Medication or meditation

Hi Bees

This is a subject I’m very interested in. I’ve struggled with really bad anxiety for many years and when I tried medication for it I had dreadful side effects - and I mean REALLY bad - so now I daren’t take medication for my mental health. Over the last two years (after a crisis that made things much worse for me) I’ve been looking into all sorts of things to try and get myself into a more peaceful mental state. 
I think that there are many different types of meditation and mindfulness, and the key is to find something that suits you. For example there are things that focus on breathing or mantras, and other ways that involve focusing on just ‘being’ and listening and looking at your surroundings. 
I’ve also found that listening to audiobooks and YouTube videos  by spiritual teachers like  Eckhart Tolle and Mooji have helped me to change how I think about life and my thoughts - and that’s really helped my more ‘general’ level of anxiety. There are things that I used to get really stressed about that worry me much less now after listening to their teachings. I understand myself more and that’s really helped. It’s help me to identify ways to feel more at peace, and in turn I’ve found I can meditate more effectively too. At first I felt I ‘couldn’t do it’ - but I’ve realised that I was missing the point. It’s about ‘not doing’ more than ‘doing’. 
I think it’s also helpful to realise that these sorts of therapies take time to work. Give it time - it may take months before you really feel significant benefit but if you do make progress in this way the benefit will be more long lasting than medication, and there are no side effects to meditation and learning more about why you feel the way you do, and react in the way you do to certain situations. The reasons why we feel so anxious are complex and they require a lot of thought and time to understand and improve. I’ve realised that we need gentle self care and to be nurturing and to forgive ourselves. I’ve found that being out in nature is my best way to meditate. I just sit and take in what’s around me, giving myself time to just listen to all the sounds around me, and watch the leaves and branches moving, the clouds, the birds. I just get lost in that and feel very at peace. Everything else gradually melts away as I get absorbed in the nature all around me. It really helps me.

Good luck - I hope you can find ways to feel more peaceful and contented, and less anxious x

Hi Kate thank you so much for replying to my thread. I'm really glad that you've managed to make this work for you in a way you're comfortable and that it actually makes a difference to your life. I'm so sorry you've had bad experiences with medication! I haven't had medication for my mental health before but I've done research online and from what I've read a lot of people who have autism have had the same or similar reactions like yours...medication does appear to affect us more strongly and violently...maybe because we're hyper sensitive to so many things? I think it's something everyone in our neurokin can understand which is very sad actually but also quite reassuring, in the sense that it means we don't have to feel like the only ones who get it. I prefer the idea of a more natural approach rather than taking medication. Meditation is natural and from what I've read you get a lot of benefits like physical, mental and emotional health benefits...I gave it a try yesterday and so far I haven't found the benefits but it's early and I can try others if this doesn't work out. Part of the problem is I don't feel comfortable, I feel a bit of an idiot sat there and like I'll be judged even though none of my family saw me or even know I'm doing this. Would you recommend those audiobooks for me as well? I didn't consider trying audiobooks as well. I have watched some Yt videos about people talking about breathing and noticing surroundings to help ease anxiety and that's something I've been trying to do as well. 

There's so many life hacks out there which could lead to a better more peaceful life and way of thinking but I think hitting the right one might take time. It will be worth the wait though! If I can get something to help before my exams next year then that will be perfect for me.

I'm sorry that you've struggled so much the last few years. It sounds like you're doing a great job helping yourself though... Take it a day at a time and don't put too much pressure on yourself. That's what I'm trying to do now and it's important to remind yourself and to be kind to yourself even when you don't really feel like it. If you ever need to talk about things I'm just a message away. TC and have a nice day.

Hi :) 

The audiobook/recordings I’ve found most helpful are recordings of Eckhart Tolle doing talks at retreats. I get them on Audible and Applebooks. His voice is so calming and he’s got a very relaxed and often humorous way of talking about ways to feel more centred and calm and at peace with life. He does lots of YouTube videos. He did a talk at the Findhorn foundation which I really enjoyed listening to. But I’ve listened to load of his recordings and they really have helped me a lot. 
Again though it’s taken time. It’s a gradual change rather than sudden improvements. I’ve realised that it’s taken me many years to build up all these anxieties and it’s going to take time to reduce them. So I’m trying to view this as a long term thing, like changing to a sustainable healthy diet that’s sustainable rather than trying crash diets. 
Thanks for your supportive and kind words Bees - I really appreciate it x

Hi :) 

The audiobook/recordings I’ve found most helpful are recordings of Eckhart Tolle doing talks at retreats. I get them on Audible and Applebooks. His voice is so calming and he’s got a very relaxed and often humorous way of talking about ways to feel more centred and calm and at peace with life. He does lots of YouTube videos. He did a talk at the Findhorn foundation which I really enjoyed listening to. But I’ve listened to load of his recordings and they really have helped me a lot. 
Again though it’s taken time. It’s a gradual change rather than sudden improvements. I’ve realised that it’s taken me many years to build up all these anxieties and it’s going to take time to reduce them. So I’m trying to view this as a long term thing, like changing to a sustainable healthy diet that’s sustainable rather than trying crash diets. 
Thanks for your supportive and kind words Bees - I really appreciate it x