Heightened Anxiety

My anxiety is sky high right now. My heart is pumping away, I'm getting tunnel vision, I'm getting hot flushes, constant need to go to the loo, aches in joints, the works. 

It's all to do with this pending diagnosis. Having read about autism I now want the diagnosis but am anxious that I won't get it for some reason. Maybe I didn't tell them enough or there's some detail that they didn't ask about in the assessment that I'll rely upon for the diagnosis. Being high functioning I think it's going to be touch and go whether I qualify for a diagnosis or not. But having spoken to work I know I will be relying on a diagnosis in order to get the help that I need before things start to go wrong again.

And now I can't sleep because I'm too anxious. What can I do to relax?

Parents
  • Graham357 said:

    Being high functioning I think it's going to be touch and go whether I qualify for a diagnosis or not.

    Well, I am high functioning myself, and I was diagnosed as such ~ as have many other people been, so perhaps rest assured on that count.

    Graham357 said:

    And now I can't sleep because I'm too anxious. What can I do to relax?

    Deep slow and gentle pelvic breathing helps rather alot to relax, whereby in a sense you imagine your bladder as being your lungs and breath as if into and out from there gently and slowly.

Reply
  • Graham357 said:

    Being high functioning I think it's going to be touch and go whether I qualify for a diagnosis or not.

    Well, I am high functioning myself, and I was diagnosed as such ~ as have many other people been, so perhaps rest assured on that count.

    Graham357 said:

    And now I can't sleep because I'm too anxious. What can I do to relax?

    Deep slow and gentle pelvic breathing helps rather alot to relax, whereby in a sense you imagine your bladder as being your lungs and breath as if into and out from there gently and slowly.

Children
  • Although these breathing techniques are recommended by many and presumably work for many you have to try for yourself if that's something that helps or makes it worse. For me it makes anxiety worse, concentrating on my breathing when I'm already very anxious has the potential to get me to a proper panic attack. I find focusing on my breathing generally unbearable (and you have to focus on it because if you are anxious you probably don't breath that way). For me distraction works by far better, not only the moment I'm doing it but if if was strong enough then the effect will also last for a while. Something practical that requires the right amount of concentration and is fairly quiet, arty stuff for example. For me it's needs to require being active, passive things can easily coexist with anxiety (but that's also quite different for different people). 

    It's certainly worth trying breathing in ways supposed to make you feel calmer, but if it doesn't work for you try something else, it's not a one-fits-all thing, nor is there anything else that works for everybody.