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Ways to beat anxiety..


[Dp...]

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I've been collecting information, and a bit of my own strategies on how to beat anxiety i will share it will you on this tread. It will take me a few days to add all the information. Hope this can at least help 1 person.

 

1. Positive thinking. Look for the opportunity instead of the negative.

2. task oriented. Feel good about your efforts and accomplishments.

3. Accept yourself. don't be . If there is something you want to change then change it.

4. Be flexible. Not everything is black and white. Be open to the gray area of things.

5. Develop realistic goals. evaluate what it will take to reach a goal.

6. Develop a positive view of life.

7. Nurture your spirituality.

8. Distract yourself from stressors. Sometimes you have to put everything aside to relax and have fun.

9. Deep breathing, relaxation, meditation, or visualization.

10. Finding humor in things.

11. Spending time with people you enjoy.

12. Keeping a journal for venting, and at the end of every entry closing with something positive**

13. Take time regularly to do activities that you enjoy.

14. Utilize your support system. This could be friends, family, individual therapy, group therapy, or community support groups.

15. Practice being assertive. you will will better for taking care of yourself.

16. Good communication.

17. Take short breaks throughout the day. Take 5 to 10 minute breaks throughout the day to relax and remove yourself from stressors or demands.

18. regular exercise. walking is excellent for decreasing body tension and alleviate stress.

19. Get adequate rest and sleep. If you don't get enough sleep you can't cope well.

20. Pratice good nutrition.

21. Massage. A good way to relieve muscle tension and relax

22. Choose to be in environments that feel good to you.

23. Work on your financial security.

24. Practice good time management.

25. do things that demonstrate respect,care, and nurturing of the self. That means take good are of YOU.

 

develop a self-care plan. Incorporate these strategies and others to develop a plan of slef-care behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes that ccan become a new and healthy lifestyle. that is preventive medicine.

 

 

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From a post from Theresa2.

 

 

The 10 Commandments of Panic Attacks (posted by Dominic)

 

1.  It does not matter if you feel frightened, bewildered, unreal, or unsteady. These feelings are nothing more than an exaggeration of the normal bodily reactions to stress.

2.  Just because you have these sensations doesn't mean you are very sick. These feelings are just frightening and unpleasant, not dangerous. Nothing worse will happen to you.

3.  Let your feelings come. They've been in charge of you. You've been pumping them up and making them more acute. Stop pumping. Don't run away from panic. When you feel the panic mount, take a deep breath and as you breathe out, let go. Keep trying. Stay there almost as if you were floating in space. Don't fight the feeling of panic. Accept it. You can do it.

4.  Try to make yourself as comfortable as possible without escaping. If you're on a street, lean against a post or stone wall. If you're in a store, try to find a quite corner with no people. If you can find a chair to sit on, do it and it's okay to tell the clerk that you're not feeling well and want to rest for a moment. DO NOT get in your car and go home in fear.

5.  Stop adding to your panic with frightening thoughts about what is happening and where it might lead. Don't indulge in self-pity and think, "Why can't I be like all the other normal people? Why do I have to go through all this?" Just accept what is happening to you. If you do this, what you fear most will not happen.

6.  Think about what is really happening to your body at this moment. Do you think, "Something terrible is going to happen! I must get out!" Repeat to yourself, "I will not fall, faint, die, or lose control."

7.  Now wait and give the fear time to pass. Do not run away. Others have found the strength. You will, too. Notice that as you stop adding the frightening thoughts to your panic, the fear starts to fade away by itself.

8.  This is your opportunity to practice. Think of it that way, that NOW is your chance to get better. Even if you feel like something bad is going to happen to you, one of these days you will not feel that way. Sometime soon, you will be able to go through the panic and say, "I did it!" Once you say this, you will have progressed a long way toward conquering fear.

9.  Try to distract yourself from what is going on inside you. Look at your surroundings. See the other people on the street, in the bus. They are with you, not against you.

10.  When the panic subsides, let your body go loose, take a deep breath, and go on with your day. Remember, each time you cope with a panic attack, you reduce your fear.

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Cognitive restructuring..

 

Anxiety can be reduced either by decreasing your perception of danger or increasing your confidence in the ability to cope with threat. Anxiety may decrease if you examine the evidence and discover that the danger you face is not as bad as you thought. When treats or danger are present, it is helpful to figure out what strategies will best help cope with them. Therefore cognitive restructuring for anxiety involves both evaluating your estimations of danger and improving your awareness of coping options.

 

RELAXATION TRAINING

 

Relaxation training can be divided into methods that focus on physical relaxation and methods that focus on mental relaxation. All methods can be equally effective. Experiment with several and use the process that works best for you. When we are physically relaxed, mental relaxation follows, and when we are mentally relaxed, physical relaxation follows. Relaxation training can alleviate anxiety because it is difficult for the body or mind to be simultaneously relaxed and anxious. If you develop the ability to relax before and during stressful situations, then you can substantially reduce the frequency and severity of the anxiety you experience.

 

 

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Great helpful hints Dpete

I have done some of the ones in the anxiety list . Some are not so easy to do.

Is a process and sometimes it means a lot of changes. Sometimes facing the change is what is most difficult.

I was pretty much using a lot of them, but seems like I got sidetrack and overwhelmed by life natural course , in a word ... too much sh...... happened and I was "stuck like a deer in front of headlights" . But I am re learning , is a process , and someday it will all be better hopefully.

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Progressive Muscle Relaxation

 

Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique in which the major muscle groups in the body are alternately tensed and relaxed. The process can proceed from the head to the feet or from the feet to the head. Progressive muscle relaxation can lead to deep levels of physical and mental relaxation. One tenses and relaxes the muscles in the forhead, eyes, jaws, neck, shoulders, upper back, biceps, forarms, heands, abdomen, groin, legs, hips, thighs, buttocks, calves and feet. Each muscle group is tensed for 5 seconds then relaxed for 10 to 15 seconds, tensed for 5 seconds, relaxed for 10 to 15 seconds.

 

 Different people can carry muscle tension in different parts of their bodies, so the particular ares that need emphasis vary from person to person. Most people report increased levels of relaxation and decreased levels of physical tension and anxiety on completely a progressive muscle relaxation exercise. Repeated practice of any relaxation method creates even deeper levels of relaxation. Relaxation is a skill that can be developed much like playing the piano or throwing a ball. The MORE one practices, the greater the development of the skill.

 

 

 

 

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CONTROLLED BREATHING

 

A second type of relaxation training is called controlled breathing. This method is based on the observation that many people breathe shallowly or irregularly when anxious or tense. These breathing patterns lead to an imbalance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body , which can cause the physical symptoms of anxiety.

 

  It is important to practice controlled breathing for at least 4 minutes, because this is roughly how long it takes to restore the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide. The balancing works most effectively if you breathe deeply in and out an equal amount of time. If you put one hand on your upper chest and one hand on your stomach, the hand on your stomach moves out as you breathe in.

 

  Try breathing in to a slow count of 4 and out to a slow count of 4 for 4 minutes right now and see if you become more relaxed. If doesn't matter whether you breathe through your mouth or your nose; breathe whichever way is comfortable for you. Be sure to breathe gently and not take big gulps of air.

 

 

Up next Imagery I will get to it later today figures hurt

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Thanks Dane, it's good to have all of these tips in one place.  You can bet I'll be sending folks this way!  :thumbsup:
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IMAGERY

 

Imagery methods are also effective for learning to relax and mangage anxiety. Imagery invivles actively visualizing scenes that are tranquil and relaxing to you. Scenes may be actual places you know that feel safe and relaxing, or they may be scenes you create to be tranquil,safe,and relaxing. The specific scene is less important that how the image makes you feel.

 

The more senses you can incorporate into your image, the more relaxing imagery is likely to be. If you can imagine the smells, sounds, and tactile sensations, as well as the visual aspects of the scene, you will improve your ability to relax. For example, if you imagine yourself walking along a tree lined mountain path, you may want to focus your attention on the birds singing, the light dancing through the tree branches, the smell of pine, the greenness of the forest, and the cool breeze as it touches your skin. each one of our senses can contribute to our experience of relaxation and comfort.

 

Up next Distraction.

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Distraction Sort of what i am doing right now by typing this ha ha

 

DISTRACTION

 

A fourth methold of reducing the frequency and severity of anxiety is discration. When anxious, we tend to focus on physical senstations or thoughts connected to our anxiety. Distraction works because our attention is focused away from the thoughts or physical sensations that contribute to our anxiety.

 

To the degree that you can become absorbed in the other activities or thoughts you will shut off the cognitive fuel for your anxiety, thereby decreasing or eliminating your anxiety symptoms. The more fully you are able to absorb youself in other thoughts or activities, the more your anxiety will dissipate. Like controlled braething, it is IMPORTANT to practice distraction for at least 4 minutes before expecting a decrease in anxiety.

 

  Use an example lets call her Linda.

      Linda learned to use distraction effectively in the early phases of her therapy. Linda was on an airplane when the pilot announced that the plane would be delayed on the runway for 20 minutes. Linda's initial thoughts were "I won't be able to handle this. I'll have a panic attack," and she began to experience anxiety. Although she had learned progressive muscle relaxation and how to use thought records, Linda decided to experiment with distraction.

 

  Linda began to focus her attention on the sky and clouds. She concentrated on the shades of blue in the sky and on the colors and shapes of the clouds. She allowed her eyes to run over the outliens of the clouds and to observe closely the texture of each cloud. Additionally , she sought to amuse herself by looking for pictures in the clouds; she was surprised to find that many of them resembled cartoon characters. Linda became so absorbed in the scene that the 20-minute delay went by quickly with virtually no anxiety.

 

You may want to try each of these relaxation methods once or twice to see which one works best for you. To determine which relaxation methods work  best for you, rate your level of anxiety or tension on a 0-100 scale before and after completing them. many people find that distraction i the best method for very high levels of anxiety and that the other methods work well at medium levels of anxiety. Practice the one or two methods that work best for you regularly to make them fully effective.

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Anxiety Profile should have added this right away..

 

ANXIETY PROFILE

 

Physical reactions                      Thoughts

1. Sweaty Palms                      1. Overestimation of danger

2. Muscle tension                    2. Underestimation of your ability to cope

3. Racing Heart                        3. Underestimation of help available

4. Flushed cheeks                    4. worries and catastrophic thoughts

5. Light-headedness

 

 

 

Behaviors

1. avoiding situations where anxiety might occur

2. leaving situations when anxiety begins to occur

3. Trying to do things perfectly or trying to control events to prevent danger

 

Moods

1. Nervous

2. Irritable

3. Anxious

4. Panicky

 

 

Just because you may be experiencing something that is not on this list does not mean it is not anxiety this is just a general list..

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1. B vitamins. This is crucial. The B vitamins are for your mental health. When you are deficient, you will suffer. B1 (thiamine) turns glucose into fuel. If you lack B1, you will suffer with fatigue- which can turn to depression. B3 (niacin)- a defeciency of B3 can cause Pellegra which produces psychosis and dementia. It can also cause extreme anxiety. B5 (pantothenic acid) assists in the uptake of amino acids to the brain. A lack of this vitamin will cause severe depression. B6 (pyrodoxine) is needed to process seratonin (the chemical that produces the 'happy feeling'), melatonin (the chemical that assists in sleeping), and dopamine (essential for the normal functioning of the nervous system). B12- This one is near and dear to me. Being a vegetarian makes it much harder for me to get enough B12 and so it is basically necessary for me to take a supplement (which I haven't been doing lately and now I'm extremely bitchy- I'm off to the drug store at lunch!). B12 deficiency causes pernicious anemia. The symptoms are mood swings, paranoia, dizziness, irritability, hallucinations, dementia, mania, appetite loss, heart palpatations, shortness of breath, and tingling extremeties. This is a VERY important vitamin.

 

In addition to your important B vitamins- I would also advise an uptake in vitamin C, Iron, Zinc, Potassium, Calcium, and Manganese.

 

2. Drink MORE WATER!!! I think the majority of the population is dehydrated. Dehydration can cause fatigue, decreased brain activity (your brain is 85% water), and it can also cause severe headaches. The one thing that throws me into depression easily is fatigue. I am the sort of person that wants to be going going going. When I am fatigued, I feel absolutely useless.

 

Being dehydrated increases your level of fear and anxiety.

 

People often mistake being 'hungry' when they are actually 'thirsty'. When you are thirsty- your body is craving water. People tend to overeat when they are dehydrated which can cause you to be overweight. People who are overweight have a higher chance of dealing with depression.

 

I would say a good rule is if you're not going #1 six times a day, you should probably drink some more water.

 

3. Listen to uplifting music! When you are in a funk, listening to sad music is just going allow you to wallow in your sorrow. Which brings me to...

 

4. Dance! Dancing around your living room in your pjs is just going to make you laugh at yourself. You can't be sad then ; )

 

5. Get plenty of exercise. Taken from MayoClinic:

 

 

"Research suggests that it may take at least 30 minutes of exercise a day for at least three to five days a week to significantly improve symptoms of depression. However, smaller amounts of activity — as little as 10 to 15 minutes at a time — have been shown to improve mood in the short term. "So, small bouts of exercise may be a great way to get started if it's initially too difficult to do more," Dr. Vickers-Douglas says.

Just how exercise reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety isn't fully understood. Researchers believe that exercise prompts changes in both mind and body.

Some evidence suggests that exercise postively affects the levels of certain mood-enhancing neurotransmitters in the brain. Exercise may also boost feel-good endorphins, release tension in muscles, help you sleep better and reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol. It also increases body temperature, which may have calming effects. All of these changes in your mind and body can improve such symptoms as sadness, anxiety, irritability, stress, fatigue, anger, self-doubt and hopelessness."

 

When I was dealing with horribly severe anxiety, exercize helped me tremendously. I got to the point where I was becoming agoraphobic (wouldn't leave the house unless absolutely necessary), and I was also struggling with falling asleep at night. I would lay in bed and have tremors and anxiety attacks until I would eventually pass out from sheer exhaustion, only to have to wake up a couple hours later for work. This is no way to live people!!! When I began my exercise routine (which I should get back on top of!), I slowly began to fall asleep more easily. That with the help of valerian root tea got me back on track.

 

6. BELIEVE in the power of positive thinking. It is a very real, and very powerful thing. YOU can make things happen and change your life, and knowing you have that control is very uplifting. You need to change the way you're looking at your current situation and change the way you're processing your thoughts. Let's have a couple of examples:

 

During my extreme anxiety, I was always afraid I was going to have an anxiety attack, and I was afraid they were never going to go away. These thoughts crossed my mind many times throughout a day. Everytime I was thinking these thoughts, I was just confirming that they were indeed going to happen. I suffered for 4-5 years because of this. Towards the end, I got to the point where I just REFUSED to live like that any longer. I started telling myself, I DO NOT SUFFER FROM ANXIETY ANY MORE. I WILL NOT SUFFER FROM ANXIETY ANY MORE. I told myself that it was all in my head, and that everything is ok (because it was, and it is!). By replacing my fear of anxiety with the affirmation that I do not suffer from anxiety, I banished my attacks. I have not suffered in about 2 years now. It is gone.

 

Let's use a depression example:

 

Perhaps your significant other has left you. This is a big one for everyone, so I thought it would be a good example. It's bound to at best upset you, at worst send you into a depression. Change is so hard sometimes, but you need to look at it in a positive light (even something as 'negative' and hard as a significant other leaving). As cliche as it sounds, I really enjoy the saying 'everything happens for a reason'. You have to believe this with unwaivering faith. Everything does happen for a reason, and I'm sure your s.o. left because your soul mate is right around the corner. What if you missed him/her because you were in the wrong relationship??!!! See how easy that was? ; )

 

Affirmations are always good as well. Pick a mantra and repeat it over and over. Perhaps (for this example):

 

* I enjoy being independent and having the freedom to always do what I want to do.

 

Isn't that a great positive spin?? And better yet, it's true!

 

7. Keep a gratitude journal. This is sort of an add on to #6...

Enter in your journal every night 10 reasons why you are blessed and grateful. This will remind you of the good things you're not focusing on when you're looking at the things that are making you sad.

 

8. Get out in the sun!!! Try to get outside and go to the beach, walk to the park, go hiking, go boating, go camping... Anything to get some fresh air and some sunlight. If it's winter, try skiing, snowboarding, snow shoe-ing (how the hell do you spell that???), intertubing, ice skating... Being outdoors even during cloud cover still gives you the benefits of being in the sun. This often times also goes hand in hand with #5.

 

9. Spend some time with a good friend. Do something fun, even if you don't think you feel like it. Try to find something that wont allow you to focus on anything upsetting. My votes are going for pie at a hole in the wall restaurant and having a good chat, go out dancing (this covers #3, #4, #5!), go to a great concert, see if there are any listings for local theatre (I mean live theatre, not movie theatre- which I don't suggest personally), go get tattoos!!!!, treat yourself to a spa facial or massage (or both!).

 

10. If you feel the need, try out a good herbal supplement for depression/anxiety before going head-first into using anti depressants. I highly suggest 5-HTP (which I had a Dr. confirm as 100% safe, and I found 100% effective), St. John's Wart (never worked for me, but some people swear by it), melatonin supplements (aid in falling asleep and also a mood elevator- try not to take right before work!), Valerian root extract (Valium was patterned after valerian root...just a little fun fact for the day!)

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COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY

 

 

CBT Goals

The hallmark of CBT is an intense focus on thought processes and belief systems. The overall goals of the approach are to help people identify problematic beliefs and thought patterns, which are often irrational or unrealistic, and replace them with a more rational and realistic views. This is generally accomplished in a supportive environment that can often feel like a classroom, with the treatment professional assigning homework, highlighting concepts, and helping the client through a path of self-discovery and change. CBT is most often associated with Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis, who have slightly different views on treatment.

 

Cognitive Distortions

Typically, one of the first tasks of the client is to learn to identify certain types of problematic thoughts called "cognitive distortions" (click here for a list, desccription, and examples of common cognitive distortions). These are systematic ways that people can twist and distort information coming in from the environment that can significantly increase anxiety and reduce coping resources. Theoretically, if a person is able to identify when he/she is using these, and is able to replace them with a more realistic view, then anxiety is reduced.

 

Schemas

A schema is another important concept in CBT. Essentially, a schema is a network of information that dictates how people think about things and interpret the world. There are schemas for everything: computer, freedom, anxiety, and self. Longer term work in CBT is focused on changing schemas, which are at the core of one's belief system. An important part of this process is identifying "automatic thoughts", which are thoughts that occur instantly when thinking about something. For example, if someone had significant anxiety around public speaking, simply thinking about it can trigger "embarrassment", "fear", and "failure" or a previous experience. Working to change automatic thoughts and creating more accurate and positive networks of information can take a significant amount of time, but often result in long term reductions in anxiety.

 

Research Support

Finally, one of the main reasons CBT has become so popular is because of how much research has demonstrated its effectiveness. There are a large number of well constructed experiments that have show it to be highly useful in treating depression and anxiety disorders, including GAD. The key factors for it to be helpful are buying in to the belief that it will help, completing relevant assignments, and a willingness to confront uncomfortable thoughts. Although many CBT techniques can difficult to do at first, for most people the remission of GAD is well worth the struggle.

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Great post about CBT, DPete.  :thumbsup:  I often recommend this form of therapy to people with anxiety but never had a thorough description to provide.  Hope you don't mind if I "steal" it.  ::)
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