I want to be happier

[Raena]

I've had anxiety for 15 years now, adding depression and migraines to that over the years. I'm on medication and in therapy with a psychologist on a regular basis. I'm still having difficulty managing my thoughts. It's very difficult to quiet my mind, especially at night. Does anyone have any recommendations that have helped them?

[Aardbark]

The things that have helped me have been:

*Prayer & meditation

*Talking to a friend or journalling

*Watching a comedy

*Doing something for myself. that I have been putting off

*Doing my hobby (wood carving)

Hopefully you can find something out of that.

Aardbark

[Raena in reply to Aardbark]

Thank you for your help!

[Beevee]

Yes. Learning to accept the symptoms and to let those thoughts go will provide permanent relief. If you try to quieten your mind, it just makes it worse. Let the thoughts have their say but learn not to buy into them, to not identify with them, to lose your respect for them.

Having belief in them and/ or fighting them off just keeps them coming. Practice doing the opposite by allowing them to be there, not doing anything, in terms of resistance, and they will disappear.

I’ve posted lots of advice and guidance about how to recover on this forum , based on my own journey to recovery, armed with a good understanding of how anxiety works. Basically, it’s one great big confidence trick that will lose all its power once you stop fighting to get rid of it. It won’t matter how long you may have been suffering, you can still recover. In fact, your mind and body is waiting to recover which will happen gradually when you give up the fight.

Best wishes

Beevee

[Raena in reply to Beevee]

Thank you! Encouragement!

[CatIsMyCopilot]

For sleeping, I do this exercise every night before bed:

m.youtube.com/watch?v=86HUc...(Not working as expected?)

It helps relax me a lot. I still have trouble waking up too early and worrying though :/

[Raena in reply to CatIsMyCopilot]

Thank you! I'll give it a try.