Useful tips please

[seanyboy]

Anxiety and mental illnesses run in my family.

So about 2 months ago, while I was working I got lightheaded randomly at times. Prolly blood suger related. I went to the gym later on hoping I wouldn't get lightheaded while lifting and BOOM.. heart pounding, floating feeling, I had a panic attack, thought I was dieing, eventually breathed it out and left. As the days went, I worried about it happening agian. Finally, it was off my mind.

4 weeks to date, I was normal. No health problems, going to school, working stress free, partying, beach, drinking, working out. I got out of the tanning bed to see a flashing light in my vision for the next 4 hours. I wore goggles. Didnt know what the problem was. Things were blurry. I started to panic. I went on google. LOL. Theres my problem right there. Basically I could have a retinal detachment. Blue eyes, near sighted people are more likley to get it which is me! I freaked out. Next full week I worried everyday. I started seeing floaters, eyes sensitive to lights, blurry words, im freaking out now. I go to the eye docter. My retinals are completely healthy, not even a sight of thinning. So next day, some woman has to tell me well maybe your blood pressure is high. so I googled BP and so on. Started thinking about my heart, maybe im going to die.. blah blah. I am now expeirencing fatigue and it sucks. Im getting panic attacks if I think about it also. I have every disease known to man according to the internet. Went to the doc, did blood work, piss test. Its anxiety. Gave me pills. I got side effects, felt like a zombie. I am not partying, beach, im worried Im going to freak out infront of everyone. It sucks. Like my mind just took over me. The pills helped after a week.. nothing on my mind.. I felt like I was high all the time.. I quit them. I am not seeing a theropist either.

This has braught a new me out. I am eating healthier, always smiling, not abusing alchohol. It could of helped me in the long run. I still do get racing thoughts so im just seeing if anybody has any useful tips to clear my mind, and no im not doing yoga! LOL. Or if anyone gets these aweful symptons daily, please, nice words would be kind.

[Jamescc]

Hey there.. I know exactly whats happened :)

You're worrying about worrying my friend! :)

You could have got light headed over anything.. you got a bit scared and your sub-concious when on a bit of an overdrive, and then while you were working out, it came back twice as bad I assume...

You're fine matey, just remember, a thought is JUST A THOUGHT. don't ignore your thoughts, just see them for what they are, thoughts.

Your probably tired at the moment, so the thoughts seem bigger and have been exaggerated because of your tired mind, which means you can't think rationally.

Just live you're life! Don't alter anything in order to cope with the anxiety. Just do everything like normal, and you'll forget about it eventually...

Peace and all the best :)

[palow]

Try not to get hung up on that "runs in the family" notion. It will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. What you believe comes true, trust me.

If you get a panic attack, you need to face the fear head on and stick your tongue out at it. The fear is false. However, you may need a therapist or put yourself on some kind of structured programme to get focused enough to face your fear.

For your underlying anxiety, what you need are good distractions. It can be yoga or breathing or a good hobby. Learn a musical instrument or sport. Find a way to use these distractions every time (repeat: EVERY TIME) your anxiety hits. Do this for a few months and the anxiety should go down. Hey, there's no magic pill for this. Keep off the meds.

Patrick

[seanyboy]

Thank you for the tips. The other night, I'm walking with my dad whos an ashmatic (sp?). Well, the blooming was pretty bad that night. Here I am worrying I'm going to die while I'm walking and he's over there sweating for real. As soon as he started to gasp for air, I freaked out and everything on my mind was gone and the symptons were gone as I took off running back to the house to get his inhaler. Later on, I started thinking and bam.. hello symptons.

I got my blood/pee tests today and they are extremely perfect the doc said. I have no low/highs in nothing and I'm completely healthy.

My mind is taking over!!!!!!!!!!!

[palow]

When you say your mind is taking over, it is actually your thinking process taking over. Thinking is always concerned with past and future. When you think you or someone you love is going to die, you are projecting into the future. When you think you'll never get well, you're depressed about your past.

When you are aware of the present moment, you can't think. If you can't think, your anxiety stops. This is why CBT is taking on a Zen flavour lately.

Try this to bring yourself into the present. Switch your focus from your eyes to your ears. Listen to the sounds around you. The humming of a fridge, birds in the distance, cars. There is a rhythm to life that we are not aware of. Listen to it. This takes practice.

Patrick