is there really a way to fully recover

[ttiwhdb]

i would really really like to get rid of anxiety and suicidal thoughts someday and finally be ok

[Shnookie]

Hi. It’s Shnookie. So sorry 😐 U R going thru this. Have U called thatSuicide Prevention Hotline -

800-273-8255. There is also Nami

A peer mentor mental health support highline. With your anxiety issues this can be day to day challenge. Using exercising,

deep breathing, Cognitive behavior theory

meditation, doing things that you enjoy.

and talking to your doctor re your meds can be helpful. I’m here 4 U hugs 🤗 S

[Ubud2021]

I think “fully recovering” is very subjective. That looks different for everyone. I think we can meet our (individual) ideal “healthy” selves… but also you will always have years and years of your old programming. So I think the important question is are you going to keep choosing your healthier ways over the old programming? But always remember: progress not perfection. Keep choosing yourself always. Healthy mindset takes practice.

[Hidden]

It is possible. But you need to understand that anxiety will never go away. It's a part of all of us and it is both harmful and very useful. It's learning to manage it when it get's out of hand that is the goal, not making it stop forever. As for depression, there are usually two solutions. The first is you recover when you change your circumstances. If you are in a situation that makes you sad then so long as you remain in that situation you will never be happy. So recovery isn't feeling better right away it's fixing your situation so you can start to not feel pain and hurt anymore. If however, you have a condition like bipolar where your mental state needs to be regulated then medications and coping skills are going to be your best bet to manage yourself and recover. Its not about making things go away completely it's about being able to mange the bad when it does happen again.

[Agora1 in reply to Hidden]

Ditto, I totally agree xx

[Midori]

Hi there,

It's a difficult subject. Suicidal tendencies can be lessened by counselling, psychologists or psychiatric treatment, and anxiety lessened . There are helplines for people thinking of suicide. In UK, we have Samaritans, I haven't used them for many years, but there is a Freephone number, I believe.

Anxiety is the one I'm more familiar with, and I find people fear ridicule, having their performance mocked, or their appearance commented on in the main. It sticks deep, been there, got several teeshirts!

The people who do this are in the main, not unkind, just unthinking, and don't tend to have the mental filter that says 'Wait! Will this hurt this person?' before speaking.

I have found when people comment on you in the street, that by the time they have turned the next corner, they have forgotten your existence, but have left you with their hurtful comments, and If we are already unsure, it adds to the anxiety burden.

I personally found Assertiveness Training helped me to overcome it (especially learning how to say 'NO' to people), there are many courses out there, some you can be referred to by your doctor. Confidence building helps against anxiety.

One thing struck me some years ago, and that is that those who mock, often fear mockery, so get their attack in first. We anxious ones have to toughen our skins, and learn that they fear us too!

It worked for me.

Cheers, Midori

[Daveacr1959]

I have been battling anxiety my whole life and I’m 62. For me personally, I think my anxiety is in the deepest part of the brain, the brain stem. It is very difficult to control this part of the brain. It’s why I have to resort to more drastic things, like 45 minutes of daily cardio exercise to produce endorphins that battle your anxiety. And twice daily cold showers or cold baths . This keeps my anxiety at a lesser level. So the mindfulness can work on the frontal lobe that also controls anxiety. I had this told to me by a therapist. We were trying to figure out why mindfulness was useless for me some days . And we both agreed that once anxiety for me anyway, crosses a certain baseline, that was what was happening. Like yesterday, I did resistance bands weight training for my upper body. Then I swam and did the sauna . I had also done a 60 degree 5-8 minute cold plunge in the mid morning and another one before dinner. It was the cold water shocks the anxiety and depression right out of you treatment. And the heavy breathing and swimming excercise that had me like a person with little anxiety. So then I could practice mindfulness with success. The Scandinavian people have been doing sauna and cold water or snow rolling for centuries. I personally feel it was for the mental benefit not the physical benefit. It has both . I let an hour or 2 go by before I go hot and cold , there is no cold where the sauna is.

I have never had suicidal thoughts. I know how much my teenage parents and grandparents sacrificed to raise me. I have a wife and kids and grandkids I can’t hurt . And I know how precious life is. I am not getting down on you. Your thoughts are your thoughts. I just know anxiety is not powerful enough to make me do this. It’s a thought that will pass , an emotion I mean. You tube has randomly sent me videos of people who tried suicide. And 1 second after they did it they all realized it was the worst choice ever. One guy jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge he’s on you tube. I think 2 of them. I ask you look at and take advice from these people.

I am an older man, battling anxiety and cancer remission. So I will be doing good, then some pain sets in for a few months. And it’s common with people who battle cancer to freak out with new pains . So I am on a roller coaster. Where as before I just battled anxiety and I got the handle on it. I care about you. I have always been an empathetic person. Maybe because of my anxiety? I watched the world news last night and saw the million people starving in Africa right now and tears flowed. They were eating grass hoppers and cactus and had no water. It’s because of global warming they say because it’s never happened in a thousand years. So I ask myself why nobody has helped them? People who have 3 mansions? So I care about you. Because we all have a spark of god in us . The good we do . I think all life has a little of god in it animals and plants too. But humans have a bit more.

So if you really want to gain power over your anxiety and depression. I ask you to fight with me. Day by day hour by hour. You can do you tube jogging in place or aerobics? Are you fit enough? Can you do a cold water bath ? Drs have medicine that helps us .

You can p m me anytime. Because I need you too.

Now I am going to exercise and and cold plunge and swim and sauna., for my sanity not vanity.. the world is full of us mentally challenged, who people think are fitness nuts .. lol

You tube Wim Hof story and his breathing exercises and cold water therapy. All done because he was struggling with anxiety and depression from huge trauma.

[Midori in reply to Daveacr1959]

You are right about our fears being in the hindbrain . That is the remnant of our animal brain, the instinctive part which combines with the Adrenal glands to give us the Fight or Flight response to a perceived threat. The hindbrain also gives us suspicion, which in turn gives distrust for the 'different' and unknown, and goes back to our Ape ancestors and protecting our sources of food, etc. from others. There are other things it is responsible for, but I'll leave it at that.

Cheers, Midori

[Daveacr1959 in reply to Midori]

Yes, and I wonder why some of us have a more active brain stem or hind brain as you call it ? Why some of us like me, have to work real hard at fight or flight? And some people are as calm as can be. This is something I believe we are born with. Not something that people can control. The experts say it is almost impossible to control the brain stem, the deepest part of the brain. It’s why the Wim Hof breathing exercises and cold water therapy, has power over that. The breathing exercises are like jogging a mile if you push yourself. And the cold water shocks the anxiety and depression right out of you! Do you know anyone who can control this part of the brain at will?

It’s like 6 people being taken as a prisoner of war. Some are going to be more calm than others. With lower heart rates and blood pressure and cortisol etc . And some like me will have all they can do to stay calm.