Living With Anxiety Disorders

[gryphon]

*MODS, I would like to leave this in the general discussion area as I feel its a matter of great importance that more should see.*


1 in 5 Canadians suffers from an anxiety disorder. These can range from small social anxieties to moderate with general unease, to more intense feelings requiring a need to open up to others and support to get help, to the most severe, a full blown condition requiring medication to handle which are recognized by Canadian law as a disability.

People need to be made aware there is help and they don't have to suffer from this.

Why am I saying this? I am one of the many Canadians suffering from anxiety disorders ( in addition to depression, not the same thing). Further, I am one of the unlucky few whose condition is so severe, that I am recognized as a person with disabilities and require accommodations.

I want this in the tea room so people will see and feel safe opening up.

You don't have to do this alone

[gryphon]

I just want people who have problems with Anxiety to know there is help.

[gryphon]

Does anyone else have anything to add?

[Skippy]

Thanks Gryphon for sharing something so personal with us, and providing the opportunity for others to share.

[curt81]

Anxiety has been a huge issue with me. I have no friends (none to hang out with anyways) and haven't had a girlfriend in over 10 years, so I'm lonely alot, which leads to depression, which leads to me spending recklessly to make myself feel better, which leads to the ton of debt I have now, which I'll probably never escape from. It's very difficult and if it wasn't for my daughter, I would probably be six feet under right now. It sucks feeling like you don't belong or something and finding it hard to get through the day, but there are others who are worse off and I continue to try for myself and my daughter - weight loss for example.

[maggiespice]

Anxiety has been a huge issue with me. I have no friends (none to hang out with anyways) and haven't had a girlfriend in over 10 years, so I'm lonely alot, which leads to depression, which leads to me spending recklessly to make myself feel better, which leads to the ton of debt I have now, which I'll probably never escape from. It's very difficult and if it wasn't for my daughter, I would probably be six feet under right now. It sucks feeling like you don't belong or something and finding it hard to get through the day, but there are others who are worse off and I continue to try for myself and my daughter - weight loss for example.

Your post has brought me to tears. I am so deeply sorry for all you are going through. I have very close friends who have terrible anxiety issues that very much run their lives. It is hard to watch as there is nothing one can do except be there as they need you.

[beachdown]

Here are three of Alice's top anxiety-reducing tips.
1. Work with your nature rather that fighting against it.

Recognize when you’re berating yourself for feeling anxious, Alice says. For example, you say to yourself, “I should be able to chat with strangers at a party without getting so nervous,” or “I shouldn’t worry so much about what other people think of me.” That kind of “should/shouldn’t” thinking can prolong and intensify your anxiety, Alice says. Instead, treat yourself with compassion and empathy, the way you would a good friend.
For starters, replace the “shoulds” in your self-talk with “prefer.” Rather than saying, “I should be more outgoing in social situations,” try “I would prefer to be more outgoing.” This may seem like a ridiculously simple change, Alice says, but it works. “It can help you disrupt your overthinking just enough to give you a small window of clear mental space. This allows you to start doing something useful rather than keep ruminating.”


2. Change your behavior instead of waiting to change your mind.

It’s easier to change your behavior and let your thoughts naturally catch up, Alice says, than it is to make the leap from insight to actions.
Those of us who are anxious often wait to start something new until we’re 100 percent sure it’s going to be successful or absolutely certain that we’ve made the right decision, whether that means choosing the color to paint our walls or posting a profile on a dating website. This kind of hesitancy is a common anxiety trap that keeps us slamming the brakes when we want to tap the accelerator.

Real problem solving, in contrast to avoidance, Alice says, involves “concretely defining what the problem is, generating a short list of your best options for moving forward, picking something, and deciding when and where you’re going to implement that solution.”


3. Don’t try to be someone you’re not.

By nature, some of us are gregarious extroverts, with a wide circle of friends. Others of us are introverts, reserved and less social with a few close relationships. Knowing your personality type, Alice says, can go a long way in helping you manage your anxiety.
She suggests finding the right level of “busy-ness”—enough activities and social engagements to keep you feeling stimulated but not scattered—and maintaining a mix of change and routine in your life. If you’re someone who clings to the familiar, consider alternating vacations to the same old place with someplace you’ve never been before.

Does anyone else have anything to add?

[beachdown]

Reference

http://www.livehappy.com/3-expert-te...ckling-anxiety