[afterthestorm]

Hi all,

I am new to these boards and am here because I didn't know where else to turn. I have suffered from anxiety and depression throughout my adulthood (I'm 29 now). This week has been particularly tough with regards to anxiety but tonight is exceptionally bad. I am all alone in a city away from my close friends living in an extremely hot part of the country without a car. Unfortunately I feel like I am about to have a full blown panic attack soon and am not sure what to do. I would go for a walk but it's not the safest area so I feel extremely bottled up inside my apartment.

I'm only going to be here for another week and have doing pretty well but for some reason I have been obsessing about the past a lot and freaking out about the future. I'm in a real "limbo" part of my life and the fact that I am turning the milestone age of 30 in six months isn't helping!

My doctor prescribed me an anti-anxiety a few years back and I only took one every couple of weeks as needed but I have found myself taking them more lately. It is scaring me so much because I don't want to be dependent on them at all! That's pretty much the reason I am refusing to take one tonight. Does anyone have any recommendations for things I can do to calm this anxiety down without medicine? I feel out of control!

Hey I'll welcome you here since this is your first post...welcome to PC
Exercise and physical activity is pretty good for anxiety but you have good reason not to go out and get some exercise. Deep breathing may help. Sometimes I clean up a little bit to help get my mind off anxiety. Or just tidy up and organize a room. I'm not going to advise you to take a pill since you obviously don't want to but given everything you talked about if it was me I'd go ahead and take one. The further out of control anxiety gets, the harder it is to overcome and get it back under control.
Can you call one of those friends or chat online with them. You need 5 posts I think to be able to use the chat rooms here. Maybe writing down some thoughts would help too.
Hang in there and best wishes to you

[SeekingZen]

Hi Afterthestorm,

Welcome to PC I am sorry you are experiencing a high level of anxiety. Since you can't get out maybe you can try some of these suggestions:
1. Call a friend
2. Journal
3. Take a bubble bath
4. Work out inside-do you have any yoga programs you could try on cable/online?
5. listen to music/try meditation
6. Look into Rhodiola: I hear it works well for anxiety

I hope your situation improves soon! Just know that you are not alone.SeekingZen

Originally Posted by afterthestorm

Hi all,

I am new to these boards and am here because I didn't know where else to turn. I have suffered from anxiety and depression throughout my adulthood (I'm 29 now). This week has been particularly tough with regards to anxiety but tonight is exceptionally bad. I am all alone in a city away from my close friends living in an extremely hot part of the country without a car. Unfortunately I feel like I am about to have a full blown panic attack soon and am not sure what to do. I would go for a walk but it's not the safest area so I feel extremely bottled up inside my apartment.

I'm only going to be here for another week and have doing pretty well but for some reason I have been obsessing about the past a lot and freaking out about the future. I'm in a real "limbo" part of my life and the fact that I am turning the milestone age of 30 in six months isn't helping!

My doctor prescribed me an anti-anxiety a few years back and I only took one every couple of weeks as needed but I have found myself taking them more lately. It is scaring me so much because I don't want to be dependent on them at all! That's pretty much the reason I am refusing to take one tonight. Does anyone have any recommendations for things I can do to calm this anxiety down without medicine? I feel out of control!

[shezbut]

Hi afterthestorm,

and

I was the same way when I battled panic disorder. I was very "against" being on meds at that time in my life (I was mid 20's) and chose to stick with therapy as my main fix of the anxiety.

Exercise was a HUGE help to me!! I would become overflowing with major tension, and had to let it out somehow, so I chose exercise. Long, steady walks (as I listened to music, to get out of my head, helped a lot), lifting weights, pilates videos.

Coloring in a silly coloring book or crafts helped.

Writing in a journal about how I was feeling, what was on my mind.

Watching strictly comedies helped me ~ no drama or "love story" whatsoever, just simple comedy.

Those things helped me a lot ~ music was pretty huge on my list though. #1 while exercising is far ahead of the others for me, personally. I wish you the best!!

[optimize990h]

You are not alone about the past causing anxiety. I got anxious this past week because past memories came up. I had to find other things to do to try really hard to get out of that. I don't know what activity will help you but the others have posted good suggestions. Take care.