Anxiety - how do you cope?

Hi, I was talking to a lovely member yesterday about anxiety and I realised that I literally have no coping tactics for my anxiety and it's getting worse. I'm not sure how it is for everyone else, but for me it is terrible. Feel drained when I'm anxious, I'm tired all the time. I get the shakes in my hands. Upset stomach. Feel sick. And I become so jumpy and on edge. Like if the doorbell rings I become so scared and panicky that I have a panic attack, it's that bad. If I go out I'm the exact same and if I see more than one person the exact same thing happens. I have passed out before which makes it so much worse and embarrassing for me. I hardly go out now, if I do I avoid really busy places but I don't like to be alone either in case I'm attacked by someone. I have my dog who is also my best friend but she's not very protective so doesn't help this. I'm on edge and anxious now just writing this so I'm going to stop now. It's getting worse and I don't know what to do to make it better. There's always the doctor but that thought makes the anxiety even worse. I could call my old hospital but I don't know if they'll help me with anxiety and also talking on the phone is a trigger for me.

I'd be really interested to know what you do to cope with your anxiety, if you struggle with it as well.

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  • Your welcome Jess! I look forward to hearing from you. Have a great day! Jim

  • Hii Jim, thanks for the suggestion. I will give this a try at some point and let you know how I got on :) 

  • Thanks Cullpepper I am very self critical of everything I do, I am trying to work on this. I'll keep working on my drawings :) 

  • Thanks Jess,

    I only sing at the moment. I don't get much practice or singing done in the usual sense but I communicate by singing song quotes. Maybe I should do a video on some singing practice hacks!

    One trick is to put ear plugs in and try to feel vibration. Place a hand on your chest and see if you can feel the vibrations. And then maybe see if you can feel different parts of your face vibrating. When you have found how to relax one area move onto another the goal being to see if you can get as much as your body vibrating as possible. If you get really good at this you can feel chills all up and down your body. 

    This may not be the first thing to try but its the first thing that comes to my head without being to demonstrate with more than words that is unlikely to cause confusion!

    The other positive is.... no cringing! Don't do it for too long at a time as excessive sensory deprivation may lead to hallucinations even in the healthy! 

    Maybe after you have been trying this twenty minutes a day for two weeks. Take out the earplugs at the end of a session and see if you are still cringing. You might surprise yourself!

    All the best Jess. You can enjoy singing too! Straight up!

    Jim

  • Thanks Cullpepper paper mache sounds good for my hands (peripheral neuropathy)

    Jim

  • Jess you say you think your drawings are rubbish, but the artists who ran the group i joined use to tell us ....... There is no right way to do it, and there is no wrong way to do it..... there is onlt 'your' way.

    Jimberry, if you fancy sculpture, we only used paper mache

    On Youtube there are loads of videos giving ideas about abstract art.

  • I like singing but mostly when it's done by other people :p I sing sometimes but it sounds so bad I just stop because it hurts my ears and makes me cringe. I did actually follow some singing lessons last year on YouTube and I did this for a month and a half but I didn't notice any improvements so I stopped in the end. I might give it another try at some point but for now I'll just stick to listening to others.

    Do you do a lot of singing? :) It sounds like you enjoy it a lot. I'm glad you do.

  • Hey it doesn't matter if you sound terrible whatsoever, though I have not once met anyone who does not improve by doing.

    Even the very worst cases of 'tone-deafness' (fallacy in the vast majority of cases, true inability is exceptionally rare indeed, most people have simply been insulted at a young/tender age by bullies who are too embarrassed to sing themselves!) can be overcome and I have seen it happen over time before my very eyes.

    I would gladly sing with you if you wanted support!.

    I cannot recommend singing highly enough to everyone here at the NAS!

    Cheers, 

    Jim

  • Hi Jess,

    Having the worst singing voice is the very best reason to sing!

    Singing like any other physical activity is dependent on fitness/exercise! The more you do it the better you will sound.

    Besides it is a very good activity for the body the brain and the emotions and if you go someplace that nobody can hear you it doesn't matter if you don't sound as you would wish at first!

    Kind regards, 

    Jim