How to lessen anxiety when the things you are anxious about keep happening?

Gonz

₲‹›Ŋʑ
#1
I'm afraid bad shit is gonna happen to the ones I love because bad shit has happened to the ones I love.

I'm afraid of having a panic attack if I go out because I almost always have a panic attack if I go out.

I'm afraid of random violence because I've experienced it, and witnessed it, and had some very close calls with it.

CBT doesn't work with me because I have too much experience with/evidence of the things that trigger my anxiety, but I can feel this therapist getting ready to go down that route (seriously, is that the only methodology they teach nowadays? @Aurelia?)

So how do I effectively reduce my anxiety?
 
#2
Dietary changes helped me a lot. Not eating or drinking anything raw or cold (including water). Minimal level of processed foods, avoiding preservatives. Anything with disodium EDTA or BHT seemed to have an effect on me (not saying it would be the same for you, but maybe). There's even more to it than that, but that's a start.

I think I've probably mentioned the link in my signature to you before, but there could be some other things there that could help.
 

Sunspots

To Wish Impossible Things
Admin
SF Supporter
#3
There are a few things that help me, on their own they don't do much but all together they add up enough to be helpful.

I try not to go out on my own (cop out I know).
If I have to go out on my own I drive if possible so that I can jump out of the car, do what I need to do and jump back in. I even drive to the pharmacy to pick up my meds - the pharmacy is 200 metres from my house but I feel too self conscious to walk up the road on my own.
If I'm on my own and I can't drive I plan my route in advance. I steer clear of back streets, alleys etc and stick to busier roads etc due to past violence. This of course has the drawback of being self conscious around lots of people and makes me start to panic. Wearing headphones with my favourite music helps to keep me more level as I have something to concentrate on, singing along in my head. I will often wear a hat and dark glasses too.

Other than that, medication is my friend. I take beta blockers daily and if I'm going out on my own I'll take some lorazepam which takes the edge off.

I've found therapy has helped with depression but not with anxiety.
 

LOSTINSIGHT

Well-Known Member
#4
Hi GONZ I relate to alot you say .
Maybe find a therapist that will confirm and validate that you could actually have PTSD and get the appropriate treatment .
It comes down to flooding the brain with more positive experiences .
Find a knowledge therapist, question them on there experience,,a bog standard therapist can't help with PTSD and trauma
It really is a pain some days hey.
Cheers
 

Champagne

✯✯ Heart of an angel ✯✯
Staff Alumni
SF Supporter
#5
I feel the same as you a lot of the time and was much worse than I am now in the past.

I agree CBT only goes so far some. Would you consider trying EMDR? That has been shown to have a good success rate. I think it might help you.

I wish you the best going forward and remember, panic causes panic so try your best to stay ''in the moment''.

Good luck *hug
 

Gonz

₲‹›Ŋʑ
#6
I try not to go out on my own (cop out I know).
Hey, it works. I used to drag my wife along everywhere I went.

If I have to go out on my own I drive if possible so that I can jump out of the car, do what I need to do and jump back in. I even drive to the pharmacy to pick up my meds - the pharmacy is 200 metres from my house but I feel too self conscious to walk up the road on my own.
I do the same, but that mostly just results in having my own mobile personal space to retreat to to have a panic attack privately. Which definitely isn't without value, but isn't good enough.

If I'm on my own and I can't drive I plan my route in advance. I steer clear of back streets, alleys etc and stick to busier roads etc due to past violence. This of course has the drawback of being self conscious around lots of people and makes me start to panic. Wearing headphones with my favourite music helps to keep me more level as I have something to concentrate on, singing along in my head. I will often wear a hat and dark glasses too.
I do the opposite, avoiding busier areas when I can, though I think that's maybe down to a difference in the types of violence men and women have to worry about.

Other than that, medication is my friend. I take beta blockers daily and if I'm going out on my own I'll take some lorazepam which takes the edge off.

I've found therapy has helped with depression but not with anxiety.
Same. Well, waiting for therapy to start helping with anything but, otherwise, same.
 

Gonz

₲‹›Ŋʑ
#7
Hi GONZ I relate to alot you say .
Maybe find a therapist that will confirm and validate that you could actually have PTSD and get the appropriate treatment .
It comes down to flooding the brain with more positive experiences .
Find a knowledge therapist, question them on there experience,,a bog standard therapist can't help with PTSD and trauma
It really is a pain some days hey.
Cheers
I like the idea of it but, as long and hard as it was to get any therapist to see me in the first place, I don't like my odds of finding anyone better anytime soon.
 

Gonz

₲‹›Ŋʑ
#8
I feel the same as you a lot of the time and was much worse than I am now in the past.

I agree CBT only goes so far some. Would you consider trying EMDR? That has been shown to have a good success rate. I think it might help you.
I would, but am unlikely to find anyone available trained in it, or to get it covered by my crap insurance if I do.

I wish you the best going forward and remember, panic causes panic so try your best to stay ''in the moment''.

Good luck *hug
That it certainly does, thanks.
 

Gonz

₲‹›Ŋʑ
#9
I like the idea of it but, as long and hard as it was to get any therapist to see me in the first place, I don't like my odds of finding anyone better anytime soon.
That and my therapist and psychiatrist work together and have agreed to help me put together a case for disability, so I don't want to rock the boat too much right now.
 

Please Donate to Help Keep SF Running

Total amount
$70.00
Goal
$255.00
Top