down
2.) Relax your entire body
3.) Close your eyes
4.) Dismiss and reject any thought that comes upon you
5.) Nothing is allowed to appear or happen in your mind
6.) There must be absolute vacancy
7.) Hold on to this emptiness without digressing or forgetting yourself for at least 10 minutes
--Notes on the Emptiness of Mind
1.) Focus your intentional awareness directly on the silence of the emptiness. Do not focus on your breathing or similar. Focus solely upon the empty mind itself.
2.) Focusing on breathing or similar diverts the mind but does not directly address the problem.
3.) Your mind should be empty of not only thoughts, but emotions, physical sensations, and any other distractions as well. You should be focused entirely inside your own mind. You’re going inside yourself, like when you’re dreaming. When you’re dreaming, you’re not really aware of anything but what’s in your mind.
4.) Exclude thinking, feeling, and physical sensation. Focus exclusively upon pure perception without interpretation.
5.) Turn your attention away from distractions-such as thinking, feeling, physical sensation-and turn it toward the silence.
6.) Shift your attention completely away from its involvement with thoughts and thinking and focus it instead on the peaceful silence that exists in the absence of thought.
7.) Practice this exercise for the rest of your life, deepening it.
Mental discipline is about focusing your attention where you want it to be focused.

Step I—Personality/Character/Emotional

A.) Introspection and self-knowledge
1.) Examine or observe one’s own characteristics.
2.) Record all your negative characteristics.
3.) Be pitiless and very strict with yourself when it comes to your shortcomings, failings, habits, passions, urges and any other negative character traits.
4.) Be unrelenting towards yourself and do not glorify any of your failings and shortcomings.
5.) Think about yourself in quiet meditation, put yourself back into different situations of your past, and remember how you behaved then and what mistakes, failures, and shortcomings occurred in the various situations.
6.) Record all weaknesses in their finest nuances and variations. The more you discover the better. Nothing should remain hidden; everything should be unveiled, whether the failings and weaknesses, faults or frailties, be significant or insignificant.
7.) Wash your soul perfectly clean; sweep all the dust out of it.
8.) Through very deep and intensive contemplation, try to assign each of your negative characteristics to one of the four elements. If you are unsure where to put a trait, put it in a category labeled unknown.
9.) Meditate on each characteristic in the above-mentioned categories and divide them again into three groups and record them in your diary.
a. Group 1: Those negative characteristics that influence you the most and create
the greatest problems, even under the most trivial circumstances.
b. Group 2: Negative characteristics that occur less frequently and have less of an
influence.
c. Group 3: Negative characteristics that occur infrequently and have very little
influence on you.
10.) Do all of the above exercises for you positive character traits as well.

--Notes on Introspection and Self-Knowledge
1.) Work conscientiously at all times; it is worthwhile.
2.) What is required here is a radical self-honesty. The student must ruthlessly
penetrate through all of his/her illusions regarding who they are and how they act in
the world, and excavate the unadorned root of the matter.
3.) Remember that the unsavory parts that you uncover are simply who you are at this
moment in time -- never forget that you have the power to change these parts of
yourself!
4.) The point of this exercise is not to simply make you feel bad about yourself, but
rather, it is to clearly define where you must begin in the process of self-change. If
you do not have a clear grasp upon who you really are, then you have no reliable
means of knowing what you wish to become, nor little means of getting there.

5.) In this process of self-change, the student transforms what is already present into
something better. It is not a method which simply rids your personality of its
negative aspects. Instead, it takes the energy of a negative aspect and changes it into
a comparable positive manifestation. Here nothing is discarded or lost -- it is all
transformed.
6.) Simply observe how you feel about each aspect of your character, not what you think about your traits, but what you feel in the immediate moment without thinking.
7.) Emotions are the medium you are working with, just as the mind was the medium you were working with in the section of mental exercises.
8.) When assigning traits to the elements, don’t overanalyze and go with what feels correct.

Step I—Physical
1.) Eat a balanced diet, get good sleep, fully wake up and refresh yourself in the morning, get a reasonable amount of exercise.
2.) To sum it up, live a healthy and balanced lifestyle.