Awful anxiety and panic all week

[brettalundgren]

I stopped drinking and smoking and my panic is through the roof. I'm afraid to go out and do things because of this stupid panic!!!! I can't except my panic disorder and have a hard time with the "what ifs". I'm 37 and it's been 20. Years of this shit. This is the worst it's ever been. I need help and advice.

[Meeasy]

Last year I struggled with panic attacks. Wanting to avoid meds at all cost,. I made some changes that gave myself the best chance to recover naturally. I avoided sugar and caffeine as much as possible. Those are fuel for anxiety and panic. I also made better choices in my regular diet . I excercicised regularly with my bike. FYI it doesn't need to be extreme. Bikeing or brisk walking will do, just enough to get the blood and oxygen to the brain and detox it. I also began to practice meditation using videos and podcasts I found on YouTube and on different podcast apps. Use the search tool. It worked for me and I avoided meds and doctor or therapist billis. As a bonus, I lost weight and got healthier. Not easy but it was worth it.. Just a suggestion. Good luck. ✌️

[brettalundgren in reply to Meeasy]

I have so many triggers that set my panic off. I'm exercising a few times a week. I wake up with panic and it fucks my whole day up. It takes weeks for me to recover. I just went to the bank and that killed me. I'm so over this!!

[Aspergirl47 in reply to brettalundgren]

I totally get u...I'm the same...been like this with anxiety/panic since 18...The worst as u describe.is the waking up in a panic..i have to get up put on a relaxation cd and try to focus on it for 20minutes ..it helps..but then later again I get triggered when I go out to do one simple thing..so frustrating....jeff1943 has a point...maybe try giving up just one thing at a time when youre anxiety is so high....Wish u luck

[brettalundgren in reply to Aspergirl47]

Thank you, I just woke up at 7 in a panic again!!!! Very frustrating!! I don't know why and I hate it.

[Jeff1943]

Brett, that's a bit of a shock to the system to stop drinking and smoking at the same time. Maybe you should do one now and one later.

You say you can't accept your panic disorder which you've had 20 years. I disagree, I think you must accept it if you are going to recover. But accept it in a different way.

When we suffer from nervous symptoms it's because our nerves are over sensitive. And every time we feel anxious and scared we release stress and fear hormones that keep our nerves sensitised.

Fighting the feeling is the natural reaction but it only makes things worse. Fighting creates more stress and tension, exactly what our nerves don't need. What they really need is a break from being bombarded with fear in which case they stop being over sensitive - and you feel anxiety free for the first time for years.

There's a school of thought that says the most effective way to recover from anxiety is to accept it FOR THE TIME BEING. Frame your mind to accept all the symptoms calmly and with the minimum of fear that you can. After all, you know it's not life-threatening or going to send you crazy because you're still standing after 20 years of it.

Brett, you can't ignore anxiety and panic but you can attach less importance to it. Instead of just putting up with it Accept it instead, don't fight it, let the panic feeling come but just let your whole body go limp, it will wash past you like a wave rushes past a rock on the beach. The rock survives. So accept the panic and anxiety and learn to co-exist with it for the time being. Don't let first fear turn into second fear, the less fear you generate the sooner you recover.

Practice peaceful co-existance with your panic and anxiety, let it come again and again if need be, you can accept it for the moment, decide yiu're not going to let it bully you any longer and every time you accept it without fear your anxiety, your panic and the sensitivity of your nerves recedes a little.

Acceptance is the method devised by the late Doctor Claire Weekes and many thousands have used it for their road to recovery.

[jessiejakes in reply to Jeff1943]

Well said jeff1943 accepting is the way forward to recovery.

[brettalundgren in reply to jessiejakes]

It's very hard but I am trying. Thank you for responding.

[brettalundgren in reply to Jeff1943]

Thank you for the amazing advice. It means a lot.

[Jeff1943 in reply to brettalundgren]

Claire Weekes 'Self help for your nerves' U.K. edition or 'Hope and help for your nerves' U.S. edition available from Amazon. Same book, different title. A short book without medical terms written for tired minds to read. Life-changing.

[Hardlookcap]

The best advice I can give you is to research and seek help via a doctor. Panic 9 times out of 10 snowballs into agoraphobia and isolation and the longer you wait ... the deeper you’ll sink. I had to learn the hard way that the world won’t seek you out and help you... you have to do the seeking .. of information .. to help yourself. Having to help yourself is a really hard task when you’re your own worst enemy w these disorders. I’m 34 and boy do I relate to you!

[brettalundgren in reply to Hardlookcap]

You are 100% correct. Thank you very much for your response.

[HearYou]

You stopped smoking and drinking suddenly? My applause to you. Stopping two seriously addictive substances would have killed me, I think. I'm not even going to address your regular anxiety. I'll leave that to others better to address it. Best wishes for your recovery from the smoking and drinking.

[brettalundgren in reply to HearYou]

Thank you

[brettalundgren]

Thank you for the response! Funny you mention cbd because I just took some. I haven't taken it for a few months but I got some today. I used to vape it but some asshole broke into my truck and stole it!!!! I do feel better on it for sure. 1,000 mg is what I take.