I don't really know how to articulate how I've been feeling and I'm not really the type to reach out to a group of people but I could really use some help. I've been dealing with anxiety for years. It's horrible. I guess it's partly the whole "everyone hates me" scenario and part "there are so many bad things happening right now" and it's never really been this bad before. I get semi regular anxiety attacks, and no, I don't mean getting a little bit worried I mean incoherent screaming and crying. My question is, does anyone know of a way to calm themself down? I don't always have someone to talk to so some self help would be appreciated. I'm so sorry that I'm bothering you with my crap but I appreciate anything and everything <3
First off, I apologize if I'm not very coherent. I'm struggling with extreme exhaustion tonight and I keep falling asleep in the middle of what I'm doing. 1. Do you get adequate sleep/rest on a regular basis? If not, it is important to address this. Lack of the proper rest can play havoc with an individual's reasoning, emotional state, and ability to cope. 2. Are you seeing a counselor and are you on medication? Medication has helped me through some very rough times, but it is the counseling most of all that has decreased my anxiety attacks. 3. Think about ways that you can ground yourself and remind yourself that you are safe. I don't normally wear a lot of jewelry, so my counselor suggested a bracelet that I could focus on. Someone else wears a necklace. The idea is to find something tangible to focus on as a way to recognize that your body's reactions to a perceived threat are not applicable in the present moment. I suggest learning about the part of the brain called the amygdala, if you don't already know how it works. We can re-train our body's responses but it takes time, patience, and hard work. I wish you all the best!
You sound like you might have an anxiety disorder. You need to see a counselor to know for sure. It's important to realize that despite how it feels, this isn't a result of being unlovable or weak or broken in some way. On the contrary, the fact you have been able to survive with it for this long is a testament to your inner personal strength. But if you could have found a solution on your own you would have done so by now. It's time to admit you need help before it gets any worse. See a counselor. There is no point in continuing to suffer needlessly.
I'm not on medication of any kind for anything. Most of the time I get adequate amounts of sleep, roughly nine hours but on my worse days I barely sleep at all cause I'm upset or something. And I'll look for something that I can have on me. I do have a counselor but we don't get to talk all that often, he agrees that I have some big form of anxiety but we spent more time talking about somethng else that is also very important.
