You're doing great. Stay hydrated consistently and know that 'hangover' feeling is normal after those major spikes of anxiety helping you in the moment.

You are recognizing the sensations and just know the more you practice the calming breathing and gentle motion to release the tensed muscles, you'll continue to find your better balance.

Thank you! What is this gentile motion I’ve heard so much about? I’ve been going to therapy for about 6 months now and went through CBT and I’ve never been taught anything about it?

Expect setbacks, they are part of the process. Sometimes it’s three steps forward, two steps back, but you still gained a step forward. There is a book called “It’s Only Anxiety” available on Amazon. It is about the Acceptance Method which sounds a lot like what you are practicing. I recently purchased it. One of the things the author discusses are setbacks, that they are to be expected and to use then to your advantage of practicing developing your automatic responses and developing a voice of truth. I’ve suffered setbacks myself, just when I thought things were getting better I would suffer a setback, unable to hold on to the ground I thought I had gained. But here I am, better than then, still going forward. Probably more setbacks to come, but I’m better prepared now, so bring it on! I urge you to get the book, around $20 includes s&h. Explains so much, is very helpful.

You're not always to be taught things during the office visit - this is something I learned from doing the homework assignments my treatment plan had.

Stretching exercises for the fingers, hands, feet, and toes are simple: spread the fingers out, together, out again, same with toes, Bend up and down hands and feet. Roll your neck. Practice pushing your shoulders down (often in high or acute anxiety, the shoulders come up tensing the neck).

Hope this helps!

The homework assignment was to use normal household tasks to practice even breathing and write a sentence about it.

The following homework assignment was to use the hands and feet sensations in those same household tasks and write about them.

The third week homework assignment was to make a calming technique that used all of the above for every anxiety moment experienced that week.

It was a lot of work, and now, many years later, still effective, even when I get into panic mode and have to stop, pause, breathe, option, repeating until I am able to do clear thinking in the moment.

Anxiety hangovers are common for me, as well. My own exhaustion seldom escalates to migraine, but headaches are fairly typical in my own case. Muscle aches and nausea are pretty standard, as well.

I'm another who uses "Gentle Motion," most especially stretching, to alleviate my symptoms, among other tools. Mid described "Gentle Motion" superbly and it works when I work it.

I also use allot of "Validation" and "Positive Affirmation." Beating myself up for the crime of being sick is one of my meanest anxiety symptoms and only exacerbates my symptoms. Being gentle with myself and my symptoms is a whole heap more effective.

Gentle support while you find what works for you.
Hope healing happens here.

Thank you all for your advice. I’m definitely going to try this gentile motion technique next time I’m feeling anxious. I have been trying to go easy on myself on down days, I just find myself getting frustrated but Im sure I’m not the only one who feels frustrated after periods of progress and a few down days after lol. I hope you all continue to find that place of peace that we all long for.