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Useful suggestions for dealing with panic disorder ?

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Posted 3/17/2012 1:02 PM (GMT 0)
hi i was just wondering if anyone had any useful suggestions for dealing with panic disorder for example certain activities of excerise or even foods i keep away from fizzy or caffeine drinks ive stopped taking medication because it makes me feel weird im at my rock bottom with the anxiety and agrophobia i actualli understand panic quite well but i cant seem to find anything to relax me.. xx

Edit: I gave your thread a title.

Post Edited By Moderator (stkitt) : 3/17/2012 7:37:22 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/17/2012 2:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hi PS and welcome!

I can share what worked for me...

I had somewhat severe panic disorder...I could still work and take care of my family, but only because I was hanging on by my fingernails...I would often have several attacks a day, and finally collapse into bed at night a shaking mess of fear and exhaustion.

I went through CBT (two courses actually) and did as much self-help reading as I could get my hands on. I read probably a dozen or more books...and took from each what I thought would work for me.

Essentially, I customized my treatments and added what I had learned in therapy. Exercise, good nutrition, coming here to HW, acceptance of the anxiety, and breathing and relaxation exercises have all played their part in my recovery as well!

We have a great Anxiety-Panic Resource Guide that you may want to check out...it is full of great self-help ideas!

Best wishes, and post anytime with us...you are among those who understand what you are going through...and we are glad that you joined us.:)

Scaredy Cat
Posted 3/17/2012 2:33 PM (GMT 0)
princessshelby


 

Hello and welcome to HealingWell. I am going to post a couple of links for you that may help you in learning how to decrease your anxiety by making lifestyle changes.

http://www.anxietypanic.com/nutrition.html

Exercise is one of the best self-treatments for anxiety available. It doesn’t matter whether you go for a walk, join a water aerobics class, dance, play tennis -- what does matter is that you get regular exercise, at least every other day. In the interim, whenever one of those cycles of ruminative worry hits, even simple activity -- minor housecleaning, a few minutes of gardening, some simple stretches, even just getting up and walking around for five minutes  can help jog you out of that negative feedback loop.

A number of breathing techniques can alleviate anxiety - check out our Resource thread at the top of the page and you will find links to helpful info including breathing exercises.

Meditation can trigger the relaxation response, helping calm the mind and body.  Here is a great video for meditation ~ in fact I just used it myself this morning and added it to our resources.

http://www.youtube.com/user/healthealingnetwork?feature=pyv&ad=4342564202&kw=meditation&v=yHYKSYPoNg4&lr=1

I know you will be hearing from other members as there are so many ways to help decrease our anxiety but they take practice, hard work and perseverance.  Stick with us as we are here to help and support.

Kindly

Kitt

Posted 3/17/2012 10:46 PM (GMT 0)
Hello Princess,

What worked for me was after years of panic attacks, I pretty much knew what the worst case scenario was..

Tight chest, shallow breathing, racing heart, feeling dizzy, weak, shaking like I was freezing and sometimes a little disoriented.

 

At some point after reading tons of things and knowing I wasn't making any progress and with knowledge and understanding what was actually happening....I stopped fearing how I felt or at least brought it down several levels.

 

I knew what the worst could be and I tapered myself down from expecting the worst. Now I live a fairly normal life and when I do have general anxiety..I just think to myself.."I don't like how I feel but roll with it and wait 15 minutes and it will be gone" and 9 times out of 10 it i

s gone......for the 1 out of 10, well that one might last for 30 minutes and then it's move on and let it go.

 

I think it's a matter of feeding the fear by dwelling on it or don't give that fear the respect it wants and allow it to diminish.....Best wishes....WM

Posted 3/20/2012 5:38 PM (GMT 0)
thank you everyone for your replies ..ill take on board everything you have said and hopefully slowly ill rebuild my confidence and break the awful anxiety circle xx
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