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...
This week has been awful. I don't know why but my anxiety has been on flight. I have freaked out so many times during class and had to wait the class out in the bathroom because I was in flight mode. I can't sit and let my brain wander for more than maybe a few minutes or probably even less or else for no reason I start to hyper- ventilate and freak out and cry. Yesterday was really bad because I walked into school and ran to the bathroom to cry. I couldn't handle the sounds or my brain wandering. I went to class but after the tiny muffles of people talking and all I started to cry again and freak out. I don't know why this is happening. But I spent almost an hour crying in the bathroom because I couldn't get myself together. The class had ended when I got back and I did not feel any better. I had a 15 minute break before next class and math was what I had missed, my teacher was able to stay a few extra minutes before getting ready for his next class so I could do some extra math problems which seemed to really calm me down. I had a few more attacks throughout the day. And while I was on my way home from school, I started to cry and hyper- ventilate again. When I had gotten home I ended up sprinting inside to my room and using Khan Academy to do some math problems. I sat there doing math for like half an hour before I was able to relax enough and bring myself back. If you guys have any suggestions it would be amazing to hear them. Becuase this is really freaking me out and I don't know how long I can handle attempting to deal with this. Since it only seems to be getting worse.
As a thought, have your dreams changed much? Are there new or subtle elements in them that maybe could reflect what's going on?
There is something that you always carry with you and can use whenever things overwhelm you. It’s your breath. It’s very powerful and has helped me out of many a situation.
See if you can focus on one breath - In breath going in through the nostrils down into your chest and then slow out breath. If you can do that- try doing it deliberately paying attention to how the breath travels in, feeling warm as it goes in, chest rising, stomach stretching, then outbreath slowly going out..stomach deflating, chest falling, warm out the nostrils.
If you did that, see if you can do 3 and then go for another 3. With each in breath count - 1 in breath. After 3 count 3 out breaths.
Our breath helps to anchor us- you can do it in a bathroom, in a hallway, in class, in bed- anytime your thoughts start to overwhelm you, start paying attention to your breathing. You cannot do it wrong so don’t worry about your technique- just pay attention to only your breath and it’s experience as it enters and leaves your body.
I use an app called, Insight Timer. It’s free but invaluable. There are hundreds of guided meditations on it, by many different ppl and they are life saving. You can search by length etc and if you like one, bookmark it for a quick find when you desperately need it.
When we look at things all together it is overwhelming but if we live moment by moment ( since that is all we have), it’s manageable. You can’t go back to change what’s passed, and tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet, so the best we can do is be in THIS moment that’s here now- that’s all we have.
Wish you good energy. You are not alone.
Please try to talk to someone you can trust, don’t go through this alone. Please also know that we are here for you. I hope you will be encouraged by staying in the forum.
I pray you will stay strong and you will overcome the sadness you are going through right now. Please update us. God bless.