Continuing Eating Healthy and Excercise

[jwhitleyjr]

This might seem like a silly post. Because I feel physical symptoms many times. I have stopped with Eating healthy and Excercise. For it has been, what is the point since my body is being damaged with these health anxiety symptoms.

[Hidden]

I read this and immediately my first thought was.... your doing it wrong.

I don’t stop eating healthy and exercising because I have anxiety AND insomnia. My sleep is total crap, I have to keep me and mind in the best shape I can. I exercise daily even on no sleep and especially on very high anxiety days. I get anxiety fighting benefits from the exercise.

We have to keep the physical body as healthy as possible, surely you get a ton of benefits from eating healthy and exercise?

Do this, get a wellness check, maybe get blood work too, you’ll see the things your are doing are working, the physical systems you feel are not harming you, you are super sensitive to them because anxiety wins over your thoughts.

Go back to your other threads, you need to find coping mechanisms to manage your anxiety. Exercise is just one that helps me.

[jwhitleyjr in reply to Hidden]

Thank Rosie. Sorry for sounding silly. Yes I am doing it wrong. I will go back to my exercise and healthy eating regiment. I was just feeling sorry for myself. You are right. My statement was pretty ignorant.

[Hidden in reply to jwhitleyjr]

Statement is not ignorant...

You’re okay, you are quite overwhelmed from what I can tell here and your other threads recently. A lot of good advice has been given, so I would turn this energy you call ‘feeling sorry for yourself’ into energy and time looking for positive ways to ease what you are going through. 🌸

[jwhitleyjr in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Roxie.

[Years-of-solitude]

It’s not silly at all! Remember YOU ARE IMPORTANT. If you need to talk I’m here

[jwhitleyjr in reply to Years-of-solitude]

Thank you.

[jwhitleyjr in reply to Years-of-solitude]

I am just afraid of losing my mind with having intrusive thoughts.

[Years-of-solitude in reply to jwhitleyjr]

Don’t worry you are not the only one

[jwhitleyjr in reply to Years-of-solitude]

Because it like I am almost transferring fear to one thing after the next. Things that are not harmful. I am making my brain believe lies.

[Years-of-solitude in reply to jwhitleyjr]

At the begging of the year I was eating healthy an taking care of myself but when the pandemic started I just started focusing and other things and making excuses for myself. Talking about it really helps

[Pinkyandthebrain]

You’re definitely not silly; I find it very hard to be motivated sometimes when I know that I will be experiencing physical pain regardless. It can feel very hopeless.

Try and be kind to yourself; remember that you deserve to be looked after, and fed healthy food, given enough sleep and exercise etc.

I saw you mention something about intrusive thoughts in the comments, this is something that happens to me during time’s of stress as well, it’s not your fault and I know only too well how overwhelming it can feel.

Hang in there, you’re not alone x

[Junella]

When I saw your note, I thought here is a comrade. I have had illness anxiety most of my life (off and on). Even when I'm happy and not aware of it, the Black Dog is waiting in the shadows somewhere ready to reemerge at the slightest trigger or physical sensation. It might be reading something or even hearing a word. It all started awhile after an older sister died when I was 8. I wasn't told why she died. It was a secret I didn't learn til in my 30s. It was suicide--that was a relief actually. But the damage had been done. I kept having medical scares that turned out to be nothing serious; and to complicate them a series of doctors who lacked empathy and treated me as mentally ill or a bother. A real problem--hyperthyroidism was overlooked for years and the doctor just thought I needed a psychiatrist.

The pandemic has not helped us, of course, and I had been sick with another virus before I heard about it. Sick for a month I had Bell's palsy with it. I'm still not free of anxiety.

Following as healthy a lifestyle as possible has helped me a great deal and a belief in a stronger power outside myself that loves and cares for me and communion with Him. (I am Christian) I do not feel alone--that keeps me going. Reading positive or devotional material lifts the spirit. And by all means avoid violent and disturbing books and movies. You may not be aware of how much this stresses you.

You mentioned your brain. Your brain is a liar! It is automatic negative thoughts that sets off your feelings of fear. 15 mins of deep breathing one or more times a day helps. I use Respirate a small machine used for BP and calming that measures breaths. A hobby is useful. Being passionate about something is a distraction, volunteer work, socializing.

Now we can't socialize much but phone calls work. Sometimes we just have to accept our problem as if it were a disability and not let it keep us from living.

[jwhitleyjr in reply to Junella]

Thank you so much for this advice. A blessing from you.

[mbrownin in reply to jwhitleyjr]

I agree with this advice 100%, we have to accept and continue to live our lives

[Hidden]

so that is called depression and anxiety. I know exactly how you feel because I feel this way on and off. Currently I am doing better but before this, my downward spiral started in 2018. Outside problems were happening, stress, anxiety and depression krept on. I gained 30 lbs, hated myself and my life. Lived this way until now when things are finally looking up and I'm getting a little bit more happiness in my life. Others don't understand people like us. We have a mental disorder that causes us to feel and become who we really are not... The others will say to get over it because they have no clue what it's like. It's like telling a person with cancer to get over it...

Take some time to go outside and see the sunshine and find some gratitude in the things in your life. Try to find inner peace and forget what others say. Journal if that helps.

Good luck 🌞

[mbrownin]

Hey jwhiteleyjr,

Your post is not silly at all because anxiety and depression leaves you with all types of irrational feelings and a sense of despair. I also have physical symptoms all day, every day when I am going through these flare ups and I deal with these psychological feelings too every morning and sometimes I feel afraid of going to sleep, if I can sleep, knowing what I will face when (and I puposely said when and not if) I get up, because sometimes I feel like this thing will kill me.

I think you really need to get a check up to make sure nothing more serious is going on. Then you can tell yourself it's just anxiety. You cannot afford to give up, then how will you get bettter? You have to continue taking care of yourself despite... Sometines I keep going not even for myself, I look at my kids and wonder what would happen if I give up and by the grace of God I keep going and honestly I do not know how I have made it this far except for belief in a power greater than myself.

[jwhitleyjr]

I will not give up. I understand what you are going through. Is it something to have fears of things that cant harm you. I have those feelings also of afraid of going to sleep. But I will not give up,