anxiety issues

I agree with those who said eliminating/reducing alcohol and caffeine has a positive effect. The one thing that helps my anxiety the most is yoga. I am not sure why. But when I do yoga, I feel so calm and eat less and feel more whole.

Dandelie wrote: »

I took anti-anxiety meds and ended up zoned out of everything. I couldn't feel. Then, when I came off of them, I had withdraw symptoms like a heroin withdraw. It was horrific. I know some people are capable of being on meds without any issues. Yay for them. But if you don't want the hassle, don't be pressured into going onto meds.

I have social anxiety and complex anxiety and panic disorder. It is hell sometimes. I find myself struggle to go into a store sometimes. It is okay.

What I have found that helps is mindfulness in all things. Telling myself I am okay even when my body says otherwise. If you want to try meds, talk to your doctor but realize that there are risks. Including potential withdraw symptoms that are DIFFICULT when coming off of it.

Not wanting to take meds is totally different than demonizing them. I mean I've also had awful experiences with some forms of therapy (I'm looking at you DBT, who made mindfulness popular in western mental health care). That doesn't mean I'm going to say, "don't ever practice mindfulness!" I personally will probably never do any mental health centric mindfulness stuff again, but I'm not going to actively discourage other people from doing so.

I don't think anyone here is pressuring anyone to take meds, rather pointing out that saying that you shouldn't take them because of side effects is irresponsible. Never mind, of course, that not everyone has side effects, that there are a number of different psychotropic medications on the market, and that there are easy ways to avoid or lessen some side effects (ones that come from not titrating slowly off and on medication).

I'll note, I'm not actually on any psychotropic meds right now. They flat out don't work for me. It'd be awesome if they did, but they really don't. I say that having tried 15 different ones, had genetic testing to see what potentially could work/wouldn't work, and a blood test that got sent to a lab in Utah (that a friend of mine works at amusingly enough) to make sure that I had a therapeutic dose of one of them.

I didn't state at any time that the people here were pressuring the OP to take pills. I was pressured through my doctor and they didn't talk about the side effects or the withdraw symptoms. Perhaps assuming isn't the right direction to go in any conversation.

Wingsont84 wrote: »

Ok I have noticed when stepping foot in a gym I pour sweat, problem solving was getting a little gym in basement.

I noticed when I have short meeting at work and I sweat more then normal.

I try not to think about it, since that probably doesn't help, any ideas

Look up exposure therapy. Slowly allow yourself more and more time in the gym exposing yourself to the things that trigger your anxiety. Don't expect it to just disappear magically, it will take work and slowly dissipate the more you are exposed to the anxiety and find out that its not a bad thing to be in the gym.

Therapy and medication definitely seem to help me with my mental illnesses - anxiety being one of them. Make sure you are working on your coping skills, and start out slow. Obviously it is going to depend on the situation, but when possible I ease myself into things. As far as the gym goes - maybe try using it during a time when it is slow? We have 24 hr gyms here, and I prefer to go at like midnight, because I'm pretty much alone.

Best of luck, I know how horrid anxiety is. I hope it gets better.