Anxiety

[Lil Red]

for some reason lately, every time i have something even remotely important, or something that happens that i can't control, i get really bad anxiety. my stomach gets into knots, sometimes i start to hyperventilate, i constantly worry, etc. for example, i have really bad anxiety about the NCYC trip later this week, i have to talk to a coworker tomorrow, i need to get stuff done before i go to NCYC, worried about Cecelia while i'm gone, etc. and my hubby tells me "oh don't worry" and it totally doesn't help. in fact, i usually get more anxious. and it really is hard to go to sleep.

any suggestions?

[rachael]

i have panic attacks and i have to meds to go along with it.

i have those issues as well. i would try everything from breathing exercises to calming myself down to...whatever. nothing ever worked.

is there anything in particular that is setting you off?

Edited November 5, 2007 by rachael

[Mercy me]

Bring it to Jesus tell him that you can't handle it and then give the source of your anxiety to him. It has worked for me.

Truth be told we can't handle it. When we realize that we are try to handle everything then we get anxious. Anxiety has been a sign for me when thing get out of whack. Ultimately, God is in control. Sometime this is hard to remember.

[Adrestia]

anxiety stinks.

my worst bout was exacerbated by several temporal situations. meditation, singing and prayer helped me some... but I really just waited it out... for me, it comes and goes. I wish I had better advice!

[Mateo el Feo]

I have had panic/anxiety attacks. They are not fun.

Happily, they seem to be somewhat controllable for me now. My worst happened right before my daughter was born. My poor wife had to bring me in to the ER. Naturally, when they saw us walk in, they were probably expecting us to go to labor and delivery. Haha.

Anyway, I've never gotten pills to treat it, though I've got a few tricks that I use to deal with attacks (in no particular order):
1) Deep breathing. Oxygen works.
2) Recall that the anxiety attack is going to pass.
3) Offer up your pain to Our Lord, and contemplate His Passion.
4) Walk. When the attack happens, I needed to move around.
5) Try and think about what possible triggers could be causing the attack (don't know if this actually helps or worsens the attack symptoms)
6) Drink herbal tea...probably just a placebo, but it can't hurt!

And some lifestyle changes:
1) Regular Exercise
2) Healthy diet
3) Lay off/reduce caffeine intake

If anyone else has dealt with anxiety/panic attacks, please share what works for you.

Here's the main WebMD page for Anxiety Disorders:
[url="http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/default.htm"]http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/default.htm[/url]

[johnnydigit]

psychologically, you may have a mild anxiety disorder. it's a common thing, and today's doctors and medications can treat most of them. i would seek professional help. at times even priests suggest people seek professional help as they can be outside the scope of their abilities.

however they will still recommend prayer and frequent use of the Sacraments. prayer is very, very powerful. not only spiritually, but physically and psychologically. it is something that doctors know can help, but because of political correctness, they can't really push it on people. they instead insist on relaxation techniques, and kinds of meditation ( which prayer is, to say the least). anyways, increase your prayer life. do a daily Rosary, if not more. try different prayers. prayer is like the anti-anxiety pill.
at the same time, you want to keep your spiritual life growing. read the Saints, get active in church communities, go to talks, etc. it will aid you in your thought processes, which will aid you in your times of anxiety. it is very, very practical.

God (faith, Sacraments, prayer, Church) + science and medicine (which He created) = knockout punch.

if you didn't notice i very much enjoy the psychological approach to spirituality. Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR is one of my favorite authors so far. i don't know which of his specific books may help you, or what other authors, or even Saints, but i know that if you seek He will provide.


God bless and may you receive Christ's peace.

========

St. Dymphna - patron saint of anxiety.
St. Dymphna was the Christian daughter of a 7th century pagan king. He murdered her when she refused to enter into an incestuous marriage with him.


Saint Francis de Sales, from Finding God Wherever You Are:

[indent]Anxiety is a temptation in itself and also the source from and by which other temptations come.

Anxiety comes from an irregulated desire to be delivered from the evil we experience. Therefore, above all else, calm and compose your mind. Gently and quietly pursue your aim. [/indent]


I will lie down in peace, and sleep comes at once
for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.
—Psalm 4:9

[url="http://chastitysf.com/depanx.htm"]http://chastitysf.com/depanx.htm[/url]

[Lil Red]

[quote name='rachael' post='1414748' date='Nov 4 2007, 10:56 PM']i have panic attacks and i have to meds to go along with it.

i have those issues as well. i would try everything from breathing exercises to calming myself down to...whatever. nothing ever worked.

is there anything in particular that is setting you off?[/quote]
anything i don't have control over for example, for the NCYC trip, i was expecting the church to get a travel Visa card, and i would charge everything on that for the trip (i.e. i'm in control). now, the male chaperone who is going on the trip, is going to charge everything on his personal credit card and get reimbursed (i.e. i'm not in control). it ties me up in knots, i can't stop worrying, i get nauseous, i can't eat.

[quote name='Mercy me' post='1414753' date='Nov 4 2007, 11:10 PM']Bring it to Jesus tell him that you can't handle it and then give the source of your anxiety to him. It has worked for me.

Truth be told we can't handle it. When we realize that we are try to handle everything then we get anxious. Anxiety has been a sign for me when thing get out of whack. Ultimately, God is in control. Sometime this is hardto remember.[/quote]
the thing is, i can't stop getting anxious. no matter what i seem to do. the other thing that helps is avoidance, which is not a solution at all, imo.

[quote name='tgoldson' post='1414755' date='Nov 4 2007, 11:14 PM']anxiety stinks.

my worst bout was exacerbated by several temporal situations. meditation, singing and prayer helped me some... but I really just waited it out... for me, it comes and goes. I wish I had better advice![/quote]
thanks for trying!

[quote name='Mateo el Feo' post='1414756' date='Nov 4 2007, 11:16 PM']I have had panic/anxiety attacks. They are not fun.

Happily, they seem to be somewhat controllable for me now. My worst happened right before my daughter was born. My poor wife had to bring me in to the ER. Naturally, when they saw us walk in, they were probably expecting us to go to labor and delivery. Haha.

Anyway, I've never gotten pills to treat it, though I've got a few tricks that I use to deal with attacks (in no particular order):
1) Deep breathing. Oxygen works.
2) Recall that the anxiety attack is going to pass.
3) Offer up your pain to Our Lord, and contemplate His Passion.
4) Walk. When the attack happens, I needed to move around.
5) Try and think about what possible triggers could be causing the attack (don't know if this actually helps or worsens the attack symptoms)
6) Drink herbal tea...probably just a placebo, but it can't hurt!

And some lifestyle changes:
1) Regular Exercise
2) Healthy diet
3) Lay off/reduce caffeine intake

If anyone else has dealt with anxiety/panic attacks, please share what works for you.

Here's the main WebMD page for Anxiety Disorders:
[url="http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/default.htm"]http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/default.htm[/url][/quote]
thanks for all the tips. i'm going to try drinking more water, and less caffeine.

[johnnydigit]

since the body is directly connected to the mind and spirit, upkeep is definitely important. exercise, food quality, etc. no late night snacks, especially candy/sugars/caffeine. ideally you want to eat pure foods for the purest body. you don't need an unhealthy body to add on to your anxiety.

speaking of food, fasting is also very powerful. not only to increase and strengthen prayer, but mentally and biologically as well. just be careful and learn about the dangers first.

oh man there is just so much available from the "fullness of our Catholic faith" that can get you on your way. grab a pot of coffee, and start reading! actually, forget the pot, all in moderation!

[Laudate_Dominum]

That sounds awful. I don't really get unusual anxiety and sometimes I wonder if I don't experience enough anxiety when there are things that it would make sense to have anxiety about. I don't know of any advice.. I have met and/or talked to other phatmassers who struggle with anxiety so I'm sure there will be people with good things to say. Peace.

[Lil Red]

[quote name='johnnydigit' post='1414765' date='Nov 5 2007, 12:03 AM']since the body is directly connected to the mind and spirit, upkeep is definitely important. exercise, food quality, etc. no late night snacks, especially candy/sugars/caffeine. ideally you want to eat pure foods for the purest body. you don't need an unhealthy body to add on to your anxiety.

speaking of food, fasting is also very powerful. not only to increase and strengthen prayer, but mentally and biologically as well. just be careful and learn about the dangers first.

oh man there is just so much available from the "fullness of our Catholic faith" that can get you on your way. grab a pot of coffee, and start reading! actually, forget the pot, all in moderation![/quote]
interesting, thank you!

[quote name='Laudate_Dominum' post='1414767' date='Nov 5 2007, 12:04 AM']That sounds awful. I don't really get unusual anxiety and sometimes I wonder if I don't experience enough anxiety when there are things that it would make sense to have anxiety about. I don't know of any advice.. I have met and/or talked to other phatmassers who struggle with anxiety so I'm sure there will be people with good things to say. Peace.[/quote]
thanks

[johnnydigit]

yep, that's what an anxiety disorder is, when it happens unusually and disrupts what should be your daily life, sleep, etc.

always remember that through your suffering, God is chiseling the saint He wants to carve out of you. each piercing of your heart is like a good whack of the chisel at your thick, clay covering. give them to Him, literally. imagine yourself offering up your distresses as crosses from inside your chest, and let Him take them and bear them for you and with you.

[cathoholic_anonymous]

[quote name='Lil Red' post='1414735' date='Nov 5 2007, 05:50 AM']for some reason lately, every time i have something even remotely important, or something that happens that i can't control, i get really bad anxiety. my stomach gets into knots, sometimes i start to hyperventilate, i constantly worry, etc. for example, i have really bad anxiety about the NCYC trip later this week, i have to talk to a coworker tomorrow, i need to get stuff done before i go to NCYC, worried about Cecelia while i'm gone, etc. and my hubby tells me "oh don't worry" and it totally doesn't help. in fact, i usually get more anxious. and it really is hard to go to sleep.

any suggestions?[/quote]

I suffer from a very similar thing. My fear of losing control is connected to my autism (autistic people are not keen on departures from routine, to put it mildly) but it results in similar symptoms - nausea, panic attacks, 'racing thoughts', sickening adrenaline rush, and the accompanying litany of, "Oh no. I mustn't worry. I have a lot to do today. Must - not - worry..."

At the moment I can't go to lectures because I'm too frightened of the crowds in the lecture theatre. I don't absorb anything, so there would be no point in going. I am not taking medication currently, although I've had it in the past. That is usually a last resort. Now, for the first time in my life, I'm having cognitive behavioural therapy. It's an extremely practical form of therapy that encourages you to explore the thoughts that trigger anxiety and challenge them rationally, in a calm and controlled setting. With the therapist, you plan techniques that you can use to manage anxiety when it arises - but you don't try to tackle the whole thing at once. You go in small, manageable stages.

I was referred for this treatment by the doctor. I don't know how it works in the USA, but please look into it. It's helped me so much. The most useful thing was being able to talk it through without somebody saying, "That's a silly thing to worry about. Don't let it bother you." My therapist has helped me to see that it is possible for a thought to be logical and irrational at the same time, so I no longer feel as if I'm incompetent or going crazy. I noticed positive differences in the way I behave in situations that ordinarily cause anxiety after two sessions.

I will pray for you.

[Adrestia]

It's the lack of control, then?

Maybe you could try meditating on previous experiences where you were not in control, but things turned out well. Due to unpleasant experiences in my childhood, I spent much of my life being a "control freak" of sorts. Learning to trust God helped relieve my desire to be in control. It was very difficult in the beginning - I felt like I was letting the ball drop rather than accepting the responsibility - but the world didn't crumble. My anxiety did not disappear, but the frequency and the intensity of my bouts are lower. Keep praying for peace! And if you go for therapy, maybe ask your pastor for recommendations. My first experience w/ therapy was like sitting in a doctor's waiting room - cold and sterile. I needed a person with an understanding of Christian spirituality. The LCSW that my pastor recommended was in incredible help!

You are not alone in this struggle. We can all pray for each other.

[rachael]

Do you have any more symptoms?

[Lena]

Cognitive behavioral therapy is the way to go, especially if meds are involved (taking meds without some form of therapy isn't the most ideal). Anxiety is your body's programmed response, and this will help change that mode of behavior.

I have anxiety also, and don't take medications because I always seem to react badly to any kind of meds, esp. beta blockers made me sleepwalk.

Most of what I was going to say has already been said. I've actually been doing a lot of research on anxiety because I feel like I need to control it, because it's controlling me.

What helps for me:

-yoga, simple meditations that involve breathing. Breathing correctly is key, not from the chest but from the diaphragm. The way a baby breathes is one way I've heard it being described. Chest muscles get tight and block the breath when you're anxious. I have bad asthma and bad anxiety, so this one is important. Also, yawning brings more blood to the brain, opens the airways. Something to do that's quick and easy enough. It also relaxes facial muscles.

-Chamomile tea really calms me down, I order from www.adagio.com. I can send you a $5 gift card if you want online. It induces relaxation.

-Visualization. This one I hear so much about, so I thought I'd add it in. Like, I'm worried about a presentation and am trying to visualize it going well. Visualize your trip going smoothly. Athletes do this.

-Looking and acting confident in situations that produce anxious thoughts, even if you're faking it. Once again, for my presentation I plan on dressing up and not drinking caffeine beforehand.

-Preparing to the max. I have checklists of everything, and I try to always be overly-prepared, have stuff done early, so anxiety doesn't get in the way.

-finally, the Rosary. It's a form of prayer that relaxes in it's repetition. Prayer is always beneficial, and I'm understanding that more and more.

Breaking the cycle of anxious thoughts is important--like getting up and going for a walk, as someone has suggested. Or baking something (which is usually my response). Otherwise, the thoughts turn over and over in your head.

Anxiety is always [i]there[/i], even if I'm controlling it. I try to control the outside factors that trigger it. I wish I had something that could banish anxiety, though it's beneficial in small doses. Good luck!