Anxiety
Hey everyone,
I am really struggling with my anxiety surfacing again. Usually I can keep it under control but I can just feel it coming back stronger. I am going through a lot of life stress at the moment which I think may be a contributing factor, but I am beginning to struggle to continue doing my everyday activities due to my anxiety returning. In particular, when I'm in public I tend to panic unexpectedly and all my brain tells me is to "get out now" of whatever situation I'm in. I get hot flushes like I will pass out and just feel anxious when I'm out in public.
I am just wondering if anyone may have some helpful coping strategies? Last time my anxiety flared I used the app 'headspace' to begin meditation and I did find that it helped slightly. I also exercise regularly and try to eat a relatively healthy diet as I know what food you fuel your body with can affect your mood. I also love diffusing essential oils as I feel as though they help calm me (can't do this in public though obviously). Despite doing these things regularly I still feel myself struggling more than usual.
Please let me know if you have any strategies to help combat anxiety, let's all help each other!
Comments
Hi @lr8991 - there are already some awesome suggestions on here for you, I'm just checking in with you to see how you are feeling this week? Have you tried any new coping strategies that you've found successful? 
Hi @Jane_Rose , this week I actually went to visit my gp and got a referral to see a psychologist. However I have found that practicing meditation and breathing exercises in social situations has helped me cope better. 🙂
good on you @lr8991 !! that's wonderful you should be very proud of yourself, all good steps in the right direction 
Hii @lr8991 , I'm sorry to hear that your anxiety is resurfacing, but we're glad that you're open with us and sharing your worries!
When I get anxious I try to calm down and distract myself by playing music on the piano. The loud sounds help drown out my other worried thoughts and I think it does help me destress. Maybe getting headphones and listening to loud (but not too loud) music could help you cope in public?
Hey @lr8991 🙂
I'm sorry to hear your anxiety is coming back up again. That can definitely happen when life gets stressful. It sounds like you've got a lot of great coping skills already, which is fantastic 😄
Thought challenging can also be helpful for some people. Here are some links if anyone is interested:
https://innermelbpsychology.com.au/thought-challenging/
Thanks for the resources @JanaG !
Also love your tips @drpenguin @Eres-Fuerte . I definitely think I am going to buy an essential oil roller to take out with me and use on my pressure points when stressed. It's nice to know in these situations that you are not alone. Particularly with anxiety, I tend to think that inside my head is so overwhelming and it is just me that feels 'crazy', but it is comforting to step back and realise that so many people feel the same way and that I am not alone, none of us are, we all go through tough experiences and sometimes we struggle to cope with it and that's when we need to reach out for support. 🙂
Hey! I've been struggling with anxiety too. For me, I spent some time off of school but when I exposed myself to social situations again the anxiety came back worse. I'm also going through a lot of stress due to exams and trust issues stemmed from unwanted invasion of privacy. I have also tried some healthy coping mechanisms which sometimes fail to help. Overall, I think you need to regain the innate belief that you will get better. Spend time with people who love you and focus on sustained happiness. Something I haven't tried yet that might work is using noise-cancelling headphones or just headphones to block out sounds. Maybe even close your eyes and do this. Disregard the outside world for a bit and use an essential oil roller for your pulse points if you're into aroma therapy.
I hope this helps and we'll get through this together!
