Mental Health

[killerqueeen]

So those who know me know I suffer with severe bouts of depression and anxiety. I've deleted my Facebook and just basically become a shell of a person.
The past few days have been filled with tears and just genuine thoughts of ... extremeness..

I just want to ask, if you suffer with anxiety what are your ways to combat it and how do you get over the initial anxiety attack?
I sleep and I'm sick usually after but I want to know if anyone has any coping mechanisms I can use in day to day life to make it easier to carry on everyday life.

[gypsophila]

Are you okay? If you can find a way to do it, a class or group session in cognitive behavioural therapy would probably be really helpful for you. Can you see a therapist who could explain this to you? Maybe there is a local mental health resource that offers this therapy. The techniques give you a coping mechanism to manage your own thoughts and feelings anytime, anywhere. So you carry that with you at all times. At least read up on it. You might even be able to find videos on it. Take care.

[banksyChic]

I've dealt with PTSD/OCD for almost 20 years. Anxiety is a huge part of my life. Panic attacks are the worst. As gypso said CBT is really amazing. It's really hard work but it really pays off. Personally I needed to be able to identify my triggers. So I started journaling during my panic attacks. Just a simple list of what I was doing before it happened, physical feelings, what room of the house I was in, thoughts etc. I was then able to pass that info onto my counsellor who referred me to a great CB therapist. As for coping mechanisms I use regularly during times of high anxiety or attacks...I'll list a few.

-"I see I feel." This one helps you identify the things around you that are very real and not imagined like anxiety tends to be. Say you're riding in the car and you feel your anxiety peaking. You say out loud "I see the steering wheel, I see the road, I see my legs." You can identify 3-5 things that you can physically see. Then you say "I feel the bumps in the road, I feel my legs on the seat, I feel my arm on the center console." And then you return to "I see" and reduce it to two of the three things you identified before. "I see the road, I see my legs." Same with "I feel". The point of the exercise is to be present and of the world instead of in your mind. Really focus on the things that are real and simple. Baby steps for your brain.

-books like "Wreck This Journal" or "642 Things to Write About" are helpful to get you out of your mind. Last night I was feeling pretty anxious and I opened 642 things to write about to the topic "what your desk thinks about at night" it's a topic that's a world away from your anxiety and your brain can't do both. I picture each words literal meaning. I picture a brain when I see the word "think" and so on. It's redirection.

-Breathing. Circular breathing in particular. This is so crazy important. Glen Harrold has a free app with guided meditation that I use sometimes. Helps you focus on your breathing and relaxing. I would recommend trying it out daily before you get to the point of no return. When you're anxious you tend to not breathe out all of the way or take shallow breaths that leave carbon monoxide (dioxide? I having a brain fart) in your lungs which makes you feel anxious and short of breath.

-I listen to a lot of podcasts as well. Sometimes music has too much going on and isn't helpful. Again, I really try to focus on what the person is saying wether I'm interested in the topic or not. I visualize the simple words to bring myself out of my mind and to encourage my brain to be present and not wander.

-medications were a huge struggle for me (I don't know if you take any). I was on Effexor and abilify for depression, prazosin for flashbacks and Xanax for anxiety and occasionally adderall. All of them contributed to my anxiety more than helping them in the end. Especially Xanax. Benzos are evil. If you get serious about CBT you can approach your doctor about weaning you off. It's the shittiest feeling in the world but totally worth it to be free of dosing schedules and to regain organic feeling again.


-Start slow with leaving the house. Take a walk at midnight if you want to be sure you won't run into anybody. It's all about small, personal victories. Don't stress on the big picture.

-I make daily goal checklists. Got up before noon? Check. Brushed my teeth within an hour of waking? Check. Showered before noon? Check. Put on real clothes? Check. Small goals to start off. You'll get the hang of it.

Mental heath issues are a bitch. It's so easy to let your mind consume you and stay down for months at a time. i know we don't choose to have these issues but we absolutely do choose how we deal with them. I struggle everyday but using my coping skills has become much more second nature. I'm sorry this was so long. If you need somebody to talk to who totally gets it I'm always available. I could list more but I didn't want this to be even longer ***hugs*** I feel you on this. It's not easy.

[gypsophila]

Great post Banksy! Very informative. I hope KQ is doing okay.

[Oreo]

First of all, if you are having extreme thoughts or are thinking about harming yourself, please seek help ASAP! I've been there myself, I remember thinking nobody would care, I wasn't worth it... I was wrong. Everyone deserves help, including you!

I want to say I'm really sorry you're dealing with this Shit ('cause it is Shit, with a capital S) I've dealt with both anxiety and depression myself, they just downright suck! What helped me the most was CBT. If you're not already seeing a therapist, I can only recommend it. At first it's emotional and confronting, but it all pays off in the end. I started to notice the results after just a couple of sessions (this depends on the person though). My psychologist refered me to a physiotherapist for breathing excercises, this helped me cope as well. I found doing simple, unimportant things helped reduce anxiety (for me this was decorating my planner) Just do anything you enjoy, something simple, without any consequences if it doesn't work out.
Allie Brosh has written about her depresssion on her blog. It really resembles with me, which made me feel less alone. Knowing I wasn't the only one took the edge off, in a way. It's just really nice being able to read something that puts into words what I couldn't really describe. You can find her posts here:

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.be/20 ... n.html?m=1

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.be/20 ... o.html?m=1

[deviswolowitz]

Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love learning more on this topic. If possible, as you gain expertise, would you mind updating your topic with more information? It is extremely helpful for me.

[SaraShulman]

When I am depressed I start to eat and watch cartoons.

[JessieJim]

Meditation helps me very much, really..

[clippingimageexpert1]

Hello, people. I know this thread is old, but I would like to ask about how often you go to therapists?

I encountered some social anxiety problems and solved them through individual therapies, and now I am wondering if I should go constantly.

[rmy]

Hello, people. I know this thread is old, but I would like to ask about how often you go to therapists?

I encountered some social anxiety problems and solved them through individual therapies, and now I am wondering if I should go constantly.

Personally, I've found that therapy frequency really depends on individual needs. After initially sorting out some issues, I reduced my sessions to once a month or even less, just for maintenance. It's like a mental health check-in.

My wife and I once tried couples counseling in NYC. We found it beneficial, and since then, we have made it a point to go once a month. It's not so much about constant therapy but ensuring our relationship stays harmonious.