[sarahxxkristine]

my anxiety isnt thattt bad....i would call it fairly mild...

I get alittle worked up when passing people i dont know, esp when its one on one or even in a group....i get all these rushing thoughts to whether i should smile and say hi....or just smile...or look away....or what if i say hi and they dont say hi....its over before i come to an answer, but i pass alot of people and i cant stand the feeling of getting uneasy in a social...no even social....an encounter....with a person i dont know

secondly i get extremely nervous during tests....when i took my first driving test....im surprised that i didnt step on the gas when i meant to step on the brake, because i was thatt nervous. i failed....i jsut can feel the anxiety building and its the worse feeling in the world...it literally distracts me and i dont know what to do...

i feel bad because it sounds worse than it is, but its still affecting me,...my Therapist said to do the whole "deep through ur nose, out through ur mouth" but i literally would have to be doing this all the time, because at work, i get nervous and i stay at work 6-7 hours a day.

idk....im off the college in august...and im scared the breathing exercises may get me only so far....

-sarah

[(JD)]

Breath control is very valuable. The human, when stressed (anxiety, pain whatever) tends to hold her/his breath. That makes anxiety, pain and whatever worse due to the way the body functions.

Also, by focusing on the breath, it diverts our attention from being fully on the event that is causing our anxiety.

[sarahxxkristine]

thank you sky~

[meinsanish]

i did the same thing while driving once because i got nervous and panicked i dont have any advice i just wanted you to know your not alone in the almost kill your self in a car department

[nightbird]

carry beads in your pocket or hang them around your neck, or as i prefer, the wrist.

It helps to have something to fiddle with when nervous.

Also, have you tried Back flower remedy?

Visit the health food store and find what hydrosols or essential oils calm you and add them to your routine, along with breathing.

Works for me at special times when I fear.

Good luck to you at school this year.

peace,
nightbird

[sarahxxkristine]

Thank you guys

[fellowtraveler]

Hi Sarah,

Good for you for working on this stuff at this stage in your life! College is a great time for self-discovery and personal growth.

I too struggle with somewhat mild anxiety and have been working intentionally on 'tackling' it over the past few months. I do find deep breathing helpful, but it is just one weapon in the arsenal for me. Here are a few of the things I am trying to use:

(1) breathing (deep breathing, belly breathing, calming breathing, breathing as a basis for meditation, etc.)
(2) progressive muscle relaxation
(3) identifying and replacing unhelpful anxiety provoking thoughts (part of cognitive behavioral therapy)
(4) overall good self-care (nutrition, sleep, exercise, R&R, time with friends, spiritual development, etc.)

Your therapist should be able to help you identify some other strategies in addition to breathing as well. Hope your efforts pay off!
You might want to ask your therapist for some additional strategies besides breathing. He/she should be able to guide

[Jaeger]

Breathing excercises DO help.
But unless you want to sound like a choo choo train all the time
I reccomend counting doubles.
I've already mentioned this somewhere on here but basically in your head count double
pick any number you want
for example 1
1x2 = 2
2x2 =4
4x2= 8
etc.
go as high as you can
Then start over, maybe with a different number.

you'll look like you're thinking about something. Not avoiding the situation.
you can also do the breathing excercises with or without this.

[Perna]

When you get to college, go check out your counseling center (or their site online now?). Often schools have really good resources like this one from Western New England College:

http://www1.wnec.edu/artsandsciences...ction=doc.4639

If you're worried about just having breathing exercises; go check out anxiety books at the library or get a workbook from a bookstore and try out other methods to help, see if there's more that work for you?

Maybe try exercising throughout the day; exercise is very helpful for anxiety; take an exercise class and make some friends then you will be with them instead of surrounded by strangers :-) so that anxiety won't apply anymore.

http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/MH/00043.html

[lilpandaz]

The breathing exercises do help me. And it diverts my mind. Also I aggree with fellowtraveler, the progressive muscle relaxation is execellent.
And the most important thing I find is good self-care. Especially good rest and good food. And avoid stimulants if you can I find that helps me alot. Stuff like caffine only makes me more anxious...........

Good luck

[Sannah]

Hi Sarah, what helped me with my anxiety was to understand why I was anxious in all of these situations. We are anxious for very good reasons (there is a full story in our heads!). We just need to unravel them and once they are understood they lose all power and disappear.

With the driving lesson are you nervous because you are being evaluated?

With not knowing how to respond to strangers, think further, what's up with this?