Anxiety and exercising.

jaramae

I've suffered with anxiety and panic attacks for most of my life. The last few years it had gotten really bad and after a breakdown I immediately went into therapy/counselling and medication. I stopped medication months ago and have generally been able to control what little anxiety I have these days.

One thing that is always recommended to help counteract mental health issues such as anxiety disorder and depression is to exercise, be active and get outdoors when you can. And while my energy levels have been much better in the past month that I've been at this, the past few days has left me in kind of an off mood. There's no real strenuous events going on in my life and my main focus these days is my health and fitness.

I was wondering if anyone has gone through something similar with their own anxiety issues and if this is just a natural occurrence from added endorphins.

fbmandy55

I think my blog from yesterday is kind of a result of this. I have the same issue.

New_Hope

I suffer from anxiety as well and I find that when I'm exercising regularly, it does help me quite a bit.

mamato2babes

Exercise saved my life during an awful bout with PPD and anxiety.

barbiex3

i have thee worst anxiety. I get like panic attacks if things pile up for a while, or I'm usually just anxious and nervous about random things I shouldn't be. Running has helped me a lot. I don't really have that problem as much anymore. It reduces my stress a lot, but I still am a very anxious person (especially if I don't exercise) lol.

missikay1970

Excessive exercise increases my anxiety and makes me manic.
I have to attain true balance, with lots of rest.

chocolateandvodka

i take pristiq and klonopin daily to counteract moderately severe depression/anxiety. when i was exercising on a regular basis and keeping a near-normal sleep/diet regimen, the anxiety diminished almost completely and the depression was MUCH more under control.

Shanna_Inc86

I use to suffer from anxiety bad when I was younger and would break out in hives...its not so bad anymore but I've found they don't come on nearly as often or severe when I workout on a regular basis.

Your mood could also be weather related.

johnhowson

Yes definitely I have had off periods and downs - times I could not get the motivation to exercise.
Exercise definitely helps with anxiety - also you can try meditation (takes time and can make things worse at first)
Currently I am flagging too but have kept up the exercise somehow

RAFValentina

Hey there!

I was on the hardest course of my life and suffered very badly with anxiety. I couldn't sleep at night and I had terrible stomach and gut problems tied with headaches etc.

I did exercise at the time, but not hard and my diet was pretty poor.

When I started upping my exercise and exercising late afternoon-mid evening I found that I felt a lot better.
I too saw a counsellor and sorted out a few issues through cognitive behavioural therapyfor things such as low self-esteem, stress and anxiety management etc.

I find that a really hard cardio session left me feeling really good (I'm talking about 35mins to an hour of hardcore running/bike/cross trainer) from the endorphin rush and also relaxed me and made me feel good enough to go to sleep. The sleep in itself made me feel loads better! I only need about 6-7 hours a night to feel refreshed but the right amount of sleep varies from person to person, as a general rule, the older you are, the less you need and the average is about 7 and a half hours.

Improving your cardiovascular health will help improve any mental health issues and help prevent further disease on the body. Combine with a mixture of strength training and low intensity exercise and you should feel tip top!

If you can break your workout in to 2 a day, the better, for example an early morning power walk (with the dog perhaps?!) and then a gym or run session in the evening.

Research says that cross training is far more beneficial to the body than single type exercise, so ,ix up your sessions with some classes, swimming and pure hardcore hitting the treadmill/road running!

Hope this helps! Maybe grab a couple of tips off my own blog! It's entirely non - commercial and just my way of logging my experiences with life and stuff! http://harderbetter-fasterstronger.blogspot.com You might find something of interest to you on there! It's quite new but I'm trying to post regularly!

fakeplastictree

I have the same issue. I hate having anxiety and panic disorders. I don't take meds but I know what you mean about exercise helping. I think some days you will have an off day and just have to work through it. As women, our hormones are easily thrown out of wack so I wouldn't think too much into it (I know us panic sufferers love to over think).

robyn525

I suffer with anxiety too. I have been taking medication since I moved out of my parents house. I guess I had issues before that, but always had my mom there to put up with it.

I take citolpram (I can't spell), when I use to take Effexor. I also went to councelling about 4 years ago, which was the best thing I could have done. Good thing someone else encouraged it. I started off exercising again by first going to Yoga and meditation 2 years ago and building up my confidence from there. Sometime in May 2010 is when I first used my fitness pal. I noticed when I am exercising and dieting it helps out a lot. Exercising especially helps out when there are too many things going on in my life. I can't just go on a treadmill or elyptical anymore. I love going to Zumba as the instructor is great. I get the music and she makes jokes as she instructs. We have fun during the class which helps me smile and laugh which is the best medicine for anxiety and stress.

I have learned to try and smile more. Confidence in yourself is the key and having support. I am lucky that my current boyfriend supports me more than any boyfriend I have had. I also have my mom, a friend, and my boyfriend's mom that tell me to call them anytime I am overwhelmed. This support group has helped me quit smoking and keep me going with loosing weight as well. They all see how much happier I am.

Guess you can take my experience and see what works best for you. I always wish I could stop taking medication, but if you need to take it, then do it. It is better to be living your life happy most of the time then down.

I still do meditation. It can be simple as taking a moment to think of positive things you have. Meditation is also taking the time to enjoy food or even take a short walk. It is getting your mind to pay attention to one thing so it can relax and slow down its thinking.

A journal was also recommended to me by my counseller, so try that too. It can get the frustration out of your head and onto paper. You can review it and see if there is something that needs to be resolved or is it just worrying to much.

Try some things and see what works for you.

kallibrae

I suffer from anxiety and i find that now that I'm exercising so much more, it's so much better.

tkacomet

depends on the day and the exercise. generally - exercise helps a LOT. my anxiety disorder shows itself as anger - really bad rages that scare me and everyone around me. regular exercise and getting enough sleep have kept these at bay for the most part with minimal meds. That being said, when I'm in the midst of one of my episodes if I do something very invigorating - i.e. running or lifting or biking - I can really aggravate the rages and it gets horrible. on those days, I do yoga or walk rather than run. If I focus on mellowing myself, slowing my breathing, it helps control the problem.

I also ground myself and stay away from the public as much as possible.

jaramae

Excessive exercise increases my anxiety and makes me manic.
I have to attain true balance, with lots of rest.

I think this is what's happening too much. I'm probably not resting enough and its spiking my anxiety.

MissMollieK

totally relate. Yes the last weeks have been more difficult for me as well- I blame it on the time of year and being gloomier outside. I know exercise helps- if all else fails, YOGA! It helps a ton. But i still find myself to be somewhat dependant on my meds, hope that will change soon. I have PTSD and wake up often in the mid of the night and medicine seems to be the only thing to help---anxiety pops up whenever it wants, night is the worst or social situations. I highly advise to exercise often. I was told this by many people in the past years, but just recently i finally took the advice:)

ahmpierce1

I hear you loud and clear. I have some anxiety issues. I think alot of it has to do with weather ( I am pretty sure I have seasonal depression). A lot of you feel that working out makes you feel better....what I have found is that it's not so much the working out and dieting ITSELF that helps me...but rather focusing on healthier things instead of dwelling on negative thoughts that helps. If I can focus my energy on being healthier...it doesnt leave much time left to focus on stressful things

frmeital

Exercise is good, but too much exercise can cause worse anxiety. Have you tried daily breathing techniques? These 2 are excellent, hope they help you out:

1. The Sigh Breath

This is a very simple technique, easy to remember for the next time anxiety knocks on your door. It will relieve the tension in your neck and chest area also.
Breathe in through your nose – in a moderate (not very deep) way – slowly. Pause and hold the air inside for just a second – then let it out slowly through your mouth. Make your exhale as long as possible – this is the key. Pay attention to every second of it – especially to that moment that exhaling has finished – that silent moment before the next inhale.
As you repeat this for the second time – take a look around you and what’s going on around you – quietly.
You can repeat this 3-5 times until your feel your entire body is relaxed.

2. 4-7-8 Breath – Advanced

This is a more advanced breathing exercise – try to remember it from reading it now so it will be “ready” for you when you need it.
This is done sitting down on a chair with your back straight and your hands lying loose on your lap. Closing your eyes can be helpful for concentration.
Inhale through your nose slowly and deeply until you mentally count to 4. Push out your abdomen when you inhale to fill your upper lungs first. Hold your breath until you count to 7. Smoothly exhale through your mouth to the count of 8. It’s easy to remember this: 4-7-8!
Imagine all your anxiety and tension leave your body while exhaling. You can do 10 to 12 rounds of this as a beginner. It will relax your mind, relax your muscles and balance your emotions.

Meital