Tips for anxiety?

[newmercies]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone had any tips for managing anxiety and panic attacks? My anxiety makes it hard for me to do things like go out in public or focus on a task. It makes me really discouraged. I also would like to work on spending less time ruminating. Any tips would be appreciated

[Decode]

I am the same. Panic attacks and anxiety kicks my ass a lot. I was recommended the butterfly hug and it does help sometimes. It helps ground me when anxiety is bad. Also breathing techniques, like breathe in with lips creating a hole, hold it for a few seconds and then release.

Hope you find something that helps!

[tpenguin in reply to Decode]

I am going to take a try and I am copying that down.

[needhelp2z]

Someone told me to use the technique “Cancel that thought!” And say it out loud each time you’re ruminating. I’m doing this daily and it does help to redirect my thoughts.

[Kya_12]

Hello! Recently, during panic attacks, I’ve been looking around the room and making mental notes of the different colours/objects I can see. It helps remove my mind from that panicked state and gives me something different to think about that isn’t too challenging.

[newmercies]

Thank you all for sharing. You are not alone in struggling with this❤️

[SirGrits]

The closest thing I've come to an "attack" is when insomnia kicks in. After about an hour I start to think I'll never fall asleep and my mind starts racing. I'm pretty sure that counts as an attack. I follow the typical insomnia recommendation of getting out of bed every 15min or so for a 15min "break" and repeat that cycle until I get to sleep. Works pretty good actually. It is very rare that I get to 90min w/out falling asleep. I guess the way to extend that to other situations is to find ways to remove oneself from the cause of the attack? Or maybe just taking your mind of the stressor? Hope that helps.Prayers purple.

[socratesanne]

In sheer panic, just get up and move your body to break the panic. II like to dance. If it is just the anxiety's then take three long belly breaths, breathing slowly in through the nose, easy as the tummy balloons out, then important to blow out very slowly through the lips as the belly sucks in, almost to pelvic floor.

Do again two more times VERY SLOWLY with no force but focus on the belly going out in the inhale and in on the exhale. This is diaphragmatic breathing. This opens up the parasympathetic nervous system to relax and use the ventral vagus nerve. Only do three times with ease.

I love the quiet space before you do the inhale again. It is the most peaceful I ever am besides sleep, even if just for those few seconds. I call in my musical rest before the song of the inhale starts again with ease.