[angrymanic]

I'm having extreme anxiety and stress over marital issues. What are some suggestions to call my nerves before I relapse? Any and all suggestions are appreciated....thanks.

[Anika.]

Breathing exercises or pranayama, simple yoga postures like child's pose, and Minfulness are just a few that will help, and if done in a combination will help even more. You can google all of these and get tons of ideas. If you look up Jon Kabot Zinn on you tube, he has many excellent videos on minddulness. If you look up yoga postures for anxiety you will also find lots of sites that have a short sequence of easy poses that can help you. If you try the yoga poses also try to incorporate the minfulness while doing the postures. So it becomes a moving meditation. That's will help you will feel better results with it.

These are excellent ways to help with anxiety, stress, deppresion and mania. I hope you find something that works for you.

Oh I'm sorry.. just saw other thread, that you don't have internet. You could look them up and print some info off at a library maybe. Or if you have a library you can access you can find many books on the subjects.

[angrymanic]

Thank you very much, I will look these up for sure

[Skittles56]

I agree with Anika. There are lots of ways to help with anxiety that don't come out of a pill bottle. I did the P90X program and it greatly helped my anxiety and depression.

Grounding exercises, you could print some off at the library. Breathing exercises really help me and also music.

I wish I could do the physical stuff but have a injured back.

Hope ur feeling better soon.

[angrymanic]

Thanks, was able to look up Zinn on YouTube and it was really cool. Let me ask, is the expectation of the relaxation practice something we can learn to do on the run and not have to take 30 minutes or should I schedule 30 minutes in my day to do it?

[Anika.]

Its a way you can learn to be most of the time or at all times almost. Start with a half hour or 10 min, whichever suits your lifestyle. A good way to learn this skill is to make frequent drop in's on what your mind is doing and adjust as needed. When doing tasks like cleaning or things where we are not really paying attention, use that time to practice your mindfulness and soon it will become a bigger habit then letting the mind run away. you can make the mindfulness as formal or as informal as you like, as long as you are practicing it you will benefit.

I am really glad you looked him up. He has some really good books as well. I like his approach and he is pretty enthusiastic yet calm which is really nice. A lot of therapists teach mindfulness and even do classes on it. It really does work if you stick with it. You can do it anywhere, any time and hopefully you just end up retraining the mind a bit.

I also make check in's with the breath especially if I am stressed and often it is out of wack and just needs a little redirection.

[Anika.]

And exercise...is amazing! Px90 is a great one ( Skittles.. you must be tough ), the endorphins we get from exercise is really pretty feel good stuff. An increase in seratonin, increase in oxygen to the blood and organs including the brain and better circulation of the blood really all help with mood and stress.
If you want something lighter and maybe get some good laughs while doing it try some of Richard Simmons old videos. I picked up a few at a thrift store and omg ya its funny.

[angrymanic]

Thanks, the gym has been good for me to get my mind off things even for 30 minutes. I will continue working on the mindfullness, it seems pretty effective so far.

[Splintercell]

Originally Posted by angrymanic

Thanks, the gym has been good for me to get my mind off things even for 30 minutes. I will continue working on the mindfullness, it seems pretty effective so far.

Being active really helps. Look at finding a goal, something you always wanted to acheive or get back into something you were good at. Now channel you thoughts and energy towards that goal. It will help to keep you mind and focus.