Hi Stewed: I agree with Loves trees and Davit. Take all the time you need to get well. Relaxation - learning how to relax and finding the things which relax you - is part of the healing process. That's what I did and still do when I feel stressed. It's called "me time". We all need it. Good luck in finding what you enjoy and relaxes you.
One small addition to what loves trees said. Do not feel bad if you are wasting time relaxing. There will be time later to make up for it. Right now take care of you and grab every bit of relaxation you can.
Welcome! There is a lot of advice and wisdom from the people on this site. i am glad you found it too. I like the image of being on red alert. I can empathize with that feeling.
Something i did recently was simply make a list of things that make me feel good (either content or happy). I just brainstormed for myself things that i enjoy or get something good out of. would that help you? distractions as you call them, might be things you need to relax right now and find some peace for a few moments. there is nothing wrong with having those things.
doing anything that brings a bit of peace even for a few minutes (i.e. a hot bath, etc..) is part of coping and relaxation techniques that are very important parts of the program. Thought i would mention taht in case it helps or gives you some ideas for how to feel "not on red alert" for a few more minutes. and if you follow the program things will get better. anything that feels calming to you is worth doing - crafts, hobbies, reading, listening to music, whatever it is.
Davit -- thanks for the welcome. I feel drawn to you, perhaps because I have read a few of your posts and I hear the honesty and the voice of someone 'who knows'. I appreciate the welcome.
Teebs -- I am searching for a way to distract myself from my stress levels, but I find that many of the tasks I do in a day seem to add to my stress and not diminish it. I am finding that my life is driven by schedules and tasks that need to be done by a certain time frame. This is a large part of my current stress level. I had about five minutes earlier today and about ten minutes so far this evening where I am not on 'red alert'. It's driving me crazy, but I will try to seek out a distractor. I think the garden is out for now, too cold, but perhaps I can use my imagination and find a substitute distraction. Thanks for the advice. Greatly appreciated.
Ashley -- I have also joined the depression forum. I haven't had much time in that site because my current issue is anxiety all the way. However, I am aware of the site and will try to share some of my time over there, too. I am a little worried (hah, understatement is great isn't it?) because I am coming up to a high stress time in my job, and I am already through the roof stressed. It's like I'm in full time panic mode. Bah.
I am happy you found us too! As you can read all over the forums, you are not alone in how you are feeling. This program will help you and give you plenty of techniques you need to cope.
Stick with it and put in the hard work and you will find relief. CBT is proven to help help anxiety and this site is proven as well. The forums are also an amazing avenue for social support. Post often!
Have you had a look at the Depression Center (www.depressioncenter.net) too?
I'm glad you found this site. Both the program and the forums are amazingly helpful. Being determined to get better is a huge first step. You'll find a lot of the tools you need to get started right on this site. We are all at different states - some are recovered, some are in the process, and others are just starting - but everyone who has worked through this program has made progress! I hope you will start by reading through session one and doing the homework. Many start noticing improvements after just a week or two.
Many of us here have been right where you are, with the constant state of "red alert" anxiety. Obviously the first step is to find some relief from that. Are you on any medications at all? Do you have a doctor or counselor you are seeing? As Davit mentioned, both medicine and counseling can be important tools to help manage your anxiety as you work through a CBT program.
Is there anything that distracts you from your anxiety? It's important to give your body a break from feeling that way, even if just for a little while. When I was in that place, I watched some of my favorite feel-good movies, and also tried to identify a lot of the flowers in my yard, which got me outside and walking around and then distracted me by giving me a task to focus on (in this case, going through the field guide). It's different for everyone but doing something you love could help distract for a while.
Hang in there, and feel free to post anytime. We're here for you!
Exercise, relaxation skills, coping skills, breathing techniques, muscle relaxing and medication all help but will not cure something that is mental. Only CBT will cure but you still need relaxation and coping skills to be able to do the CBT and some need Medication also for the time they are doing the CBT to absorb it. Everyone is different in what they need ,the one thing they have in common is that the program works for every one that follows it diligently. The other thing that helps is group therapy and we are a group. We help each other.
I just arrived at this site today. It is funny how life works. I had decided that I was tired of feeling like a victim of my own thoughts and feelings. I wanted to start fighting back. I think this site is a wonderful start for me. I would like to meet other people who are also struggling with anxiety and depression and find out what they do that works. So far, it seems that nothing that I do has long lasting effectiveness. I need to find a way out of this fear fog and back into the smiling happy person that I know I used to be. I have been too down for too long.
My biggest issue right now is that I have anxiety flushing through my body on a constant state of red alert. I don't know how to stop it. I exercise with hard cardio for a half an hour a day, but the benefits do not last. Once my heart rate is down, my anxiety is right back up there again. I even had butterflies for almost the entire 30 minutes tonight. I just couldn't seem to work out hard enough. It's so frustrating. Anyhow, any mental tricks you have for me would be greatly appreciated.
I am currently out of a depression. I didn't even know I was depressed until one day I laughed and realized how long it had been since I had done that sincerely. It was a scary realization. I am now trying to be proactive and learn about depression for the next time I slink back under into the dark.
Anyhow, I'm looking for help. I so relieved to have found this site
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