glimmer2525
10-06-2015, 11:49 AM
Hello everyone! I haven't been on these forums in a long time, and I suppose the biggest reason for that is that I haven't felt the need to be. However, I've been thinking about how far I've come and I realize that there are others out there who might be in the throes of their anxiety for the first time, or perhaps its just gotten out of hand. Its been weighing heavily on my heart that I should share my experience and what has helped get my life back. Please feel free to look at my old posts. I was at a point where I had been to the Emergency room several times for severe panic attacks. I didn't think I'd ever be ok again.
But in this post, I want to get down to the nitty gritty of what has helped me along the way.
First off, I want you to get a good medical exam. No, this does not automatically mean that something is wrong with you physically, but it pays to rule it out. In my case, there was something wrong other than just generalized anxiety. Come to find out, I had an autoimmune disorder (hashimotos thyroiditis), severe Vitamin D deficiency, and adrenal fatigue. It took me a few tries to find the right doctor to help me with all of this, but I finally found the one for me. Now I am on one medication (to support thyroid function), and the rest are all supplements (multivitamin, trace minerals, Vitamin D3, fish oil, and an adrenal support supplement). Its very important to go get checked out and don't put all your faith into one basic medical pracitioner. Don't be afraid to get a second opinion. If you are living in pure panic every single day, its worth it to dig deep and see what might be going on.
Next, know that you've got to get appropriate sleep. I personally was functioning on about 5 or 6 hours a night, then going to my very stressful job after being blared awake by a loud alarm clock and guzzling coffee to be able to function. Do you see where I went wrong? Because looking back, I sure do. I strongly recommend at least 7.5 to 8 hours nightly. Also, it has been well documented that going to bed before midnight allows us to function the next day at our most optimal level. Research it. going to bed at 10 pm and getting 8 hours of sleep is more beneficial than going to bed after midnight and getting the same amount. Its all about our internal clocks. Try it out. I know lack of sleep is what got me in a lot of my troubles. Having trouble sleeping? Consider supplementing with magnesium (relaxes the body), drizzle a little lavender essential oil onto the back of your ears and perhaps a spritz on your pillow. Make your bedroom as dark as possible. Make sure you have clean, comfortable bedding and practice good sleep hygiene. Read a book (an actual paperback or hardcover book, no electronic reader) to help you wind down.
Another thing that will get you ready for sleep and something you can use at any time during the day is meditation. I used to turn my nose up at meditation thinking it was something that was probably useless. Boy, was I wrong. I recommend guided meditation, especially for beginners.. Look up The Honest Guys on YouTube. Their guided meditations have helped me tremendously. After doing them, I notice slower pulse rate and just an overall happy and calm feeling. Its hard to explain but it sure has worked for me. Give it a try! Strongly recommend.
This one is very important... Don't let your life get consumed with thoughts of anxiety. Don't spend hours and hours online researching anxiety related topics or researching every cold sweat, palpitation or light headedness that comes with your anxiety. Just go get your medical checkup and then work on life outside of anxiety. What gets you passionate? Do you have any pets? Would you consider adopting a pet if you don't have one? Is there a beautiful place out in nature where you can just go and sit with some deep breaths and perhaps have someone you love accompany you? What I'm trying to say is.. Dig deep to add joy to your life. I'm not trying to be generic and say "focus on the positive" but seriously, try your best to be really damn good to yourself. Treat yourself to something nice, it doesn't have to cost a lot of money.. it doesn't have to cost any money.
Clean up your diet. This may be the hardest thing for some people, but its very important for sure. I recommend starting with eliminating or greatly reducing processed foods. Focus on clean eating. If its packaged and loaded with sugar, sodium, artificial colors and flavors, preservatives, etc... its probably best to leave it on the shelf. Processed foods have been widely known to increase anxiety symptoms. Its not worth it. Drastically increase your fruit and veggie intake. Drastically reduce or eliminate caffeine. Look at programs like Whole30 (I personally saw really good results with this one).
This goes hand in hand with what I was saying earlier but try not to actually talk about your anxiety too much. I made this mistake and I think I became a little obsessed... and guess what? I stayed right where i was at - miserable. Once I started talking about anxiety, sure enough I started experiencing shortness of breath and got all sweaty. Save your energy and talk about something else that might bring a little humor or joy to your day. I know its tricky! But trust me on this one.
Here are some really awesome books I recommend:
*Mind Over Medicine by Lissa Rankin
*The Fear Cure by Lissa Rankin
*Live a Life You Love by Susan Biali (this one is my favorite)
*52 Ways to Live a Kick-Ass Life by Andrea Owen (this one is a little more female oriented)
*The Depression Cure by Stephen S. Ilardi
*It Starts With Food by Melissa & Dallas Hartwig (this is all about why its important to clean up your diet and is the foundation for the Whole30 program that I mentioned earlier)
*** These books aren't necessarily about anxiety in particular, but are VERY awesome and helpful resources for pulling your life together in a healthy manner.
Find a physical activity that you love. Key word here.. Love. Don't force yourself to do ANYTHING you don't want to do. By making something enjoyable, you will reach for it every time. It can be as simple as a walk. Don't overdo it (especially if you have a medical condition), very gradually build your fitness levels up. I'm not saying you have to become a competitive athlete (unless you want to!). Just move your body in whatever way you can to clear out the fog in your brain and build a pathway for happy hormones to be of benefit to you.
Last but not least, take a good look at your life and what is serving you and what is not. Can you do a little bit of a "clean-up" in some areas? Can you physically remove some clutter in your home that may be weighing heavily on your mind and stress levels and you aren't even realizing it? Are you happy in your relationships? Is there something in your life that you really need to work on? If so, whats your first step?
*I also highly recommend journaling! Get all the bullshit out on paper first thing in the morning so that you can have a clearer, sharper mind for the rest of the day.
*Always look for ways to get in a good laugh. It really is powerful.
I want it to also be known that I am not trying to substitute medical advice or convince anyone to not take medications. Always talk to your doctor before trying new medications or supplements. Talk to your doctor before beginning an exercise routine or new diet (This is why I want you to start with a medical exam :))
Reach out for support on your bad days. Reach out for support on your good days (just be mindful of how much you're actually talking about anxiety in general). Nobody should ever have to feel alone. We're all in this together, we all have a story to tell, and life will bring us down at times but we have to fight the good fight. We're worth more than anxiety and there is so much more to life. We must take back our joy.
I also want to extend some gratitude and say a big THANK YOU to the helpful, wonderful people on this forum who talked to me during my darkest days. Shout out to PanicCured, who told me that I'll get better because I WANT to get better. Its true. Sure enough I had a doctor tell me the exact same thing. Willpower to overcome such obstacles is not to be taken lightly. Never underestimate the power within yourself.
You are so much stronger than you know.
But in this post, I want to get down to the nitty gritty of what has helped me along the way.
First off, I want you to get a good medical exam. No, this does not automatically mean that something is wrong with you physically, but it pays to rule it out. In my case, there was something wrong other than just generalized anxiety. Come to find out, I had an autoimmune disorder (hashimotos thyroiditis), severe Vitamin D deficiency, and adrenal fatigue. It took me a few tries to find the right doctor to help me with all of this, but I finally found the one for me. Now I am on one medication (to support thyroid function), and the rest are all supplements (multivitamin, trace minerals, Vitamin D3, fish oil, and an adrenal support supplement). Its very important to go get checked out and don't put all your faith into one basic medical pracitioner. Don't be afraid to get a second opinion. If you are living in pure panic every single day, its worth it to dig deep and see what might be going on.
Next, know that you've got to get appropriate sleep. I personally was functioning on about 5 or 6 hours a night, then going to my very stressful job after being blared awake by a loud alarm clock and guzzling coffee to be able to function. Do you see where I went wrong? Because looking back, I sure do. I strongly recommend at least 7.5 to 8 hours nightly. Also, it has been well documented that going to bed before midnight allows us to function the next day at our most optimal level. Research it. going to bed at 10 pm and getting 8 hours of sleep is more beneficial than going to bed after midnight and getting the same amount. Its all about our internal clocks. Try it out. I know lack of sleep is what got me in a lot of my troubles. Having trouble sleeping? Consider supplementing with magnesium (relaxes the body), drizzle a little lavender essential oil onto the back of your ears and perhaps a spritz on your pillow. Make your bedroom as dark as possible. Make sure you have clean, comfortable bedding and practice good sleep hygiene. Read a book (an actual paperback or hardcover book, no electronic reader) to help you wind down.
Another thing that will get you ready for sleep and something you can use at any time during the day is meditation. I used to turn my nose up at meditation thinking it was something that was probably useless. Boy, was I wrong. I recommend guided meditation, especially for beginners.. Look up The Honest Guys on YouTube. Their guided meditations have helped me tremendously. After doing them, I notice slower pulse rate and just an overall happy and calm feeling. Its hard to explain but it sure has worked for me. Give it a try! Strongly recommend.
This one is very important... Don't let your life get consumed with thoughts of anxiety. Don't spend hours and hours online researching anxiety related topics or researching every cold sweat, palpitation or light headedness that comes with your anxiety. Just go get your medical checkup and then work on life outside of anxiety. What gets you passionate? Do you have any pets? Would you consider adopting a pet if you don't have one? Is there a beautiful place out in nature where you can just go and sit with some deep breaths and perhaps have someone you love accompany you? What I'm trying to say is.. Dig deep to add joy to your life. I'm not trying to be generic and say "focus on the positive" but seriously, try your best to be really damn good to yourself. Treat yourself to something nice, it doesn't have to cost a lot of money.. it doesn't have to cost any money.
Clean up your diet. This may be the hardest thing for some people, but its very important for sure. I recommend starting with eliminating or greatly reducing processed foods. Focus on clean eating. If its packaged and loaded with sugar, sodium, artificial colors and flavors, preservatives, etc... its probably best to leave it on the shelf. Processed foods have been widely known to increase anxiety symptoms. Its not worth it. Drastically increase your fruit and veggie intake. Drastically reduce or eliminate caffeine. Look at programs like Whole30 (I personally saw really good results with this one).
This goes hand in hand with what I was saying earlier but try not to actually talk about your anxiety too much. I made this mistake and I think I became a little obsessed... and guess what? I stayed right where i was at - miserable. Once I started talking about anxiety, sure enough I started experiencing shortness of breath and got all sweaty. Save your energy and talk about something else that might bring a little humor or joy to your day. I know its tricky! But trust me on this one.
Here are some really awesome books I recommend:
*Mind Over Medicine by Lissa Rankin
*The Fear Cure by Lissa Rankin
*Live a Life You Love by Susan Biali (this one is my favorite)
*52 Ways to Live a Kick-Ass Life by Andrea Owen (this one is a little more female oriented)
*The Depression Cure by Stephen S. Ilardi
*It Starts With Food by Melissa & Dallas Hartwig (this is all about why its important to clean up your diet and is the foundation for the Whole30 program that I mentioned earlier)
*** These books aren't necessarily about anxiety in particular, but are VERY awesome and helpful resources for pulling your life together in a healthy manner.
Find a physical activity that you love. Key word here.. Love. Don't force yourself to do ANYTHING you don't want to do. By making something enjoyable, you will reach for it every time. It can be as simple as a walk. Don't overdo it (especially if you have a medical condition), very gradually build your fitness levels up. I'm not saying you have to become a competitive athlete (unless you want to!). Just move your body in whatever way you can to clear out the fog in your brain and build a pathway for happy hormones to be of benefit to you.
Last but not least, take a good look at your life and what is serving you and what is not. Can you do a little bit of a "clean-up" in some areas? Can you physically remove some clutter in your home that may be weighing heavily on your mind and stress levels and you aren't even realizing it? Are you happy in your relationships? Is there something in your life that you really need to work on? If so, whats your first step?
*I also highly recommend journaling! Get all the bullshit out on paper first thing in the morning so that you can have a clearer, sharper mind for the rest of the day.
*Always look for ways to get in a good laugh. It really is powerful.
I want it to also be known that I am not trying to substitute medical advice or convince anyone to not take medications. Always talk to your doctor before trying new medications or supplements. Talk to your doctor before beginning an exercise routine or new diet (This is why I want you to start with a medical exam :))
Reach out for support on your bad days. Reach out for support on your good days (just be mindful of how much you're actually talking about anxiety in general). Nobody should ever have to feel alone. We're all in this together, we all have a story to tell, and life will bring us down at times but we have to fight the good fight. We're worth more than anxiety and there is so much more to life. We must take back our joy.
I also want to extend some gratitude and say a big THANK YOU to the helpful, wonderful people on this forum who talked to me during my darkest days. Shout out to PanicCured, who told me that I'll get better because I WANT to get better. Its true. Sure enough I had a doctor tell me the exact same thing. Willpower to overcome such obstacles is not to be taken lightly. Never underestimate the power within yourself.
You are so much stronger than you know.