anxiety...what to do

[gfein347]

After months of indecision and urging from my girlfriend, I finally made an appointment with a psychiatrist. I've always had anxiety attacks, but since I've made the appointment, they've gotten so much worse.

 

I have a fear of doctors, and the idea of talking about my mental health with a stranger is freaking the sh*t out of me, to put it lightly. At least once a day, I'll get so freaked out that my heart rate will rise considerably, I'll start breathing quickly, and I can't focus. It's truly interfering with my everyday life.

 

Hopefully, once I talk to the doctor, my problems with anxiety (among other things) will be subdued. But, until then, what can I do? Does anyone know of a good way to handle the situation when I get anxiety attacks, or of something that might ease my mind?

 

As a side note, yes, I do realize that my fear of doctors is irrational. I can't explain why, but seeing a doctor of any type terrifies me.

[Jeffrey2095]

Hi gfein,

 

You know what I used to do?

 

I would close my eyes and imagine that I was petting my dog.

 

Now, he's been dead for awhile, but I would just imagine he was there as usual.

 

It would at least keep the anxiety from snowballing.

 

The anxiety "attack" can bring extra anxiety too and feed itself.

 

Jeff

[gfein347]

Thanks Jeff-

 

I guess I need to just find a way to focus on something else while the anxiety is there.

 

What does everyone else think? Does anyone have experience going to a psychiatrist and can offer advice?

[Dako]

I see a psychiatrist and deal with anxiety and depression.

Ignoring it won't end it.

 

I take a walk, breathe and look at the sky to slow the heartbeat. Currently, I'm a bit agitated about my frustrating job search.

My pulse is a bit strong. Later on, I'll go walking by the lake, smoke a cigar and watch ducks.

[Jeffrey2095]

Yeah buddy,

 

It is an excellent "copeing mechanism" and has worked well for me.

 

No sense in dwelling on the attack itself, while it is happening.

 

Now, I am not suggesting that you ignore the problem.. (A little difficult while you are in the middle of an attack, anyone would know that.)

 

But, getting your mind diverted has at least kept it from escalating for me.

 

Good luck with this, and you are not the only one by any strectch if that is some comfort.

 

Best wishes.

 

Jeff

[Dako]

Note to self:

Caffeine is a bad thing.

[Zaphod]

gfein - I picked up my valium prescription today - lol.

 

Same here - it's a mental thing I think, worrying , uncertainty etc. etc. my recent break with my g/f has set it off - I went something like 80 or 90 hours without sleep when we broke up a couple of weeks ago.

 

I find that good hobbies help! Something creative you can get into. But this is more a long term life solution. For now perhaps go to the doc.

 

Talking of hobbies - I love your avatar - did you make it yourself? Am I talking to a fellow web designer (etc.) ???

[gfein347]

Talking of hobbies - I love your avatar - did you make it yourself?

 

Thanks! My avatar is called a "Calabi-Yau space" or a "Calabi-Yau manifold" and it's a 3-D projection of the 10 spacial dimensions predicted by string theory. Unfortunately, I didn't make it myself, although I know of a way to generate one mathematically.

[gfein347]

Note to self:

Caffeine is a bad thing.

gfein - I picked up my valium prescription today - lol.

 

Lol, I'm seeing a trend here...

 

By the way, has anyone ever been to a psychiatrist for anxiety? What was the appointment like? I'm trying to get a feel for the types of questions that may be asked, so I'm not caught too off-guard...

[Dako]

Just the usual, like what brings it on, how it manifests, length of the attack, what eases it, what's going on in your life, how you react to the anxiety as a problem.

Sometimes an objective opinion can clarify things.

[Emily525]

I also have extremely bad anxiety. I get so bad to the point where I feel like im going to be sick and stop breathing. What I do is have a rubberband on my wrist that I snap whenever im feeling anxious. This actually gets my mind off of things and makes it stop. I also pop a mint at the same time. I know it sounds bad, but im on medicine for it that the doctor is trying to get me off of. So i use mints as a mental thing. It DOES help. Just breathe deeply, drink some water or something, and snap haha. Thats what I do at least. Im actually kind of freaking out right now, but its ok. I just laugh about it to myself asking why im letting myself get like this. It makes me laugh and forget about everything else. You'd be surprised. Just dont think about it. Just laugh. I even laugh to my friends. I say "guys im freaking out right now" and laugh. They laugh along with me and help it to go away. About your doctor situation, they DO want to help you. The best thing to do is tell them, or someone. So if you start freaking out, they know whats going on. Take a close friend that you trust deeply and tell them and let them know. When they understand they will help you through it. Its better to tell someone then nobody at all. Going through this alone is hard, dont make it be hard.

 

 

I hope this helps

[Zaphod]

it's a 3-D projection of the 10 spacial dimensions predicted by string theory.

 

Oh right, nothing heavy then

[Zaphod]

Anxiety is a growingly more common social disease, especially in civilised society - the reason being that we have engineered things in such a way in our push button concrete and metal world, that we no longer find ourselves (often) in the situation where we have to flee, in other words where the "fight or flight" anxiety/adrenalin charge is set off.

thereforeeee most people have excess of this lying around, because let's face it, most of us (including me) probably lead a relatvily sedintary(sp?) lifestyle involving lots of er..... not running away from wild animals and not fearing for our lives etc. etc.

It's this excess that's getting people I think. Sometimes when I have a (near) panic attack, I feel that if I had a kick bag set up or something, or I could put on gloves and get beat up by some boxer, then somehow I would feel better.

It feels like adrenalin with nowhere to go, as I'm sitting in my flat on the computer or whatever just sitting still and "worrying" about my break up and feeling myself get anxious. And "going for a run" is not really practical at 2 o clock in the morning.

 

Anyway I know that probably sounds like complete rubbish, and it probably is, so ignore my ramblings, but this is what I think could be one of the contributory factors in why people seem to be suffering more and more from these things. I've been noticing this for a while.

[Zaphod]

I also have extremely bad anxiety. I get so bad to the point where I feel like im going to be sick and stop breathing. What I do is have a rubberband on my wrist that I snap whenever im feeling anxious.

 

Have you tried doing 20 press ups? I know it sounds stupid but this is sometimes how I feel. I don't want to give mis advice but excercise is a known way to release endorphins and restore the "balance" in your mind - possibly the source of your panic.

[gfein347]

Have you tried doing 20 press ups? I know it sounds stupid but this is sometimes how I feel. I don't want to give mis advice but excercise is a known way to release endorphins and restore the "balance" in your mind - possibly the source of your panic.

 

Hmm...for some reason, when I try to exercise, it seems to make my stress worse. It's almost as if I have an aversion to physical activity altogether, but that may be another issue. I know what you mean about stress and the "fight or flight" response though.

[Zaphod]

Hmm...for some reason, when I try to exercise, it seems to make my stress worse. It's almost as if I have an aversion to physical activity altogether, but that may be another issue. I know what you mean about stress and the "fight or flight" response though.

 

Hmmm.... sometimes it's a bit hard to "get started" but after about quarter of an hour you get into it.... that's what I sometimes find. Bit like cranking an old car up