ANXIETY

I would like to share something that has worked for me I dont suffer from anxiety any more but I did after a trauma, I was given the usual pills and potions, they made me worse , I read books about it and found that helped me more than anything ,one day I found a little book called :Slowing down to the Speed of Life" by Richard Carlson, ..the part that for me was particualarly significant was on Page 7 It started and I quote...Its Impossible to experience any negative feeling without first creating a negative corresponding thought. The Truth is our thinking will always create the reality we perceive . I started to think about this I became obsessed with solving it,and then one day it clicked into place and I started to not allow my  anxious obsessive  thoughts more than a few minutes and then deliberatly say "STOP" NO More ' I would switch off ,ground myself, look at flowers pick the phone up, watch TV ..anything , and you know it became a habit, iI would almost immediatly feel better those dreadful anxious feelings would lift, I have done this in stores and warded off Panic attacks.I told myself ,kind of hypnotised myself into not letting it happen.I know you will think it wont happen for you but try it next time it starts and I know you can feel it creeping up those horrible anxious feelings, nip it in the bud,' Begone '  No More. Go find someone to talk to come here to MH and friends .. try it ,it may work for you, takes some workin g at but thats okay isnt it.  xx Marg

Hi, I suffered from panic attacks for years.  What I have found that works for me is breathing...I know that we all breathe, but, what I am talking about is to concentrate on nothing but your breathing.  Sit in a comfy place, let all your muscles relax, one at a time.  As you breathe in, let your stomach inflate, slowly, and as you breathe out, bring your stomach in...repeat this for 10-15 minutes or if that is too long at first, try 5 minutes and slowly work up to 10-15.  Every time your mind starts to wander to those stressful issues, gently guide your thoughts back to your breath...I have noticed that when I start to feel anxious about something, the first thing that happens, is my stomach contracts and holds in that position...you cannot breathe properly if you are constantly holding your stomach in, in a tensed up manner.  I have been using this method for about 2 years and I have gotten to the point that, almost immediately, when I contract my stomach, I am aware of it, and almost automatically, I begin to be conscious of my breathing, slow it down and the anxiety is gone.  This works really well, in every stressful situation...I recently had to have a fine needle biopsy of my thyroid, a stressful situation, as soon as I laid down on the gurney, I started doing my breathing thing...before I knew it, it was all over, and my blood pressure and anxiety level were just fine.  After awhile, it will come as naturally as well...breathing!!  lol  Hope this helps you...stress and anxiety are harmful to your health...give this a try and if you don't succeed at first, keep on trying...good luck...if this works for you, let me know...:)