Exercise anxiety

[ghall]

I've been suffering from anxiety for over 5 years and my therapist has been encouraging me to get some exercise for a while but I've been having trouble. I've decided to start out small, going for a brisk walk on a treadmill, but after a minute or 2 once my heart rate goes up i start feeling anxious. I get hot flashes and this feeling that something bad is about to happen so then I stop.

I think its the fact that my brain identifies the increased heart rate as a panic attack and responds accordingly, but in other instances where my heart rate increases (intense video games or movies, sexual activity, running up a flight of stairs, or dancing to a song) causes no problem at all, and if it does I can usually get over it with a few deep breaths.

Anyway, I'm just not sure what I should do. I've been feeling very discouraged about this whole thing as I've been working on it for a few months now.

[h3hl33t]

Don't feel along. I am scared of a weight room for fear that I will have another attack. I used to lift 4 days a week. I personally blame all the supplements I took on a lot of my anxiety. Best way I deal with it is to start out small, tell yourself that everything is okay. Don't over do yourself, because then the worry starts. Btw, my thumbs are probably the most inshape part of my body, thanks to MW2 and Borderlands! ;)

[ghall]

I've been trying. Today I decided to scale back a little and try Wii sports. Not the best long term solution, but something to get myself active and recondition my body to not confuse exercise with a panic attack. Hasn't worked so well. Half way through a game of tennis and I start freaking out. I start thinking that maybe something is physically wrong with me (besides the fact I don't really get much exercise) which doesn't help at all. Somehow the fact that I checked out ok for my last physical isn't much comfort (or the fact that 20 years old is still a bit too young for serious health problems).

But yeah, same here. If only the rest of my body was as in shape as my thumbs I think I'd be doing pretty well. :)

[h3hl33t]

This maybe be easy to say, but don't let it beat you. I know where you are coming from. Constantly thinking something is wrong physically, but everything checks out okay and it gives little to no comfort. Try your best to keep positive and just realize that you are not the only person with this condition, if you want to call it that. My wife recently left me for a couple months. She is back now, but it has been the hardest point in my life. Your 20, I'm 26....to be honest, we are to young to be having these issues. Our brains are a very powerful force to recon with. Don't try to hard to control it or it will only get worse. You just have to admit to yourself that it cannot be controled.

[ghall]

Yesterday I played 2 games of Wii tennis, and I started feeling anxious but I just kept telling myself nothing is wrong. I was going to post this yesterday but I had to go out. Anyway, after successfully being active for more than 5 minutes and then going out for the night I'm feeling a lot better. Now I just need to keep this up...thats the hard part I think. :(

[snowpea]

I have the same problem! Especially since alot of my anxiety revolves around my heart rate increasing. It's such a Catch 22, because I keep reading everywhere, that exercise helps your anxiety...but as soon as I start working out and feel my heart rate increasing - BOOM anxiety attack. It sucks!

[ThePhoenix]

I realise this probably wont help too much but your heart rate is suppossed to go up when your exercising. :) Its a positive thing, it means everything is working exactly as it should do.

Exercise is a great treatment for anxiety but dont view the feeling hot and rapid heart rate as a bad thing, its true in alot of ways it can be quite like a panic attack which can be scary but if you ease into it slowly and focus on the exercise and nothing else then overtime you can teach yourself that exercise and panic attacks are too very different things!

[ghall]

I did some more today. I played Wii Sports for almost half an hour, which is a vast improvement. I think I'm ready to go on to a more serious workout. Does anyone have any suggestions for a next step?

[ThePhoenix]

I did some more today. I played Wii Sports for almost half an hour, which is a vast improvement. I think I'm ready to go on to a more serious workout. Does anyone have any suggestions for a next step?

Depends how serious you want to get really, how about a bit of walking. No particular speed just walk and see how you feel. If you up to it you can lift the pace a bit. Take it one step at a time! :)