How do you deal with anxiety?

It’s natural to feel that way. Once you get used to it it won’t be a problem anymore. I’ll usually try as adaptive as possible.

I vacillate between eating loads of chocolate and cleaning like the world depends on it. Mostly I just eat chocolate.

I do a combination of things, I either exersize, or I say good things about myself, sometimes a good distraction helps. Like solving a long math problem.

A lot of people may disagree, but drinking in moderation usually helps me.

I drink. A lot.

Paxil, Valium, single-malt scotch and utter solitude.

I think it depends on the time of the month on how well I deal with my anxiety levels.

Usually when I feel like my anxiety levels have risen and are at their worst I put it down to hormones and manage to get everything back into perspective.

I’m very lucky because I’ve got a lot of stressors in my life and if I stopped and really thought about everything it could all get very overwhelming but I have lots of friends who I know care and allow me to offload…which in my book is a problem shared and a problem solved and vice versa.

Recently I’ve even bought a book with the hope that I can switch my bwain off and step into another world.

I run or walk depending on the level of anxiety. Sometimes I have a glass of wine or watch a funny movie.

I remind myself to stop and take the time to enjoy the little things. You’d be amazed at how much you miss when stress and anxiety take over. When they’re in charge it’s as though nothing but your problems exist. The truth is often that little, outside your life, has changed except your perspective. The beauty is still there, you’ve just forgotten how to see it.

If it’s particularly bad, I’ll get away for an afternoon, someplace quiet, and just explore. It also helps to try and let go of stress a little every day, even when we’re not particularly anxious. Watching the sun set on the deck with a cigar, a little jazz, and a good scotch always works for me.

Finally, every now and then, whether anxious or not remind yourself that your worries are just that, worries. They don’t help you and often just cloud your thinking. Concentrate on why you’re worried. Ask yourself: “Can I do anything at all about it?” If so, then do so! If not, then it’s beyond your control – you can only manage how you deal with the results… and you can deal with them. In either case, worrying does nothing but cause more worry and where’s the point in that?

Try to get into the habit of positive thinking. It worked for me. I don’t let things bother me as much any more. No point in wasting your time worrying about things that may or may not happen.

@beautifulbobby193…yes I agree…I also bought a book on CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) which I have all good intentions in reading.

It’s all about like you say changing our thought processes from a negative to a positive…I think I’m pretty good at applying the theory when life is grinding me down but I’m sure reading the book will turn me into a super dooper positive human being lol :)

As it was written, Valim, and beer.

Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself.
One of many calming thoughts I meditate on from the Bible.

sarah jane….meet mary jane

I just say, oh well the worst that can happen is I will die. Some how that makes whatever I am anxious about seem very small, so I just get on with it. The anxiety is gone.

@BabylonFree… Easier said then done.

Self medication baby… A beer a day keeps the anxiety away. not really

@BabylonFree But can be done. We are capable of doing so much more than we give ourselves credit for. I have been trying to tap into my brain to do things for myself, that I didn’t know I could do. I have used the power of my brain to stop a twitching muscle that would otherwise be driving me crazy. It can’t hurt to try.

Ativan and alcohol.

@loser come on goofy looser, let’s have a good response for this person.

I try to distract myself from thinking about whatever it is that has my panties in a wad. If I can just get it out of my mind, I’ll usually be ok. So I listen to music that I know makes me feel really good and that I can’t help singing along with, or call my daughter, or go out where I have no choice but to socialize with people. Movies or books usually don’t help at times like this because I’ll just sit and stare through the pages or the screen and still be dwelling on – - whatever.

A healthy body is essential for a healthy mind. Eat more fruits and vegetables, less meat and snacks, stop drinking soda, drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day, walk at least one mile every day, or the equivalent exercise, and get as much sleep as you need.

@Trillian Yarnlady has some good advise, but you still have to deal with your issue. You know when I use to have those attacks, it would wake me up right out of a sleep. I would run into the bathroom and splash cold water in my face. That really didn’t work. I would bite my little fingers, that really didn’t work. I would get so bad my heart rate would get so high I thought my chest would blow open. Then one day when it happened again, I said to myself, well, the worst thing that can happen is I will die. Well that was much worse than what I was going through, and I started to calm right down. So now when it starts, I say my little thing, and it goes away as fast as it started.

@Rangie That was not the question. The question was how do you deal with anxiety. I get anxious sometimes about things over which I have no control. Not thinking about those things is my way of dealing with them so they do not completely overwhelm me. I don’t acknowledge that I have any “issue”.
Congratulations on finding a coping mechanism that works for you.
Mine works for me. That is what the OP asked for.

Kick the dog

I just dance it out! It feels wonderful after a long day to turn up the music up all the way and just dance even if it looks ridiculous,

@Trillian I am so sorry if I misunderstood. I guess I was just relating part of the Q to myself. I didn’t mean to infer that you did have any issues. For me, anxiety is what I expressed to you, for me anyway.
Now let me back up. If there is something that is out of my control, like how somebody is treating me. If I don’t like it and it bothers me, I stay away from them, cut the relationship. Now if this is somebody I work with, I would have to approach them to see if we could work it out. Is that what your are asking. I am so sorry for my assumptions.

Exercise and eat right. Do yoga. Learn diaphragmatic breathing:
http://www.anxietypanic.com/breathing.html
and “square breathing” http://www.womans-work.com/stress_busters.htm

You might need to cut out caffeine and sugar but go ahead and eat that chocolate! Cognitive behavioral therapy is very very effective. If the symptoms are truly debilitating, see a doc. There are meds that can work well.

I don’t worry about it.

On a bad day I get incredibly cross, lash out at anyone within close range (ie my husband), bash things about in the kitchen, stomp around the house, break down in tears, and generally make life unbearable for those around me.

On a good day, I talk to someone. My mum always seems to know the right things to say. Often after I’ve spoken to her I wonder why I don’t call her more often! Going for a big stomp up a mountain can also help clear my head, as does preparing a nice meal. Confronting anxiety head-on is sometimes the only option; for example if I’m anxious about work, I do some work. Or if I’m anxious about a medical issue (I’m a bit of a hypochondriac), I go to the doctor.

Above all the best solution for me is the quintessentially English approach: sit down and have a nice cup of tea.

I am fortunate that I can plug in and crank my guitar to blow off steam and refocus my skull.

Booze is an easy effective crutch…but what do you do when that pint of JD is not there to calm the nerves? Meditating and or practicing visualization techniques will help you mentally walk through upcoming events, interactions and even conflicts. Practice what you might say or ask or be asked over and over even in front of a mirror and remember to smile. Most importantly remember to breathe from the belly not from the chest!

go to sleep. have a drink. talk on fluther.

I usually ignore it until I can’t hold it in anymore.. and then I rip someone a new asshole.

Excercising, watching movies, reading a good book(if you like reading) are all good ways, being in a nice cool environment works for me usually, i like the cold climates it’s like perfect balance for me. Oh and stay away from the drugs and alcohol thing by the way, those are bad crutches and will just f*ck you up…. @jeanmay lol brits XD jk

Anxiety can create a helpless and overwhelming feeling, literally making us want to crawl right out of our own skin. Most of us try to avoid this anxiety by forcefully altering our moods in various ways. In fact, anxiety prompts many of us to engage in a relentless attempt to become emotionally disconnected from ourselves with one thing or another.

Take a look at this checklist to see if you use any of these methods for dealing with anxiety. Then find out the most effective method ever..

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Clonazapham….oh yeah