Anxiety

[bburtner@moran]

Thanks,I do have decent diet,my problem at work is COFFEE,5-7 cups a day!!

 

[Aerojoe]

Thanks,I do have decent diet,my problem at work is COFFEE,5-7 cups a day!!

There is no way you can relax your mind with 7 cups of coffee a day

Regarding diet, lately there are several studies pointing that omega 3 supplements can help with depression;

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100621111238.htm

Actually, you don't need any kind of supplement to increase your omega 3 intake. Just have salmon for dinner or any other similar fish like this one.

 

[Atticus Finch]

I have no great suggestions. I wish I did. But in almost fifty-seven years, I’ve learned that when I am anxious, it is almost always because there are things going on in my life that I can’t control. Normally, the best antidote is to set about trying to get control over those things. Even if I fail, just beginning the process of trying to gain control helps immeasurably.

For example, in 1999 Hurricane Floyd destroyed my home. Since then, I become fairly anxious during hurricane season. I cannot control where hurricanes go or how strong they may be. So I reduce my anxiety by preparing my property so as to mitigate the amount of damage a hurricane may inflict. The act of preparation does nothing to keep hurricanes away, but it works wonders in reducing my anxiety.

If your job…or the lack of control in your job…is the source of your anxiety, you might simply have to change jobs. If that isn’t practical (and I understand how it might not be) then you will have to figure out how best to control your job rather than vice versa. If you are like me, just defining the problem and beginning work on solving it will provide some measure of instant relief.

Just my two cents from my limited experience…

AF

 

[bburtner@moran]

Thanks,appreciated much.Brian.

 

[Tomasso]

There is no way you can relax your mind with 7 cups of coffee a day

Yep, you're all geeked up on java.

 

[Flicka]

I have a tendency to turn stress into anxiety. The worst symptom for me is insomnia - I used to be able to sleep 4-5 hours a night max and usually not at all 1-2 nights a week, which is not a good idea healthwise. Not even sleeping pills helped when I was at my worst, but then my doctor prescribed anti-depressants; the pre-SSRI version, because they can sometimes help. I take one of those and within an hour I'm practically drooling. Much more efficient than ordinary sleeping pills for some reason. I love them, but as a side effect I've gained like 10 kilos in the past year. Still, I'd rather be fat and content than slim and hyper.

A very simple exercise to use when it all gets to much in a situation is "square breathing". You find something square, like a poster or a painting or a door frame or whatever. Trace it with your eyes and breathe in until you come to the first corner, then breathe out until you come to the next, then in and out again. Repeat a few times. It helps with acute anxiety like a pending panic attack.

Anyway, about coffee... I can easily drink 10 cups of coffee in a day (but then, some days I only have 1). It does zero for my stress levels (I know because I've experimented with giving it up for longer periods and have never noted any difference at all). On the contrary, having a cup (or three) while reading in the evening actually helps me sleep. I dunno; maybe I'm caffeine resistant?

 

[PrettySquareGal]

I used to suffer from both GAD and sometimes panic attacks. There are two things that have helped me: Cognitive-behavioral interventions which you can find via a CBT therapist and/or reading related books, and self-acceptance.

 

[Aerojoe]

Anyway, about coffee... I can easily drink 10 cups of coffee in a day (but then, some days I only have 1). It does zero for my stress levels (I know because I've experimented with giving it up for longer periods and have never noted any difference at all). On the contrary, having a cup (or three) while reading in the evening actually helps me sleep. I dunno; maybe I'm caffeine resistant?

One cup of coffee a day is a powerful and healthy shot of antioxidants. Too much coffee however, slowly destroys your nervous system.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Or you can stay away from the chocolate flavor entirely -- a good idea if you're using it as a sleep aid -- and go with the malt flavored version, which works pretty well for me. Either way, though, it's healthier than reefers.

 

[Aerojoe]

Or you can stay away from the chocolate flavor entirely -- a good idea if you're using it as a sleep aid -- and go with the malt flavored version, which works pretty well for me. Either way, though, it's healthier than reefers.

I bitterly disagree Am I taking this too seriously? Chocolate is considered a super food. It is a big mistake to give it up. Chocolate is another powerful antioxidant. On your brain, it has the same properties than weed. It makes you happier. In every study about chocolate, they discover new healthy effects. For instance, it decreases the risk of cancer after doing exercise as a result of muscle break down.

Just change the regular one for a darker version with the less sugar possible. 80% pure chocolate or more. Enjoy the good things of life

 

[PrettySquareGal]

I bitterly disagree Am I taking this too seriously? Chocolate is considered a super food. It is a big mistake to give it up. Chocolate is another powerful antioxidant. On your brain, it has the same properties than weed. It makes you happier. In every study about chocolate, they discover new healthy effects. For instance, it decreases the risk of cancer after doing exercise as a result of muscle break down.

Just change the regular one for a darker version with the less sugar possible. 80% pure chocolate or more. Enjoy the good things of life

Chocolate is a stimulant and addictive. Giving it up was one of the greatest things I've ever done. I'm much calmer without it.

 

[Aerojoe]

Chocolate is a stimulant and addictive.

Addictive yes. Stimulant? Let me quote a wise man; "All things are poison and nothing is without poison; only the dose makes that a thing is no poison - Paracelso"

Giving it up was one of the greatest things I've ever done. I'm much calmer without it.

Sorry, but you made a mistake;

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8306796/Chocolate-is-the-new-super-food.html

Same with wine. A glass of wine a day is very healthy. It has a powerful antioxidant called resveratrol. A bottle of wine a day? You're a drunk and you have a problem.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I love chocolate, the bitterer the better -- my ideal is a bar of Baker's unsweetened baking chocolate. A chunk of that first thing in the morning and I'm set for the day. But I wouldn't think of eating or drinking anything with chocolate in it after 4pm, or I'll be up all night. Same thing with any caffeine-containing beverage. Even a cup of Sanka is too much for me at night. And the only wine I can drink without turning my stomach is that Manischewitz stuff that's like spiked Kool-Aid. So I stay away from that, too.

If you want to relax, know your limits. If everyone's living it up and you feel left out, keep in mind that there's no substitute for, and nothing more satisfying than, than a good night's sleep.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Addictive yes. Stimulant? Let me quote a wise man; "All things are poison and nothing is without poison; only the dose makes that a thing is no poison - Paracelso"



Sorry, but you made a mistake;

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8306796/Chocolate-is-the-new-super-food.html

Same with wine. A glass of wine a day is very healthy. It has a powerful antioxidant called resveratrol. A bottle of wine a day? You're a drunk and you have a problem.

Oh, yes. Yes yes. The media, experts, and people I don't know know what's best for me. <--That's when I was my most anxious.

 

[sheeplady]

Oh, yes. Yes yes. The media, experts, and people I don't know know what's best for me. <--That's when I was my most anxious.

I think a lot of people get food triggers. Anything that makes my stomach mildly upset (not bad enough I'm doubled over in pain, but have a mild stomach ache) gives me an anxious feeling. And I often fail to associate that with food or being ill, but rather read it as anxiety, which triggers actual anxiety. If I feel an anxious stomach, I must be anxious about something, so I find something to be anxious about.

I think anything can be bad for an individual, there's not any food across the board that is good for all people. My husband significantly lowered his cholestoral with a glass of red wine a night. For other people that wouldn't be a good idea- in fact- it could be the worst idea ever. To each his own.

 

[BigFitz]

Several years ago, I went a psychiatrist to help with my problem of flying off the handle. She prescribed Lexapro and Strattera, which helped I suppose. I was noticeably calmer and very mellow. However, I got to feeling like I was the walking dead. Nothing seemed to really matter anymore. I've recently quit taking both meds. Unfortunately, there are some serious withdrawal symptoms associated with Lexapro. One is after a few days off, it feels like there are electrical shocks snapping all inside my brain. The other is a really distrubing feeling that my face is actually melting off of my skull. Then there are the mental issues of severe depression, instant rage, and breaking out in tears uncontrollably and thoughts of suicide. I quit the meds almost three months ago and I feel like I am almost over the addiction. I guess the reason I'm typing all this is to give my perspective of these types of medications for anyone considering taking them. I must also say that I went off the meds on my own with no help from the doctor. I'm not sure if that was the best way to go about it considering the severe side effects I had to deal with. If you're on these types of meds and considering going off them, It might be a better idea to tell your doctor about it and see what they can do to make it an easier process.

What has helped me to be able to keep myself under some control is Vipasanna meditation, which is a Buddhist practice. It takes effort to do, but I truly believe it is helping me tremendously.

 

[Rudie]

Anyone suffer from anxiety,or GAD?Been battling it for years now,it has hindered me in many ways.Pressure at work mainly,come friday at closing time it seems to subside a bit,but come sunday eve,wow it comes on like gangbusters! Been at the same job for 41 years,purchasing agent thankless work...Can not retire yet,another 6 years Lord willing...Brian

The most effective way is to have a few sessions with a skilled hypnotherapist. Anxiety, like all emotions, comes directly from your subconscious. For positive change you need to work with your subconscious, and that's what hypnosis is for. Hypnosis gives you the opportunity to uncover the experiences in your past that led to your anxiety. You can then come to a new understanding at the subconscious level of your mind that enables you to let go of your fears.

"Averaging the above figures, we find that for psychoanalysis we can expect a recovery rate of 38% after approximately 600 sessions. For Wolpian therapy, we can expect a recovery rate of 72% after an average of 22 sessions, and for hypnotherapy we can expect a recovery rate of 93% after an average of 6 sessions." (http://www.stresscards.com/esspsychotherapy.php see page 5)

If you need a referral PM me. I can point you to some of the best hypnotherapists in the field today.

 

[Aerojoe]

Oh, yes. Yes yes. The media, experts, and people I don't know know what's best for me. <--That's when I was my most anxious.

Ok, fair enough [huh] You know what's better for you and nobody can tell better than you how do you feel whenever you consume any food.

My personal view about chocolate being addictive and stimulant; I eat a couple of ounces almost every day, never more than that. Like LizzieMaine, I like it bitter. 80% or 90% pure. Here in the South of Europe it's a classic to take it with a cup of black coffee.

Stimulant for me? Every time I eat chocolate I end up with a big smile on my face I'm pretty aware that all the antioxidants are good for me but what I really enjoy about it, it's that it makes me happy

Addictive for me? Not too much because I take it dark and bitter. Real taste of chocolate is bitter.

I think some people consider chocolate addictive and stimulant as a result of the added sugar, not the cocoa itself. Sugar and similar things like the corn syrup are the real problem.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Ok, fair enough [huh] You know what's better for you and nobody can tell better than you how do you feel whenever you consume any food.

My personal view about chocolate being addictive and stimulant; I eat a couple of ounces almost every day, never more than that. Like LizzieMaine, I like it bitter. 80% or 90% pure. Here in the South of Europe it's a classic to take it with a cup of black coffee.

Stimulant for me? Every time I eat chocolate I end up with a big smile on my face I'm pretty aware that all the antioxidants are good for me but what I really enjoy about it, it's that it makes me happy

Addictive for me? Not too much because I take it dark and bitter. Real taste of chocolate is bitter.

I think some people consider chocolate addictive and stimulant as a result of the added sugar, not the cocoa itself. Sugar and similar things like the corn syrup are the real problem.

I agree with you that it's what's added to chocolate that contributes to it being "addictive." But for me, it gives me a headache, even the darker kind, which kind of wipes any big smile off of my face that I had while eating it. Also, I do not like stimulants beyond a single cup of coffee in the morning. I have enough edge as it is.

 

[Stanley Doble]

For me it is always amazing that somebody can be self-conscious that he/she is anxious or depressed. I came from a place where you are not thought to have these kind of feelings. I mean, in school, college or at work, you're not allowed to leave because you feel anxiety or you are depressed. If you do, you would be kicked out at once.

Then, suicide is a completely taboo topic. When somebody commits suicide here, nobody talks about it. They'll tell the guy died after an accident or an illness if they have the chance.

Then you go to the north of Europe where they actually have suicide statistics and their rates are high, and it is amazing how seriously they take when a student or a worker says they are anxious or depressed. They take action pretty fast.

Same here. I didn't know what was wrong for years. You didn't talk about it. Still don't. For some reason it is ok to victimize the mentally ill where it would be considered wrong to rob and abuse the physically disabled. You learn to cover up and work around your problems. My own life could have been a lot different if I had a little help at the right time.

Sometimes you have to take what you can get and make the best of it. When you can't go it alone any longer you check out.