DOES ANYONE HAVE CHRONIC ANXIETY

[girlwithhope]

Just curious do any of u have  severe anxiety everyday or every other day where it just takes over u and u feel alone and don't wanna do or go anywhere.And feel like the test the doctors did that came out normal is not enough sometimes.Or when u first wake up u ask yourself ok what kind of day am i gonna have today another severe or mild cuz u have it everyday u can't help it but to do that everyday.K thanks for reading any input would be really great.

[Tonym124]

Hey,
I completely understand the whole breathing issue.  That's my biggest problem.  Taking that deep breath is so satisfying but only for a short while before you feel you have to do it again!  I take it you've tried slow breathing cycles - in for slow 5, hold for 5, out for slow 5, or something similar.  I find it good to start the morning with a few cycles of this.  I like to gently move my neck from side to side and back and front as this helps to relieve tension in the neck/shoulders.
Hope you're feeling in good soon.
Check out my blog (panicrelief.co.uk) - I'm trying to share information and things that might help.
Tony
panicrelief.co.uk

[EroToo]

The past few days, the breathing got so back, I was screaming to my son to call an ambulance because I was never going to catch my breath again.  I feel so short of breath until I take a deep breath.  It's really bad because after I take one deep breath, I feel like I need another.  I was just in the ER last Thursday because my doctor found something in my EKG he didn't like.  The ER did another EKG with the same result, but my XRay was fine, blood oxygen levels were fine.  The also did an Heart Cat Scan and injected dye and that came back completely normal so they attributed the breathing problem panic disorder and sent me home. I still feel like the ER missed something. Time to see my psychiatrist for a change of meds.  Oh, while I was in the ER, I was having trouble breathing and nothing was done for it.  (this alone should tell me it's panic).  Oh, started getting bad heartburn past couple of months. Guess that is also part of the panic.

[Jodie2010]

I had/have the same issue w/ the deep/satisfying breath. It used to be horrible, the more I tried to get the breath the worse it got. You just have to think it will come in a moment...and sure enough it does. Your brain knows when you need that breath, when you try to make it happen that's when it gets worse. What worked for me was to preoccupy myself with something so that you stop thinking about it. If I'm driving and this happens, I count the lines in the road. Usually before I get to 10 or 20 I'll get that breath. I also wear a hair ty (this may sound crazy) on my wrist. When I get the panic/anxious thoughts I snap the ty. Now I am focused on the sharp pinch - so I have redirected my point of interest and usually I feel alot better. Yes, I know...sounds crazy...but it works for me.
Currently I am trying to teach myself  to just acknowledge the attacks and view them for what they are - not harmful physically, like in Dr. David Burns book "Panic Attacks". That has been a tough road, especially if I am alone. But they say with practice it will get better. Got my fingers crossed and praying for the best.
Best of luck
Jodie

[EroToo]

For some reason my panic attacks (I feel short of breath and am constantly trying to take a deep breath or yawn) came back strong again.  I am driving my kids crazy.  I went for a physical Thursday the doctor found something irregular in my EGK.  I was sent to the ER where they did another EKG which had a blip in it, so they did a check xray, CT Scan and blood oxygen level. All came back fine, but today I am dying here trying to take a deep breath.  All the talking to myself is not helping even though I know I will eventually yawn or take a deep breath.

[sgately11]

Yep, lots of us are with you.  DJ873m it's funny you mention Eckhart, I love his stuff. Yes I have panic disorder, also health anxiety that manifests into generalized anxiety. I get PAC's that do not help my anxiety level and seem to reset me back to square one every time, although I am working through them.

You mentioned questioning doctors, yes many many of us do that. We feel bad, they take tests, the tests are fine, we feel good for a few days, then decide they must of missed something, research online and then think we have X.

The difference between our thinking and normal thinking is that most people have to have someone or some symptom prove they are sick, where we seem to look for sickness and worst case scenarios.

Good Luck with you anxiety

[DJ873]

I came to that conclusion too. From working dark to dark to now being home, trying to get a business of my own going. Too much time to think is not great for anxiety sufferers. Instead of meditating for now just let you mind wander while you stare at something. Look at the shapes colors whatever and let the thoughts be in the background. My profile is a painting i did of that can you see it? I don't know if others can enlarge it or not. Helps remind me to stay in the now. I do take 50mg zoloft and xanax as needed but maybe take 1 a month. I too used to do it all and plan to again someday. We somehow need to get your fire lit and get some momentum. It took me forever as i figured what was the point, i would just go back to suffering but now I believe I can change the way i think. Get that Tolle book!!!!!

[girlwithhope]

SIGH! I tried meditation it's hard for me i can't focus.I use to do yoga every morning .I do exercise everyday but i need to add yoga together everyday also.I use to love going places and driving where ever now i'll drive if i have to or go out places if i really have to before was no problem.R u taking any meds? i just have xanax in case.i don't work thats my problem i have too much time to think.

[DJ873]

but we can!! that is the beauty, i am the same way as you worrying about the day, that is where meditating has come in and is changing that. I get excited for the gift of a new never before day. It doesn't have to be an extension of the day before or a thousand days before that. My meditating I don't mean giving complete control like hypnosis, that is too much to as at this point of my recovery but to notice! Eyes open or closed to see smell anything that is now!! to notice my breath deep in my belly. I have had it many more years and spent alot of time crying and shaking and dreading. I get it!!!! I have needed to go to the dentist for a year now and that is my goal. To learn to choose awareness and let fear take a back seat. c'mon girl with hope we can do this dammit!!!!

[girlwithhope]

thank you so much for responding so quickly i knw i'm not alone at this but sometimes it feels like it.I just wanna wake up feeling good in the morning and go to bed normally .And not worry what kind of a day i'm gonna have.I should get use to the crazy body symptoms by now i have it everyday for 2 years so u would think i should get use to it already.But i'm not i still get really scared sometimes.SIGH i just wanna feel normal .thanks again

[DJ873]

calmshell, i agree totally! THOUGHTS CANNOT HURT YOU!! To accept is to save you and yourself from suffering. I am really really really trying to hear that and become that. We can notice our thoughts and move on or become those thoughts. they say it sounds simple because it isn't some long complex thing. i think the difficulty is really getting it. i am starting to see glimmers and have hope!

[Dahrol]

That's me all day, everyday, and I AM alone with my struggle.

[calmshell]

Hi there..

I know that feeling too..saying, "ahh, how is today going to be?" I have generalized anxiety and have had a wide range of worrying/tensing up over everything, : my heart, how I am doing on something/work related, did I say the right thing? did I do the right thing? ...I find this type of constant SELF -criticism/awareness, is very unnecessary....and it is usually always, always fabricated in our mind, and not true.

I think (what I have been doing lately)is saying (when a thought that is questioning something, analyzing something, analyzing myself, fearing, etc.) : "I am fine/great the way I am..I can make mistakes, and learn from em, and move on. I am HUMAN. I will learn things as I go...I can say "so?" or "whatever" to thoughts, and they will not be ME. And.... I only have Now, or today..that is it!!!!!! I will not project into the future.."

I saw someone above posted about Eckhart Tolle...his books very much helped my self esteem, and to make me see that my THOUGHTs every day were causing suffering/anxiety...me fabricating things in my mind, etc.  He said in it (one of my fav. quotes): "The future is already here, and  you, already it." Meaning, there is no future!!!! We keep looking into even the rest of our day..."am I gonna make it? "   "Am I gonna get scared? " ( I still do that last one sometimes) .....Now I really try to say to myself..."Who cares!!!!!!" In the real scheme of the universe (which we are inseparably connected to...Tolle says, we are it really!) these fears and constant thoughts do not matter! It takes pressure off of ourselves, and that is key....NOw , I try hard to watch a thought, and say, "hmm...that is not me, though. I can handle this. I will not get scared, adn if I do, it'll pass quick. " I do not identify anymore with my fearful thoughts..because then I only get more fearful of them /anxious about them..when you don't, they do not control you/distort reality!!!!!!!!!!!  I say, the only time to be happy, (we've GOT to go for that ) is Now..today..that is it really....

Well, let us know how things are, and don't worry...you will see when you do not identify with thoughts, you will slowly become calmer, clearer...message me if you'd like though! And talk to you soon...

[Jodie2010]

I'm am right there with ya. It's like I do morning inventory of my body everyday. I try not to, but I can't control my thoughts. Donna, I would love to join forces with you and conquer this terrible thing. I will look that book up and read it. When I try to do the deep breathing, it wigs me out even more. I do find some satisifaction in meditation, but it's hard when I have kiddo's interupting every 5 seconds.
I think maybe my main thing is I have control issues. Since I can't control how I think, I have attacks. Any suggestions on that one?

[DJ873]

absolutely with ya sista' I have been doing alot to reduce the amt of generized anxiety and am on a good path and hopeful. Every morning when i wake up i do deep belly breaths and am learning to meditate. I also count my plus's in my dominant hand, mine are I can take care of myself, i can choose where to focus my attention, i am strong, i am a mom, i can learn to deal with this crap, etc. then in my not dominate hand i put one thing such as i am scared to drive. I place my dominate over my not dominate and let those positives outweigh the negative. I choose a different one every day.
Also, I am reading and rereading and rereading Ekhart Tolle finding your inner purpose and it is fantastic at retraining your mind. All anxiety attacks really are are a trick of our mind. I would be happy to join forces and help each other if you would like to be friends.
Donna

[Tonym124]

Hi,
I have what is probably a chronic anxiety. I have had panic attacks but my main problem is a chronic tension/anxiety problem.  I have a slight tension in my chest nearly all of the time and have to take deep breaths every now and again to catch my breath.  I do breathing and relaxation techniques that do help but it has never completely gone away.  I think trying to get a positive attitude going first thing in the morning can be really helpful.  What sort of things have you tried?
Tony
panicrelief.co.uk