[Fuzzybear]

I was wondering if anyone could help me with some techniques for managing anxiety.

This is a serious post, the only reason I’m making a separate thread is.. well there are a few words I’m somewhat “allergic” to

What helps with your anxiety. I struggle hugely with anxiety,

Thanks for all supportive replies

Having a weighted blanket to curl up with. Fidget toys. Before I had them I would shred Kleenex in my pocket. Breathing exercises. Pushing yourself to do things that make you anxious for practice. Changing physical sensations, for example having a hot shower or putting an ice pack on yourself. Having a nap. Talking it out.

Keep trying things until you find out what works. I have bad anxiety, but can mostly manage it now.

[Fuzzybear]

Growling and loud music

[rwwff]

Curling up under a blanket and trying to nap it away is about my only working trick, isn't always successful though.

[BipolaRNurse]

I do Lamaze breathing techniques. (Hey, it's not weird if it works. ) I emphasize inhaling slowly through the nose and exhaling through pursed lips and making sure I exhale ALL the air. It's harder to do than you'd think, especially when you're anxious, but the distraction is just what you might need to get control of yourself.

I forget what this technique is called -- full body relaxation? -- but the idea is that you tense your muscles really tightly, as if you're squeezing all your anger and anxiety, and the release it. It's kind of like deep breaths in and out, except with muscle stuff.

My therapist recommended this to me and it doesn't help me, but she says it's worth a try and that some clients really benefit from it.

Sorry if that's not helpful to you, but it's worth a try. Takes like 10 seconds to do.

Also, she said daydreaming can help.

Hi Fuzzybear. Anxiety does indeed suck!

I don't know what words you are "allergic to". Hopefully I, or anyone else, won't accidentally type them.

I wrote about a number of the anxiety coping tools I have used and benefited from in the thread Coping techniques for anxiety

[Blueberrybook]

Originally Posted by KissTheRain

Having a weighted blanket to curl up with. Fidget toys. Before I had them I would shred Kleenex in my pocket. Breathing exercises. Pushing yourself to do things that make you anxious for practice. Changing physical sensations, for example having a hot shower or putting an ice pack on yourself. Having a nap. Talking it out.

Keep trying things until you find out what works. I have bad anxiety, but can mostly manage it now.

I have so wanted to try a weighted blanket, both for me & my daughter. Are they expensive?

There is the obvious exercise or things like yoga or pilates. Stretching too. There are free videos on YouTube I know that one of my sisters uses for yoga, and they have stretching videos too. I've gotten some minimal relief with chamomile tea and taking fish oil supplements. You have to consistently take the fish oil though, not just when you are very anxious; more of a daily thing so you may want to check with your doctor first.

If I am away from home though, especially driving, I have to rely on the breathing, telling myself it is just a panic attack or high anxiety. It doesn't make the anxiety go away but lets me function enough to realize I'm not dying.

If I am home and can manage sleep, that seems to help the most. In winter, if I am cold, a hot bath and then trying to sleep. Sometimes not even sleep but lying down in bed, under blankets, just breathing, closing my eyes & not thinking about whatever is causing the anxiety (if there is a specific cause triggering it because sometimes for me there is, though other times it is my life in general). If I am in the middle of watching a TV series or book, I try to think about the characters, what will happen next, relate to them instead of myself. It's weird, but it's helped me, though it was easier back when they showed soap operas all the time during the day. I try to let my mind float or concentrate on something I like, even a project I'm doing if I can.

Binge watching a show if I have enough concentration. Playing a game on a tablet, one I don't have to do a lot of thinking about, like jigsaws, paint games, cross-stitch on the tablet games; of course, you can do the games on a computer too. I find it more relaxing though if I can sort of lie with the tablet under covers and preferably sipping chamomile tea (same with binge-watching a show; more relaxing lying down if you can see the TV or on a tablet if not). Most of the game apps tend to be free at first & then you have to pay for new patterns or puzzles, mahjong, word puzzle games if I'm up to it, solitaire. If I start needing in-app purchases, I just delete the game from my tablet and get a new free one. But there are a few games that stay free. And if you have a relaxing music playlist, listening to that while doing some of these activities. Or I will turn on the TV for sound and try to find some narrated show, like on the history channel or discovery or animal type shows. Even true crime shows help me, but that is weird, I think. However, I do love to read mystery books (not true crime books though), so I suppose I like listening to the mystery. Fidget things are good too or even playing with clay or play-doh.

In college, I put together actual jigsaw puzzles and did latch-hook too. Latch-hook is easier to me than crochet or knitting, not very hard to do if you get a pre-printed pattern, and I did that with the TV on some boring or non-triggering show, public TV is good for that in the evening or if you have cable, you can usually find something narrated. I did the puzzles to music I liked. Some people use those coloring books with pencils, but I haven't tried that. Word search books help me too, especially if I am searching for words related to a given topic and try to start thinking about that instead.

Lavender essential oil is a bit relaxing too. You can put it in a bath, or rub a couple drops on your inner wrists & at your neck. If you have an oil infuser, you can put lavender in that though sometimes for me, it doesn't matter what I'm infusing, other oils help me sleep/nap too.

I think, unfortunately, though, I rely a lot on meds...sigh.

[Fuzzybear]

Thanks to all for the ideas, there is some good stuff here