My story in a nutshell..advice please

[barbimay]

Hi everyone
My name is Barbara and I only just recently joined, posting in the Welcome section. I have generalised anxiety, Lupus and Pulmonary Hypertension.
Life stressors:
1987-aged 18 diagnosed with Lupus
1992-married and moved to Greece.
2002-returned to Australia with hubby and two young kids
2006-returned to Greece
2009- eleven year old daughter has large intestine removed due to refractory ulcerative colitis
2011-return to Australia
2012-diagosed with GAD and Pulmonary Hypertension.(high pressures in the lungs)
More to write but will keep short...as you can see can feel quite overwhelmed with many what if scenarios...Meditation to relax?...ADVICE PLEASE? Thanks in advance
Barbara

[barbimay]

Hi everyone
In the past, exercise was a very valuable tool for me in coping with anxiety. Now that my exercise tolerance is low due to heart/lung issues I am finding the anxiety hard to deal with...especially the fear of eventually losing control or giving up. There is already a lot of uncertainty in terms of my own physical health as well as my daughters. Aside from slow walking I cant do much more. Any more ideas to calm a racing mind with an adrenalised body? I also have atrial fibrillations.
Thanks
Barbara

[Kirk]

Hello Barbara: Maybe meditation, deep breathing, accupuncture, yoga, if you are able, Tai Chi, if you are able,
natural or prescription medicine, therapy, clergy and prayer, if you are religious and believe, etc. It is really
difficult call as to what to do. You may have to experiment and see what works best for you.

[silver lining]

fully agree with Kirk

[Ponder]

Hello again there Barbara.

My breakdown on the taking meds is in no way meant to undermine your own reflections.

I can't help but feel the epidemic of Anxiety in today's society is second place to that of the common perception of medications mostly taken as a form of relaxation.

Yes medication for anxiety is to help one relax however it's not nearly as simple as that. Medication is an aid that affords much needed head space which then allows those otherwise debilitated by anxiety to address identified areas of stress that are impacting their life. Sadly this is often misunderstood and understandably so. Just as side effects are rarely and adequately explained or even mentioned during the prescription process; so too the primary reason for using these medications are overlooked. Adding to this dilemma are the mass marketing campaigns that make huge profits by misinforming the public who now in their complacency pop pills like kids at the candy store . One only has to consider the cartoons that depict these medications as quick fixes instead of the aids they be to understand why we now have a huge populations where most people today rely on medications year after year (as is the primary goal of such marketing techniques) who continue to focus on their symptoms to justify and live off continued prescriptions in order to deal with theirs and the world's daily stresses.

Forgive me as I often feel the need to bring up the reliance (trap) factor of medications as too further explain that how meditations go beyond simply relaxation. To keep it a healthy perspective I will add that when approached with proper education, awareness and more importantly, other lifestyle changes; then yes medication can be a great aid. Antidepressants recently helped one of my children. It gave them the space in which to work under a supportive atmosphere up to a point that the medication itself was seen in the end a suppressant. That is to say a factor that was holding one back. Not meds work the same, however focusing on chemical composition of aid taken as too that of the patient taking them is yet another trap where people soon forget other crucial elements that are meant to be employed such as the required lifestyle changes that are often overlooked. This is how some otherwise useful meds get a bad name. I smile at that, because most folk in here just think I am anti-meds where that is really not the case. My family and I have suffered like anyone else in this forum and all similar triggers/predispositions and at times require medication just like others getting by in an imperfect world. LOL @ such a cop out phrase. I think we are more wary of these medications because we are as sensitive to them as we are to stress. Moreover we have been at it for a very long time and have an extensive history to anxiety, it's related misgivings as to successful ongoing lifestyle related treatment. The latter of which is not based on a cure, but more acceptance and ongoing for life.

I just think given the misconceptions about Anxiety Medications through over endorsement and general complacency warranted further explanation.

This has been one of my more balance musings regarding the taking of meds. I do beleive they have their place, however feel as a community we need to be more mindful of their purpose and how we implement them.
_________________________

It is a sensitive topic. Kirk has responded well using less words. I am unable to find a thread in this forum that adequately discusses how to effectively utilize anxiety medications. I have said too much and for this I am sorry.

You sound fairly switched on to me at any rate Barbara and I'm sure you'll make healthy choices at any rate.

I hope I did not take up too much of your space.

I certainly wish you all the best.

[Ponder]

Massive Misread - : ( The word meditation catches my dyslexia and damn sensitivities to the taking of medications all the damn time! Doh Doh & doubt Doh!!!

More to the point ... TY for sharing "Your" story and I very much do hope you continue to write. It really is a great way and one of those elements that can help alongside that taking of medications. :)

One thing that stands out for me in what you have written thus far is the impact of stress on our health and wellbeing.

I can fully relate. My family also suffers terribly with similar ailment . Lupus, Eczema, Esophagitis, Gall Bladder Removal, Digestive Issues and so on. [Let's not forget learning difficulties such as "dyslexia' and the way I commonly miss read people lol]

Meditation and not Medication. That's a common one I often mistake. Nonetheless I leave as is unless you'd like me to delete my previous response? Interestingly enough, I think I will eventually write up my own sticky in relation to the taking of meds.

I perhaps have wasted my time - but not really. I am always into salvaging what I can. Time for my walk in fact ... a relaxing on at that.

Meditation is something I know a thing or two about. Dahila is another forum user that also knows quite a bit.

I'll for sure make up for my misreading when I come back.

Once again ... very glad that you have found this forum and also writing about your own story. I'm of the thinking the best way to let go of what ails is to first explore. Writing is awesome for that.

So sorry about the misread. http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/hand-gestures/facepalm-hand-gesture-smiley-emoticon.gif

Not hard to see why I am still here. :)

[barbimay]

Thank you so much Ponder for your reply. No need to apologise for anything:D
My case is an extremely complicated one as the medication I take - immunosuppression and vasodilators (one of which was viagra lol...horrible side effects!) have increased insomnia, anxiety etc as a side effect which often magnifies my already existing anxiety. I don't want to go into the medical/prognosis side for me) as it may trigger Health Anxiety in others. Prayer is something that helps a lot. I also try to avoid watching the news when things have flared because I feel there is definitely no escape from a ruminating mind when I cant exercise to release the adrenaline. Much has been written about acceptance....I am getting there. I would be interested in Dahila's view. Sometime's it feels like...well that's it, this is the one that will throw you into depression. Depression scares me...make sense?
thanks again SO MuCH!

[barbimay]

Thank you Kirk for your answer,
Prayer really does help. I love herbs and do take them but I also have to bear in mind any interactions they may have with meds I take for lupus and heart/lung issues which have their own nasty side effects! I tried Tai chi years ago and had worse pain...go figure! The worst is when anxiety is so high that motivation suffers!
Thanks again.

[barbimay]

So do I Silver lining!
Have a nice day everyone! thanks for answering:D

[Ponder]

Thanks for understanding. : ) - Yep, that's makes sense. Prayer is another trigger for me due to an abusive upbringing centred on the church and likewise religion, however I am coming to see that like other terms; prayer in itself is nothing to be scared of. I think it that helps you then you should very much so explore healing through it. I think prayer can come in many ways. I'm thinking perhaps for me, it can be a form in which I hold my thoughts? In that sense prayer could very beneficial to me in seeking to accept myself and others as much as my thoughts. Done right, it becomes an automatic process where there is no more seeking inasmuch as no more need to escape the thinking.

Nice to know I am not the only complex case. :)