General Anxiety
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General Anxiety
| Fri, 03-23-2007 - 6:48pm |
I have been struggling with Generalized Anxiety and I guess I just wanted to hear from some people who are going through the same thing. I have been seeing a Therapist and feeling a lot better but the anxiety still permeates my life daily. My anxiety began as a reaction to a panic attack but has since progressed into general daily anxiety. If there is a root to this anxiety, I don't know what it is. It scares me to think that I may have to cope with this for the rest of my life. I am only 21... I guess I just wanted to hear thoughts on how to deal and if it gets better.
Thanks!

You are doing the right thing by seeing a therapist. Have you changed your diet at all? I gave up caffeine, and I cut back on sugar. I also gave up alcohol (due to my meds, but it can make anxiety worse as well.)
Do you exercise regularly? That helps with relaxation and any sleep issues. I also do yoga and meditate regularly. Meditation is supposed to have a cumulative effect.
Hi, Megan! It's nice to see you;) You are NOT alone.
Most research suggests that anxiety disorders are related to an imbalance in brain chemistry. Antidepressant meds help to get the balance back. Of course life stressors & experiences play a large part in how we cope with the emotional aspects of our illness. Fear & worry can be un-learned. Therapy is a great way to identify what triggers your anxious thoughts & learn techniques in coping. Please check out our *coping tips & tricks* folder below. There are
I did cut out caffeine (which i used to consume a lot of daily!)And i do exercise regularly, but I haven't tried meditation or cutting out alcohol. I rarely drink, so that is not much of an issue but i have heard that meditation is a good way to relax.
How do you meditate? I mean I know basically what it is but I have never tried it-- I would appreciate some tips!
Believe it or not, I find meditating kind of hard! LOL One of my friends swears by it, so I asked him to recommend a book. He said what helped him the most is a CD to walk you through it. He copied it for me and I use that. Unfortunately it has no info on it about who made it or anything! But I would recommend finding a CD to walk you through it.
You only do about 10 min at a time - it's hard to do more than that. Sit in a quiet room. I sit cross legged with my butt on a pillow to keep my back straight. Do a few stretches before you start to work out any kinks in your neck or back. Wear loose, comfortable clothing. I do it with my eyes closed in a dimly lit room. The idea is to sit very still (but comfortably) and focus on your breath. Try not to get distracted by your thoughts. Some people use a mantra (a word they pick, can be a real word or one you make up) and just repeat that in their minds. Set a timer so you know when you're done and you're not focusing on the clock.
Believe me! If I were to look @ the entire picture of my life, I would become overwhelmed. So, taking things in small bites, small steps or