What Coping Mechanisms Work For You?

[BlackbirdSinging]

We all experience anxiety at some point or another. I experience it daily. Sometimes multiple times a day. I've started looking for ways to cope with the anxiety when it starts. One day I started reading on the internet. I was looking for different ways to cope. I found sites talking about chamomile tea. I know it sounds stereotypical but I was desperate. I read that there are two chemicals that have been studied in chamomile tea on people. They saw improvements. So I bought some.

Now I don't know if it was power of suggestion alone or what. But I noticed that it did soothe me some. I'm not saying it erased my anxiety but I felt more relaxed. More than when I've had any of my other teas. I read that a person needs about three cups a day to really feel the effects. I can't always do that. But I try to make sure I drink a cup a day. Sometimes I forget.

But like today I got anxious and I could feel the whole process beginning. So I made a cup. I put a slice of fresh lemon in it with a little sugar because I don't like honey in my tea. And once again I didn't feel the anxiety disappear but I also didn't take off and go isolate in my room. I felt a little soothed and it helped me to let go of what I was getting anxious about.

So what works for you?

 

[Leah123]

Thank you for sharing, BlackbirdRising! I like this topic a lot, and am dealing with anxiety constantly also. Tea helps me too, just the steam, actually, and the warmth. Vitamin B also helps me with stress. I'm not sure if it's mostly placebo or not, but I took a lot when I was younger, and felt better. I've started taking it again, a big dose, figure it doesn't hurt. And I just created a new mantra today with my therapist, because I see (FINALLY, thank goodness) how triggered I get when my husband and daughter fight: "This fight will end." And.... I think it's helping a little already, to keep me from going from panicked to explosive.

I'm wondering, also, if it's not just the tea, and not just a possible placebo effect, but that if it is your *choice* and your *concrete action* - the fact that you are taking control of your anxiety by treating it, that helps you? I like that thought- that we're managing our symptoms, to make us feel better, and that itself is healing.

 

[BlackbirdSinging]

how triggered I get when my husband and daughter fight.

I'm the same way when people argue. I can't take the stress from their hostility. It makes me anxious and scared. If I'm around people and they start arguing I leave the room. The positive self talk and affirmations you're talking about are great to do too.

Another something that I do is go outside. I'll look up at the clouds or at birds or trees or something and try to find a detail to focus on and do some deep breathing. I also love to use an app that has nature sounds. I find that helps too.

 

[BlackbirdSinging]

I'm wondering, also, if it's not just the tea, and not just a possible placebo effect, but that if it is your *choice* and your *concrete action* - the fact that you are taking control of your anxiety by treating it, that helps you? I like that thought- that we're managing our symptoms, to make us feel better, and that itself is healing.

It could be power of suggestion. I'm not really sure. But I noticed that with chamomile I feel more relaxed than if I drink one of my other teas. Apparently there's a chemical or two in it that are supposed to mimic anti depressants. I can't take medicine so I figured I'd try it as an alternative. I have to do something.

I love the idea of managing the symptoms instead of the symptoms managing me. It's still a new concept for me but I just feel like it's time for me to be proactive.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Woohoo for the placebo effect!

I take herbal tinctures for anxiety. I always put them in my camelbak. It really helps me relax. Then I read that sucking on things is calming. I tried putting just water in my camelbak but its not the same. My mind is now conditioned to the taste and sucking it down. Who knows how much of an effect the actual herbals have. Does it matter? Not really because it works.

 

[strongandsmart25]

Anxiety comes from feeling you have no control over things. So, yes, taking control in whatever way makes sense to you, like the tea or the sucking or whatever, is definitely the right direction to go in.

Sometimes you do have anxiety that is harder to get a handle on, though. Especially folks with PTSD or other anxiety-related issues. I personally have some anxiety issues that no amount of tea or yoga or massage or sucking will do anything for sometimes and that's why God made Valium. I know health professionals (some of them) are really like "oh valium is bad. Oh valium is addictive. Oh take this instead. Oh do this instead" but guess what - IT WORKS. And as long as you don't take it regularly or constantly or with alcohol etc. (ie. abuse it), then who cares what those control freaks say? My doctor knows me and knows that if I am asking, I am needing.

This is your life - take the reins and drive and don't let anyone tell you what you do to cope is wrong or bad for you or any other judgy thing that people say when they have NO IDEA what it is like to be you.

Coping is coping. It is way better than the alternative.

 

[DharmaGirl]

I use meditation. I don't use it when I'm having a panic attack, I meditate every day. It helps change my brain so I can better handle stress so I don't have to panic. When I do have a panic attack, I use deep breathing. It works for me. If I continue to be on edge I will meditate some more, then take an Ativan. I don't like to use drugs, but its where I am right now. I am weaning off pain meds since my surgery was successful, and that leaves my body even more stressed than normal. After 2 months I gave up and got some more Ativan for when I absolutely couldn't cope.

I am a health professional, and I agree with Strong that meds are needed sometimes. Americans usually want a pill first, then they will try other things when you should try other things, then take the pill. Medicine is moving closer to the holistic form because every pill you take has side effects. They are now finding that giving chronic pain people large doses of narcotics changes their brains so that they are more sensitive to pain, need more meds, have more pain, etc...But they are a godsend when needed.

 

[BlackbirdSinging]

Sometimes you do have anxiety that is harder to get a handle on, though. Especially folks with PTSD or other anxiety-related issues. I personally have some anxiety issues that no amount of tea or yoga or massage or sucking will do anything for sometimes and that's why God made Valium.

I hear you. I've got PTSD GAD and MDD. And I can't take meds. So one day I was so frustrated and anxious I couldn't stand it. That's when I started doing searches for ways to cope with anxiety. That's when I found the articles talking about the properties of chamomile.

I don't remember what the name of the chemicals they found that was supposed to help but I had to at least try. Th articles claimed it was supposed to mimic the meds so I had to try. It's way too hard on my system to have that much anxiety so often. I WISH I could take something for it.

 

[Jen93]

I've found that singing my "safe songs" help. Songs from when I was happy- with no dark meaning to them. Zip a Dee Doo-Dah is my favourite at the moment. It helps and it's calming, to just close my eyes, see the words like floating captions in my head and sing along to it- like a sing along in my head- It gets the other stuff back into the little box where it belongs.

 

[DharmaGirl]

I sing too!!

 

[Red Feather]

I have anxiety all the time. It gets worse in the evenings, I think because the amitriptilin wears off in the evenings. My doctor said that sometimes med's don't help with concentration issues, if it is due to anxiety. I constantly feel a shakiness in my throat area and face area, sometimes it gets painful. Meditation helps me sometimes. I think I need to start looking for good coping mechanisms, that I can consciously use to help me. Otherwise, I just have such a hard time focusing. I have been doing fitness training but I don't think it is helping to directly alleviate the anxiety.

Anxiety comes from feeling you have no control over things. So, yes, taking control in whatever way makes sense to you, like the tea or the sucking or whatever, is definitely the right direction to go in.

This makes sense to me.

 

[DharmaGirl]

I have been doing fitness training but I don't think it is helping to directly alleviate the anxiety.

No, I don't think it will directly alleviate the anxiety, but over time, as your body and brain change and gets used to natural endorphins, it will help with the overall anxiety. The same with meditation.