I can't stop worrying

[MacDonald]

Hello

I'm a person with an educated mind, but I suffer from a lot of anxiety. Recently I have felt very uneasy and have a lot of thoughts racing through my head. I'm worried about desicions to make about jobs, apartment etc. Some time ago I had a panic attack and I talked to a psychiatric nurse. I feel sad because I've spent a lot of time feeling under the weather and can't get work done. I tried to listen to music but I had to stop because I go migraine. I know life is good most of the time, but right now I'm scared of everything going on inside my very tired mind. I've had a lot of angry feelings too, and denial...I tell myself should have the right to be angry. Actually my angry feelings take up too much time and space in my mind. When someone lets me down I feel angry at them but I'm too shy to tell them I was disappointed. At the moment I feel like I'm in the middle of a sort of state of very bad mental health...where should I begin? Anyone know of any techniques to stop panic attacks?

 

[Baz]

I think the first step would be to deal with the built up frustration you're getting from these situations.

The easiest way to relieve things, tends to be breathing techniques, but they do take time and practise to get right.

One is diaphragmatic breathing, put one hand on your stomach and another on your chest, the aim is to have your stomach hand raise higher than your chest hand. Breath in for 5 then out for 8, then repeat. If you can hold your breath for longer then do so, but do it at a comfortable pace for you.

Another one, especially for if your feeling tense/wound up/angry is a thing called clenched fish technique, or something along those lines. The idea is you clench you first as tightly as possible, so you can feel the tension, let it raise, then literally throw it out, so it feels as if you are throwing the tension out of your body.

As for the panic attacks, the way to beat them varies from person to person, so it is impossible to say what may or may not help you, just try with the breathing techniques then build from there

 

[NrLondonGuy]

To add to very helpful post from Baz breathing exercises regualry will actually reduce panic attacks: Reason - when we are stressed we build up CO2 in our blood and this excess Co2 is what causes us to have panick attacks. Doing the breathing as suggested above regualry and EVERY DAY will reduce the amount of CO2 in blood andthis will pyscically reduce chances of a panic attack. Relaxation therpaist told me that when I had them. Also do the breathing when you feel you may have one. Slow deep breathing. very important and effective at averting an immeant attack.

Another thing I find amazingly helpful for dealign with anxiety and stress is mindfullness meditation. I was feeling jumpy all day where I coudl not even sit behind laptop anymore and did it for 45 mins and here I am feeling quite relaxed. Its VERY effective when you get hang of it.

If you want to give a try I recommend this stuff:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guided-Mind...=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268169920&sr=8-5

I use that CD and thats the course you shoudl follow and all mindfullenss stuff base their things on that technique. Best £15 I spent for a long time.

This book is essential reading for mindfullness

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Full-Catast...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268170005&sr=1-1

This website has alot of info on it

http://www.london-meditation.co.uk/

 

[crazygal78]

You may want to talk to a dr. Mine put me on Lexapro for a while for the same thing~constant worrying.It actually really did help,but the problem was it made me worry too little.I was happy but had few emotions and didn't seem to be able to feel much empathy for other people.
I almost cheated on my husband and moved across the country because I just couldn't feel anything.(totally unlike me!) So I came off of it before I messed up my life.

Now I'm back to worrying...it sucks.