People with anxiety disorders?

blondeinvutton
blondeinvutton Posts: 7
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been told like 150 times that stress causes weight gain, and I believe it. So now my question is what helped you. I haven't gotten to a doctor yet. So I was wondering if any of you have anything besides medication that helps?
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Replies

  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Working out and meditation. I have a score of 29 on the Yale–Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale. I also have GAD.

    ;)
  • snazzyjazzy21
    snazzyjazzy21 Posts: 1,298 Member
    I'm currently on meds to control my anxiety as nothing else was working (guess who can now leave the house? this gal!)

    Anxiety actually caused me to lose weight due to vomiting and nausea, but the meds have removed that almost completely. I would say if anxiety is having a large impact on your day to day life, medication may be the way to go. I tried therapy, yoga, etc, but nothing worked until I got onto the right medication.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Working out is the best thing for stress. It also happens to help you lose weight and feel good about yourself and get fit. Get your sweat on, on the regular, and your stress will be much more manageable.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    I'm currently on meds to control my anxiety as nothing else was working (guess who can now leave the house? this gal!)

    Anxiety actually caused me to lose weight due to vomiting and nausea, but the meds have removed that almost completely. I would say if anxiety is having a large impact on your day to day life, medication may be the way to go. I tried therapy, yoga, etc, but nothing worked until I got onto the right medication.

    Also this. Took me a while to find one that wouldn't cause rebound anxiety... But, yes, medication. ;)
  • scottaworley
    scottaworley Posts: 871 Member
    Working out is the best thing for stress. It also happens to help you lose weight and feel good about yourself and get fit. Get your sweat on, on the regular, and your stress will be much more manageable.

    Anxiety is wholly different than stress.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    Running has done a lot of good for my anxiety levels.
  • jhloves2knit
    jhloves2knit Posts: 268 Member
    I'm currently on meds to control my anxiety as nothing else was working (guess who can now leave the house? this gal!)

    Anxiety actually caused me to lose weight due to vomiting and nausea, but the meds have removed that almost completely. I would say if anxiety is having a large impact on your day to day life, medication may be the way to go. I tried therapy, yoga, etc, but nothing worked until I got onto the right medication.

    Also this. Took me a while to find one that wouldn't cause rebound anxiety... But, yes, medication. ;)
  • Mom2ATM
    Mom2ATM Posts: 147 Member
    yeah meds here too :/ not thrilled about it though, im bipolar II and suffer from anxiety and depression im on low dose of abilify and 20 of Lexapro, I was actually on celexa at first but that threw me into the depression and I became worried id hurt myself so I admitted myself for 5 days they kept me and I do find that exercise calms me,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,actually a glass of wine does a better job for me lol
  • jhloves2knit
    jhloves2knit Posts: 268 Member
    I'm currently on meds to control my anxiety as nothing else was working (guess who can now leave the house? this gal!)

    Anxiety actually caused me to lose weight due to vomiting and nausea, but the meds have removed that almost completely. I would say if anxiety is having a large impact on your day to day life, medication may be the way to go. I tried therapy, yoga, etc, but nothing worked until I got onto the right medication.

    Also this. Took me a while to find one that wouldn't cause rebound anxiety... But, yes, medication. ;)


    What meds work for anxiety?
  • mommy3457
    mommy3457 Posts: 361 Member
    Am I the odd one out? Working out at too high of an intensity gives me anxiety. I can't think about "working out" or I get major anxiety. I just walk a lot and play sports. I don't think about exercising while doing them.
  • vienna_h
    vienna_h Posts: 428 Member
    Medication is NOT for anyone.

    I had GAD and panic disorder, but I feel that I am cured of panic disorder and only occasionally get bouts of GAD, which are much more mild now than it used to be.

    I find the CBT (cognitive-behaviourial therapy) was the best treatment for me. Without the therapy, you don't learn how to actually understand and control your anxiety.

    Meditation and acupuncture have been very helpful as well. An acupuncture session does about the same to me as a Xanax (but not as accessible). When I feel like I can't concentrate on something or I feel "stuck", I go for a jog, or I do a dance workout. Feeling in tune with my body and being active melts the stress away!!!

    Medication has it's place. Personally, I tried 3 types of SSRIs and they didn't work for me, they gave me panic attacks and shakes, I felt like I needed to crawl out of my own body to get away from myself, it was insane. Benzodiazepamines work better for me to get over those moments when I need something to just take the edge off so I can gather myself and control my anxiety. I say I take a total of ten pills per year. What I've learned from CBT takes care of the rest. Medication is a last resort. If you don't do the therapy, you'll never truly progress, you'll be dependent forever. Even if you read a CBT workbook instead of face-to-face therapy, it'll only cost you a few dollars, and it could change your life.
  • snazzyjazzy21
    snazzyjazzy21 Posts: 1,298 Member
    I'm currently on meds to control my anxiety as nothing else was working (guess who can now leave the house? this gal!)

    Anxiety actually caused me to lose weight due to vomiting and nausea, but the meds have removed that almost completely. I would say if anxiety is having a large impact on your day to day life, medication may be the way to go. I tried therapy, yoga, etc, but nothing worked until I got onto the right medication.

    Also this. Took me a while to find one that wouldn't cause rebound anxiety... But, yes, medication. ;)


    What meds work for anxiety?

    I'm on citalopram, mirtazapine and quetiapine and it's doing pretty well.
  • lachesissss
    lachesissss Posts: 1,298 Member
    Running. Sometimes it's the only thing that kicks it out. I think the repetitive movement, the forced rhythmic breathing, and environment I run in help bring down the feeling that extreme anxiety gives me.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    I'm currently on meds to control my anxiety as nothing else was working (guess who can now leave the house? this gal!)

    Anxiety actually caused me to lose weight due to vomiting and nausea, but the meds have removed that almost completely. I would say if anxiety is having a large impact on your day to day life, medication may be the way to go. I tried therapy, yoga, etc, but nothing worked until I got onto the right medication.

    Also this. Took me a while to find one that wouldn't cause rebound anxiety... But, yes, medication. ;)


    What meds work for anxiety?

    If its mixed with depression they will prescribe ssri, the might suggest buspbarone, before trying Benzodiazepines. Benzos are the only thing that work for me as I have a manic switch.

    Benzos are Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Ativan, Valium, etc.


    I take clonazepam.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Medication is NOT for anyone.

    I had GAD and panic disorder, but I feel that I am cured of panic disorder and only occasionally get bouts of GAD, which are much more mild now than it used to be.

    I find the CBT (cognitive-behaviourial therapy) was the best treatment for me. Without the therapy, you don't learn how to actually understand and control your anxiety.

    Meditation and acupuncture have been very helpful as well. An acupuncture session does about the same to me as a Xanax (but not as accessible). When I feel like I can't concentrate on something or I feel "stuck", I go for a jog, or I do a dance workout. Feeling in tune with my body and being active melts the stress away!!!

    Medication has it's place. Personally, I tried 3 types of SSRIs and they didn't work for me, they gave me panic attacks and shakes, I felt like I needed to crawl out of my own body to get away from myself, it was insane. Benzodiazepamines work better for me to get over those moments when I need something to just take the edge off so I can gather myself and control my anxiety. I say I take a total of ten pills per year. What I've learned from CBT takes care of the rest. Medication is a last resort. If you don't do the therapy, you'll never truly progress, you'll be dependent forever. Even if you read a CBT workbook instead of face-to-face therapy, it'll only cost you a few dollars, and it could change your life.

    I have found DBT to also be affective. ;). :heart:
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,284 Member
    Definitely exercise. Whenever I do any exercising....doesn't even have to be a hard workout.....I feel more energized and in a better place emotionally. If I sit around too much, I get anxious and that starts the snowball effect.
  • rachel4304
    rachel4304 Posts: 115 Member
    For me, increasing my dietary fat helped tremendously -- my macros were out of whack (to carby not enough healthy fats.) On days when I'm going to be in a sure-fire panic attack situation, I take a klonopin. I don't want a maintenance drug if I don't have to.
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,284 Member
    I'm currently on meds to control my anxiety as nothing else was working (guess who can now leave the house? this gal!)

    Anxiety actually caused me to lose weight due to vomiting and nausea, but the meds have removed that almost completely. I would say if anxiety is having a large impact on your day to day life, medication may be the way to go. I tried therapy, yoga, etc, but nothing worked until I got onto the right medication.

    Also this. Took me a while to find one that wouldn't cause rebound anxiety... But, yes, medication. ;)


    What meds work for anxiety?

    I was on citalopram but it was affecting my libido so my doctor took me off it and put me on Welbutrin. However, that doesn't seem to be working as well and I may have to try something else.
  • DavidC1857
    DavidC1857 Posts: 149 Member
    Am I the odd one out? Working out at too high of an intensity gives me anxiety. I can't think about "working out" or I get major anxiety. I just walk a lot and play sports. I don't think about exercising while doing them.

    No, you're not the only one. Increased heart rate, sweating, etc. are similar to a panic attack to me. I had a good one while out walking and didn't walk again for a long time. I didn't want to have another attack away from home. Eventually I started with 10 minutes and worked my way back up. I am pretty good at differentiating now. It just took slow exposure. Very slow.
  • BigDnSW
    BigDnSW Posts: 641 Member
    If you can, see a qualified health professional who will be able to determine your stress levels, stressors, triggers, and a healthy plan of diet, exercise, and possibly meds. There is a wide variety of causes and other factors with anxiety/stress/panic disorders and management. It would be good to know for you what your "condition" is and at what level. "It" is a form of pain that can be very debilitating if not treated. But also, very high success rate when treated properly.

    You are unique. What will work for one person may make things worse for you.

    I wish you health and wellness.
  • rachel4304
    rachel4304 Posts: 115 Member
    Wellbutrin actually exacerbated my anxiety tremendously (and I was on it for years and didn't realize that was the problem). I couldn't make telephone calls while on it and had horrible shaking problems. Second I stopped, I felt so much better. I think the last one I tried was Zoloft and it also hindered libido. If I was to ever go back on an anti-depressant I think they'd move on to pristiq.
  • JumpingDog
    JumpingDog Posts: 125 Member
    Quiet time, meditation, and yoga help me. I'm a very anxious, skittish person but I lose weight due to it from hyper-vigilance, lack of sleep, nausea, etc. Of course, my issues (supposedly PTSD and agoraphobia) make me more inclined to stay inside which can result in less exercise.

    I agree with the other poster that stress and anxiety are different. They can appear together but they are two totally different things. Besides meditation, I also like listening to upbeat music, dancing, sleeping, and being productive.

    Other good techniques are planning (realistically) ways to tackle obstacles, making to-do lists, dividing up chores over days, and taking everything one bit at a time. These things may not help everyone though. The more I know about and plan around what stresses me, the better I feel about it because I feel like I could be in control of it. Other people just become more stressed the more they think about what needs doing. You'll have to find your own methods.

    In the case of anxiety, the most important thing for me is finding what bothers me and then either fixing it or avoiding it until it can be fixed. Little things make all the difference - like I changed my alarm clock from a typical alarm clock sound to crickets chirping; I still wake up, but I'm not jolted awake by what sounds like a fire alarm in my sleeping brain. That little change has made my mornings so much gentler.

    As a last resort to dealing with anxiety, I remove myself from the offending situation. I personally don't take meds because there aren't really any that aren't addictive and I have made great progress without them.
  • megabyt23
    megabyt23 Posts: 580 Member
    I've always suffered with anxiety, anxiety attacks, and migraines. I have a prescription for Xanax that works pretty well. Just to clarify, I don't suffer from depression...just anxious and stressed out a lot. lol I will say that working out consistently has helped me soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo so much as far as anxiety goes. I don't even take my xanax everyday anymore, just occasionally when I feel really overwhelmed.

    ETA: I agree with the above poster.....yoga helped me a lot as well!
  • littlebudgie
    littlebudgie Posts: 279 Member
    Exercise massively reduces the amount of anxiety I deal with (especially what I call "random anxiety", which just comes out of nowhere, as opposed to "disproportionate anxiety", which is something that might make anyone anxious but that anxiety disorders take to a whole new level of anxiety). Mindfulness techniques help while I'm feeling anxious, especially tactile sensations, and my preferred exercise (weightlifting) definitely fits that category. Any exercise usually helps, though, up to and including just jumping up and down a bunch.

    I am also on a medication which has a secondary effect of reducing anxiety, but I was at my current dosage before I started exercising, and while meds brought me to "functional", exercise brought me up to a point where GAD rarely impacts my day-to-day life. My family has noticed too, and will tell me to go to the gym if I seem overly anxious.

    Finally, I have an at-need antipanic medication, which I haven't taken for well over a year now. I feel just knowing I have a safety net helps keep my anxiety from escalating to that level.
  • gogojodee
    gogojodee Posts: 1,243 Member
    I'm currently on meds to control my anxiety as nothing else was working (guess who can now leave the house? this gal!)

    Anxiety actually caused me to lose weight due to vomiting and nausea, but the meds have removed that almost completely. I would say if anxiety is having a large impact on your day to day life, medication may be the way to go. I tried therapy, yoga, etc, but nothing worked until I got onto the right medication.

    This and talking to a therapist who specializes in DBT! Good luck! :)
  • _EndGame_
    _EndGame_ Posts: 770 Member
    Anxiety can be crippling, I used to work with people who suffered from various different mental health problems, and it was sad to see them end up dosed on anti psychotic/anti depressive medications.

    I kind of discovered that food itself is medicine, it's just a case of doing some research, find out what the body REALLY needs.
  • angiep098
    angiep098 Posts: 33
    Running. I'm not talking about the intense HIIT pounding it out kind of running though - more like a slow jog, preferably outside, with some good, relaxing music (: Also therapy helped me out a ton too. All I can say is if you are considering medication, please be careful with benzos. If you are prone to addiction (I have a very addictive personality), withdrawal can be...terrible
  • CycleGuy9000
    CycleGuy9000 Posts: 290
    I used to have panic attacks and lots of general anxiety every day but now that I work out and eat right it's all gone except once in a while I get a little anxiety but just the normal amount everyone does. I also do things to relax, one of my big relaxers is drawing a warm bath (not to hot that can raise your BP) put some epsom salt in there, throw on some relaxing music, use dim lights or one candle, sit in there for a little while and just relax, this is also really good for headaches.
  • snazzyjazzy21
    snazzyjazzy21 Posts: 1,298 Member
    Anxiety can be crippling, I used to work with people who suffered from various different mental health problems, and it was sad to see them end up dosed on anti psychotic/anti depressive medications.

    I kind of discovered that food itself is medicine, it's just a case of doing some research, find out what the body REALLY needs.

    Dude, anti-psychotics are awesome!
  • KathleenMurry
    KathleenMurry Posts: 448 Member
    I'm a long time sufferer of general anxiety disorder, depression and OCD and I think I've been on all the meds for it over the years. They made my weight fluctuate big time. Worst of all, the last couple I was on made me so lethargic during the day and made me sleep 10-11 hours a night. FINALLY about a month ago, I kicked all the meds but Wellbutrin (it has 0 side effects, so I'm keeping it). I've been coping really well being off the meds and I think it's thanks to harder training. I set some goals and I'm working really hard on achieving them. I get myself so tired that there is just no energy leftover for anxiety and stress. Loving life right now. Also, don't tell my shrink because I did it without his permission ;)

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