[Pendergast]

I've had GAD since I was a kid but was officially diagnosed 3 years ago(along with Avoidant Personality Disorder). Therapy has helped a lot, but of course I still deal with certain issues that makes the anxiety rear its ugly head. I'm curious as to what methods folks here use to quiet their fears.

[Piraeus]

Hello Pendergast. Cool name. It's great to meet you. I too have GAD as well as Schizophrenia: Paranoid type. My anxiety comes quickly. Suddenly I can't breathe and then I panic. This happens to me 2 or 3 times per month. I keep Klonipin with me just in case. I try to breathe slowly, and focus my mind on other things. Here is a link that may help you on your journey.Avoidant Personality Disorder - Forums at Psych Central

I hope I have been of some help for you. Have a wonderful day.

Piraeus

[kaliope]

I live with anxiety daily along with agoraphobia. I take buspar to help me function daily. it takes the edge off. ive come to accept my anxiety as a part of my life and try not to let it get in the way of living. I experience the feelings as I have them, push thru them and keep on doing what I am doing, otherwise I would get nothing done. I imagine an anxiety meter in my head and when it is maxed out, I can relax and dial it down to a manageable level with proper breathing and relaxation techniques.

[The_little_didgee]

I also have GAD and found Cipralex very helpful. Knowing the causes of my anxiety has been helpful in mitigating it as well. Most of my anxiety is from my ultra sensitive senses. Knowing this helps me find creative ways to avoid those triggers.

[Pendergast]

Originally Posted by kaliope

I live with anxiety daily along with agoraphobia. I take buspar to help me function daily. it takes the edge off. ive come to accept my anxiety as a part of my life and try not to let it get in the way of living. I experience the feelings as I have them, push thru them and keep on doing what I am doing, otherwise I would get nothing done. I imagine an anxiety meter in my head and when it is maxed out, I can relax and dial it down to a manageable level with proper breathing and relaxation techniques.

The way you handle your anxiety sounds a lot like mindfulness meditation, really handy when the GAD tries to take control. Accepting the anxiety and still live strikes a chord in me because I was doing the exact opposite for over a decade of my life. Thanks for the reply!

[Pendergast]

Originally Posted by The_little_didgee

I also have GAD and found Cipralex very helpful. Knowing the causes of my anxiety has been helpful in mitigating it as well. Most of my anxiety is from my ultra sensitive senses. Knowing this helps me find creative ways to avoid those triggers.

Thanks for the reply. I'm curious as to what you mean by ultra sensitive senses.

[The_little_didgee]

Originally Posted by Pendergast

I'm curious as to what you mean by ultra sensitive senses.

My senses are so acute, I can detect stimuli that most people cannot. Most of the time, my senses flood my brain, and it has no idea how to react to the incoming information, so I get overwhelmed and anxious. Does that make sense?

[Pendergast]

I can't say that I've heard of this before, but it does make sense. If I may ask, how do you "turn down the volume" on incoming stimuli?

[The_little_didgee]

Originally Posted by Pendergast

If I may ask, how do you "turn down the volume" on incoming stimuli?

There are many ways. Most involve adjusting my schedule and avoiding crowds. For example, I shop for groceries around 10 pm when there isn't many people in the store. I also listen to music when I am out. It blocks a lot of unpleasant noise.

I also have GAD.
Therapy has helped a lot for me, I used to be on meds for my anxiety, but now I just use some of the skills I learned in therapy. When I go to places or have events going on that really mess with my anxiety, I usually bring a distress tolerance kit and in it I keep a lot of sensory things that help calm me a little and just help me get through whatever it is without having a bad anxiety attack or anything. I usually keep some lemon drops and other candies in there, some feathers, a really smooth rock, body sprays and lotions that smell nice and feel nice on my skin, and a little bag filled with pretty colorful items to look at. I also carry my plush cat, he's really soft and comforting when I'm not at home. If I could I would bring my bunny with me everywhere. Ha.

If I am close to home and I get anxious, I sometimes put an ice pack over my face. The cold temperature helps slow my heart rate and overall makes me feel a little less anxious and out of control. Little things like that have been helpful.

[Perna]

I use a lot of logic and common sense; if I am afraid people won't like me, for example, I look at how well they know me, if they are new to me, they are not likely to dislike me as they do not know me well enough yet.

I look to see if I can find the bottom-most fear too; like with the above, since I have not met these people yet, how can I be afraid of them not liking me? It looks to me like the problem is something else taking the "easy" way out I keep looking to find the real fear.

Just looking for the fear can make me feel more like a detective or scientist doing an experiment than a victim of anxiety. Sometimes I can even laugh at myself since most fears are similar to a child being afraid of monsters under their bed. So, I comfort myself like I would a child; "Come on now, it will be okay, you'll see". Or I make myself laugh by picturing someone just looking at me for the first time for a second and suddenly disliking me, "Oh, no! I don't like her, she just looks dislikable!"

Sometimes, if I have the time, I "help" an anxiety. I had an interview for a new job that required my taking the bus to work so I took off a day from my old job and rode the bus to the new location to learn how.

[Pendergast]

Originally Posted by The_little_didgee

There are many ways. Most involve adjusting my schedule and avoiding crowds. For example, I shop for groceries around 10 pm when there isn't many people in the store. I also listen to music when I am out. It blocks a lot of unpleasant noise.

Thanks for the reply. While I don't share your overall sensitivity, I think I could apply the method of adjustment to quiet my anxiety somewhat.

[Pendergast]

Originally Posted by Kori Anders

I also have GAD.
Therapy has helped a lot for me, I used to be on meds for my anxiety, but now I just use some of the skills I learned in therapy. When I go to places or have events going on that really mess with my anxiety, I usually bring a distress tolerance kit and in it I keep a lot of sensory things that help calm me a little and just help me get through whatever it is without having a bad anxiety attack or anything. I usually keep some lemon drops and other candies in there, some feathers, a really smooth rock, body sprays and lotions that smell nice and feel nice on my skin, and a little bag filled with pretty colorful items to look at. I also carry my plush cat, he's really soft and comforting when I'm not at home. If I could I would bring my bunny with me everywhere. Ha.

If I am close to home and I get anxious, I sometimes put an ice pack over my face. The cold temperature helps slow my heart rate and overall makes me feel a little less anxious and out of control. Little things like that have been helpful.

5 years ago I was in Old Town San Diego and bought a "lucky stone" at a souvenier shop. There was something about the smoothness that was calming. I use it to this day

[Pendergast]

Originally Posted by Perna

I use a lot of logic and common sense; if I am afraid people won't like me, for example, I look at how well they know me, if they are new to me, they are not likely to dislike me as they do not know me well enough yet.

I look to see if I can find the bottom-most fear too; like with the above, since I have not met these people yet, how can I be afraid of them not liking me? It looks to me like the problem is something else taking the "easy" way out I keep looking to find the real fear.

Just looking for the fear can make me feel more like a detective or scientist doing an experiment than a victim of anxiety. Sometimes I can even laugh at myself since most fears are similar to a child being afraid of monsters under their bed. So, I comfort myself like I would a child; "Come on now, it will be okay, you'll see". Or I make myself laugh by picturing someone just looking at me for the first time for a second and suddenly disliking me, "Oh, no! I don't like her, she just looks dislikable!"

Sometimes, if I have the time, I "help" an anxiety. I had an interview for a new job that required my taking the bus to work so I took off a day from my old job and rode the bus to the new location to learn how.

This brought a smile to my face! It's better to confront anxiety with humor than stony seriousness. I completely understand about the fear being"the easy way out"-this person doesn't like me, I'm flawed in some fundamental way, etc. so why bother trying. As I get older and get a better handle on anxiety, I try not to let the fear stop me from pushing forward and live life!