The worst night I've ever had of anxiety

[dbeck128]

My anxiety is going to cause me to go crazy and never ever be the same again. I cannot stop it. I am going to forget me. Myself. Everything. My kids. My life and I cannot CONTROL IT. WHY

[JAYnLA]

Well, according to Dr. Claire Weekes and others, it persists because we don’t accept it and keep throwing more energy into with our freaking out and resistance. Have you read her books or listened to her audiobooks? Highly recommended.

[marheart in reply to JAYnLA]

Oh my that's so true. The more I concentrate on the fact that I've gone from anxiety, which I still don't understand, all the way up to panic, the worse it gets.

Sure don't understand it when that happens. Distraction has always been the name of the game. So much easier to say than to do.

I mentally play out a conversation to work on resolving a problem. Sometimes I express anger, fear, worry, ill health, money problems and so much more. Unfortunately that doesn't bring me to a positive state of mind.

Someone in this support group suggested writing a book with various chapters. About 8 yrs ago I published some of my writings. That was back from a time when I was still able to focus.

Try it. You might like it to concentrate on something other than the disorders.

[Anxiously_attched24]

Sometimes drinking really cold water and taking deep breaths do help to calm down if not and this might sound weird, go to the bathroom/ or any place you’re alone and turn off the lights, sit wherever you feel comfortable and just breathe. I know it sounds weird but that works for me, hearing myself breathing and closing my eyes calms me down. You’re not alone, and this will pass. I hope something I say was useful. Take care of yourself.

[marheart in reply to Anxiously_attched24]

As long as it works for you - Go For It! Why not go for anything that is safe and helpful.

My therapist said to open my eyes and look all around the room while telling myself I'm safe. This too will pass.

No one distraction works for me each time except tapping and breathing. They are my go to places that give me a start on calming down. The rest of the ride is mighty bumpy.

Maybe weird is what we are ignoring and need more weird in our lives.

[Jeff1943]

None of those things you fear are going to happen to you. Anxiety may frighten us half to death but it has its limitations. On its own it cannot kill us, cannot make us disabled and cannot send us crazy.

You will not collapse and lose your memory. Your problem is fear and a vivid imagination. I am not belittling your anguish when I say that.

First, you can recover your quiet mind but it's not an instant fix. What has happened is that some extreme worry and stress in your life has caused your high anxiety. The worry and fear reached a level that has caused your nerves to become ultra sensitive. In this state they give us bad feelings and strange thoughts: they have become over sensitised by you releasing too much fear hormone.

Recovery lies in stopping or reducing the flow of fear and stress hormones. We do this through understanding, reassurance and practice. When you next feel the flash of first fear do not add second fear to it. When you next feel panicky do not fight it. Fighting only causes more tension and stress which makes things worse.

Instead, you should accept for the time being all the symptoms and bad feelings including panic attacks if you are lucky enough to have them. Accept them wuth as little fear as you can knowing that anxiety is a toothless paper tiger: it can frighten us no end but can do no permanent harm. It is a fraud, a fake and a charlatan. Don't believe a word anxiety suggests to you.

JAYnLA in his post replying to you mentions Doctor Claire Weekes: the Acceptance method for recovery was set out by her many years ago and in that time has helped untold thousands to recover. Her first book 'Self help for your nerves' explains clearly the path to recovery. That's the U.K. title, in the U.S. it's titled 'Hope and help for your nerves', both versions are identical and are available new or used from Amazon.

It's life-changing.

dbeck, you are not going to feel like this for ever. You are in no danger. The things you fear are no more than that: just fears. Everything is going to work out fine. The key to recovery is acceptance for the moment.

[marheart in reply to Jeff1943]

Oh how I wish you were my Therapist.

[Esther228]

Oh, my friend, I am so sorry that you are struggling so much with anxiety. I don’t understand where it comes from exactly, or why, but I know some ways that I have used to help me overcome my own anxiety.

Have you sought out any medical help? Counseling? Or talked with anyone else who is dealing with anxiety? People are a great resource in our time of need. I know that you are not alone in how you feel, so I hope that brings you some sort of comfort.

When I was struggling at work, with anxiety around my boss, I tried praying, listening to Christian music (I had a radio in my office and kept the volume turned down low, but I could hear the soothing music) and tried to refocus my mind onto something else. A Bible verse that really hit home for me is Proverbs 12:25 “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good (encouraging) word makes it glad.” Just reading that verse makes that heaviness feel less heavy for me.

You know that anxiety is a real issue when even the Bible addresses it, right? I want you to know that my thoughts and prayers are for you to start to feel better. I am sure thinking of you!