Some stuff that seemed to help...
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Some stuff that seemed to help...
| Sat, 11-25-2006 - 3:11pm |
Hello! I used to frequent this board as I was struggling w/Anxiety, and periods of dissociation (and a few panic attacks). I remember always being on a desperate search for ideas of things that might help. Well, I wanted to share a few things that have seemed to help, I live pretty anxiety free most days now and have for several months. I started exersizing, mostly walking, sometimes running on a treadmill or workout videos, every single day. That seemed to help me to just feel better overall. I went to a website called Vitacost and bought a really good multi vitamin by Rainbow Light w/out Iodine (I have thyroid disorder and started to associate iodine intake w/heightened anxiety sensations-weird but true). I also take a high quality Omega 3 fish oil supplement, and a multi B vitamin w/inositol. I take these every single day w/lunch. For awhile I had to make myself eat 3 meals a day at pretty regular times and forced myself to go to bed early (would take Benadryl or Valerian to knock myself out). Just forcing these healthy habits upon myself helped to make me feel more "normal". I switched to only decaf. coffee and tea, and choose Sprite over Coke. I meditate every morning and pray throughout the day. I also had to become selective in the stimulation I chose--I watch more comedy or uplifting/positive stuff and less news or scarey stuff. I read alot of "self help" type books that teach me how to deal w/anxiety, what seems to help most is learning to listen to my body and mind and not suppressing emotions. I'm kind of weird about meds, but I did take St. John's Wort for about 3 months, and then stopped, and started taking 5-HTP for about 2 months. Both seemed to work really, really well for me (I scored as mildly depressed when taking a depression self assessment, so not sure if this would workout for more severely depressed individuals). I have also tried Kava (didn't seem to do much for me) and I swear by Hyland's Calms Forte, I used to pop those throughout the day whenever bad feelings started creeping in, also sometimes at night. I have to say the 5HTP made me feel almost giddy, I felt GREAT on it, but started having some pretty bad migraines which I'm NOT prone to, so I stopped and the headaches have improved, so I'm just on my good vitamin regiman now. I also think I was repressing some bad times from growing up that I've since hashed up and tried to deal with/make peace with, and this was related to me really reacting badly whenever my husband has to travel (which is ALOT), this is when I would experience my most extreme anxiety and dissociation. Just facing my fears and trying to deal with my feelings more directly has helped alot. He still travels, but I try and "plan" for things that I'll look forward to (like lunch w/friends, a maassage, etc...) while he's away so I don't start dwelling on my fears and loneliness. Anyway, I've been meaning to post this for awhile, I would get discouraged sometimes as I never read many stories of recovery from this strange disorder, and while I'm not sure I won't have my share of more struggles in this area, I have to say I feel tons better, really happy even, and lead a really normal life. It's really a very good world, we just have to trust that it is really, truly okay and most bad things work themselves out eventually.
Cheers,
Laura
Cheers,
Laura

WB, Laura. It's always good to have someone drop in with an update. You have quite a repertoire to combat the anxiety. That shows alot of patience & motivation on your part. Give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done.
Thanks for sharing your success & the tried and true techniques that we can all use to
Sheri Ann