Anxiety Support Group

Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...

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Back and forth

jacobd-reader
jacobd-reader
So, I had a decent weekend and a pretty good day at work yesterday. Nice evening at home, walked the dog, etc. Laid down to sleep and got hit with butterflies in the stomach, not necessarily nausea but lump in the throat, restless, hot/cold. This is odd to me because I had a good day but I wasn't thinking of anything to set the Anxiety off, it just came from nowhere. Nevertheless, little to no sleep and feel bleh today. Anyone have a recommendation for this? When it happens, all I can think about is my stomach and what could be making it hurt. It's really hard because I love food and cooking and my stomach has been wrecked lately. Does anyone ever experience back and forth like this? Feel good for a few days, then go back a few steps? It's discouraging because I felt OK for a short time. My stomach is something I fixate on which I'm sure is making it worse. I've been journaling and trying breathing exercises too. Maybe it just takes time?
kenznoel
kenznoel
I go back and forth like this too but mine is like every other hour. One hour I'm happy and loving life and the next hour I'm thinking about all things that could possibly go wrong. I've been trying to live in the moment and enjoy my day not thinking about "what ifs" but it's not always as easy as it sounds. If you're having trouble sleeping have you tried taking unisom or Zquil? Maybe that will help you get a good nights rest. Anxiety is awful but anxiety on top of no sleep is 100x worse. Been there!
jacobd-reader
jacobd-reader
I have days like that as well. I try to really focus and throw myself into work, kids, fun projects. A lot of the times it works pretty well. I have taken the sleep aid stuff and should have last night, too! I have to mentally tell myself this is a feeling and it can't hurt me. Getting there!
kenznoel
kenznoel
Yes I have to tell myself that too. I have to constantly remind myself of all the great things in my life instead of overthinking on not so great things. I did get that F**ck anxiety book. Only a couple pages into it but it's pretty good!
jacobd-reader
jacobd-reader
Yeah it's not for everyone but I liked it. Amazon Kindle actually has a lot of good free books, as well. I just got my workbook in today. Pretty excited to start reading it.
Community LeaderMid
Mid
Here's the thing about anxiety, once we have a few good days, the next layer of anxiety often pops up. That's normal. It really is.

I have had to remind myself (and still do), that anxiety is normal, and that working through one part and having a rest is a success. Having another round for something else is part of the healing, since for me, it didn't pop off into panic attacks, anxiety attacks, and "deer frozen in headlights" sensation at the beginning. It was more like a bump in the tummy.

Taking the time to write it out makes it less fearful to face, and here's to healing for you. You can do this!
nuwara2
nuwara2
I often wake up feeling anxious. Last week I put a nonfiction book next to myself in bed, and when I woke up feeling anxious, I started reading it. That helped a lot. I read a few paragraphs, then started falling asleep. This week I did the same thing, but with a textbook for a language I want to learn. Again, it helped: Reading it took my mind off my worries, and helped me fall back to sleep. I think my anxious brain just needs something non-threatening to keep it occupied.
jacobd-reader
jacobd-reader
Thanks for the replies, guys. I think that it's important to keep reminding oneself that this is just a feeling and that the feeling is temporary. It's funny how it pops up after you've had a good day, too. I like the reading a book or trying to distract yourself part, too and I've really tried to stick with that.
salvatop
salvatop
My doctor uses the analogy that anxiety is like the ocean. High tide, high anxiety, low tide, low anxiety. It all comes down to the right meds that will get your serotonin at the correct levels in your brain. I can have days with no anxiety and days with high anxiety and there's no difference in the days. It's a chemical imbalance in your brain that has nothing to do with outside factors. That's why it's so important to find the right meds. Good luck, stay positive and keep telling yourself "let's get that serotonin level up".
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