Your anxiety busters...

[AspieOtaku]

Alcoholol is a gamble, many times it helps but many times it can hurt bad and intensify with suicidal thoughts when it does not.

 

[AspieOtaku]

Marijuana, though not proud of it due to being raised by a conservative family it has saved my life many times when suicidle. If it wasnt for marijuana I would not be alive today making these posts.

 

[Canismajoris]

Oh one thing more: if you are a man check out testosterone levels. Low T can make one feel anxious and negative. Too much estrogen and man becomes too sensitive (and grows boobs). These hormonal dysfuntions are quite common these days: thanks to the chemicalization of our environment.

 

[AspieOtaku]

Good for anxiety at least for me.

 

[some/aspies/need/hugs/13]

One thing that works for me and I have some people in my life who are very understanding about it is hugs and cuddling, also one of my favorite non touch related things is I control my breathing and focus on slowing my heart rate down this can be achieved by starting off breathing 4 seconds in, 4 seconds out, repeat 3 times... Now taking in the same amount of air repeat the steps but change to 6 seconds in 6 seconds out, repeat until it takes 10 seconds or more if done correctly you will feel very relaxed even tired afterward. If you want more detailed instructions you can look up controlled breathing and heart rate control exercises....

 

[AspieOtaku]

One thing that works for me and I have some people in my life who are very understanding about it is hugs and cuddling, also one of my favorite non touch related things is I control my breathing and focus on slowing my heart rate down this can be achieved by starting off breathing 4 seconds in, 4 seconds out, repeat 3 times... Now taking in the same amount of air repeat the steps but change to 6 seconds in 6 seconds out, repeat until it takes 10 seconds or more if done correctly you will feel very relaxed even tired afterward. If you want more detailed instructions you can look up controlled breathing and heart rate control exercises....

Its hard to live without someone to hug and cuddle, i get sad and lonely.

 

[ForestFox]

So I have been especially tormented and anxious this week, which has led to a troubling development-

I've been a non-drinker my whole life, but this last week I discovered that the booze actually makes the bad feelings go away.

This is plainly Not Good, so please share with me some healthier ideas. I like to cuddle my soft toys, chew on things, and take a lot of naps. I sometimes find that a dose of antihistamine helps - when it doesn't just give me a bad tummy.

Healthy habit suggestions, please?

Try Valerian or things like Kalms. CBD can also help. Just realise that even when you don't feel hungover, you will be more emotional the next day after a drinking. This will pass, you just need to grit through that bit until it passes. Consider talking to a doctor about beta blockers for stress. They help me not go into meltdown or panic a lot of times.

Taking a bath with nice smelling bath salts or foam helps after a bad day. Maybe consider making positive changes to your diet like eating regularly and swapping healthy foods for anything unhealthy you eat. I find mood dips a lot when I don't eat properly. Drink more water - dehydration also makes your mood worse.

Try watching movies or go on YouTube and see what comedy shows you can find, or watch documentaries, music etc. That interests you.

And try to stay away from drink for a while. It may feel better now but it makes you feel a thousand times worse real fast.

Another thing to try is planning a change of scene gradually. I found after finally taking the leap of changing the colour of the walls in the room I spend the most time in, I felt a little lighter and more calm. And I'm afraid of change, but as long as it's something you like and you feel would make you happy it helps.

One last thing is getting an aquarium or something visual that you can use to tune out of the negative feelings such as lava lamps, lamps that change colour etc. It can be really soothing when you're feeling low or frantic.

Hope that helps! And please look after yourself.

 

[some/aspies/need/hugs/13]

Also another thing I do is I have a favorite shirt I wear when I am down it is extremely soft and I wear it with my favorite hoodie, my favorite pants, my favorite kind of socks and my favorite runners.

 

[JDShredds]

Ok, first of all, I'm going to go slightly against the grain here: I'm not going to demonize any substances in of themselves - partly because it is so dependent on the individual's psychology, biochemistry and life circumstance. You will not hear me give value judgments like "good" or "bad" around things such as caffeine, alcohol, or cannabis. They have properties that affect people differently. I have my own relationship with them (caffeine and alcohol are useful to me in that I find them helpful and I'm able to keep it in moderation - cannabis and I do NOT get along at all), but that's my relationship with them and is not relevant to you.

I'm not a fan of "this substance is BAD" thinking. No. A substance is a substance, period. The "good" or "bad" is all in your relationship with it. Some are more dangerous than others.

Another note: I was diagnosed with panic disorder in my 20's and went through a workbook program based around CBT and I very rarely panic anymore, so I'm well acquainted to this struggle myself.

My recommendation is to not beat yourself up if something like a substance gives you relief. Dont judge it, don't let other people's judgment of it make your anxiety worse. Just know it isn't a permanent fix, and practice caution. Know that the solutions to life's ailments are usually more practical than existential, and its okay if you found temporary relief from a substance. With that said, its clear you know it isn't the best solution.

Some things I would recommend to help alleviate anxiety:
- Exercise - whatever kind you can do that doesn't push you too far but gets the "extra" energy out. This can be as simple as a brisk walk, Yoga, calisthenics, a solitary sport - whatever works for you.
- Meditation - More recommended if you've done it before.
- Breathing exercise: The kind that emphasize breathing OUT tend to be most helpful (when I dealt with panic disorder I figured out that part of the anxiety sensation was too much oxygen in the blood from over-breathing/hyperventilating - so if you force it OUT you release the excess oxygen and feel less "charged")
- Get more sunshine. Sounds simple, but there's something to be said for the natural light triggering your brain differently, the vitamin D, and - if you're lucky to be in a warmer climate, the warmth.
- Laughter - whether its a funny friend, a funny show, a standup... whatever you know will make you laugh - or even just smile.
- Focus on a special interest/hobby/project.
- Look into seeking professional help, ideally if it involves cognitive behavioral therapy.

But you know the best way to alleviate anxiety? It may well be the hardest to do, but is the most effective: Face what is giving you anxiety. Face it head on. Go TOWARDS it, and eventually, through time and repetition - stepping closer and closer to it - you'll gradually learn that you can handle it. Not that it becomes less anxiety provoking, but that you gain the confidence that you can handle being anxious and facing what you're afraid of. Exposure therapy is built on this kind of premise.

 

[J. Lundberg]

I've been a non-drinker my whole life, but this last week I discovered that the booze actually makes the bad feelings go away.

... Please, rid your brain of this thought. I was diagnosed late in life with ASD level 1. If I had only known earlier, I would not have drank heavily for as long as I did (over 20 years). I also found that "booze actually makes the bad feelings go away." In particular, the anxiety. Then, after I had been drinking heavily for over 20 years, my body reached a point where it was no longer producing GABA on its own, similar to how long term benzo use can affect the body. In 2011, I started experiencing the worst panic attacks in my life and had to go on short term disability from work. It took about 4 to 5 years of abstaining from alcohol until I could produce my own GABA and get some normalcy back into my life.

 

[Fantasia]

Thank you all for the advice.

I've nipped that bad habit in the bud. My health and anxiety has improved a bit, but I'm still rather down.

I don't like breathing exercises because it induces the opposite effect and makes me think I'm drowning. I've been considering CBD, which I think you can get in the UK. Has anyone found this actually useful?

Sadly my anxiety is more generalised than specific, so I can't really avoid things, or challenge them head on. I definitely feel like it would be handy to have some medication to get me over the worst patches.

I do like to watch funny videos and sometimes go for a walk, although walks can be stressful too because Goddamn Children Everywhere. And I really wish I had a pet.

 

[J. Lundberg]

What's helped me is to stay away from foods that are naturally high in tyramine. The adrenal glands respond to tyramine by sending catecholamines into the bloodstream, which are fight-or-flight chemicals that act both as hormones and neurotransmitters. These messenger chemicals include dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. This provides a boost of energy that elevates blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety. This would mean staying away from anything that contains cow's milk. When the protein casein (from cow's milk) is digested, the amino acid tyrosine is liberated. Tyramine is then produced by the breakdown of tyrosine. Also, try to limit or stay away from other foods high in tyramine such as anything fermented, aged, or cured, most all cheese, peanuts and pecans, chocolate, and overripe fruit.

I would also recommend keeping caffeine consumption to a bare minimum and to limit exposure to electromagnetic radiation from cell phones and such. Deep breathing exercises should focus on exhaling for as long as you can and then naturally inhaling and then repeating process. This will activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which will slow your heart rate down and calm the body. If done correctly, you should not feel as if you are drowning. I should also mention two herbal teas that I have found incredibly helpful for controlling my anxiety: holy basil and chamomile. Holy basil is especially helpful with getting a good night's rest. Needless to say, a good night's sleep is imperative in controlling anxiety.

In regards to medication, I am prescribed a short term benzo called Ativan for times when my anxiety feels too high. Therefore, I only take it as needed. I would never recommend taking any medication on a daily basis because the body builds up a tolerance and would constantly need higher doses to achieve the same effect.