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Challenging Worry

Ashley -> Health Educator

2024-04-20 11:42 PM

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Linda Q

2024-04-11 5:06 AM

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Addiction

Ashley -> Health Educator

2024-04-08 3:54 PM

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Browse through 411.749 posts in 47.054 threads.

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Proudly dealing with the issues as they come.


13 years ago 0 11 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hey, there's a lot that I wanna type and say right now, but I just had an awesome massage, and I don't care if it's 10:30pm, I'm gonna go sleep like a baby.

I will post some more thoughts and replies to everyone when I'm awake during the early hours, for now though, I leave you all with my thanks for the support through such a sensitive time in my life. :)
13 years ago 0 356 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Wow! Brittany, this is so great that you are tackling this and know that you are worth taking care of at your age. Like many older people here on the forum I admire your insight. I am trying hard not to be ageist or insinuate that 17 year olds do'nt know how to care for themselves but I was a 17 year old who didn't take care of herself and i see many other young women doing the same. 
 
at your age i thought my anxiety was pms (like KT mentioned in her post). i now know that it is not. however, i also have realized since going through the program that pms can be exacerbated by anxiety issues (or maybe vice versa).CBT has not alleviated my PMS but it has helped me to distinguish between the 2 and see how one might feed the other if i d'not take care of myself and express my boundaries and needs verbally with people when I am pre-menstrual (a seperate topic).
Anyways, keep seeking answers to your questions, and you can save yourself years that women like me suffered in silence not getting help for hormonal issues or anxiety.
 
I like that you said "seperate the anxiety from everything else" I personally have experienced that this becomes easier and easier to do the more you do it. 
 
 Good for you!
13 years ago 0 1665 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Davit:  you are so funny - and so right on.
 I don't mind crying.  For years I was blocked, no crying, it just didn't happen.  I wanted to cry, but nothing.  I mean years of nothing, I would just sit and think it through and go on with life.  Now I can cry and yes, it is a wonderful release of tension and stress for me.  I did some this summer that's for sure with the health problems. 
13 years ago 0 6252 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
And believe it or not but men can cry too, but they usually look around to see if any one noticed. 
Yes crying is the manifestation of the emotion sad which can be both or either negative or positive. A really good transition emotion which is why you always feel better after a cry, No matter what you felt before, anger, pain, depression, a cry leaves you positive unless you insist on dwelling on the negative. We live in this stupid world that frowns on emotions. Well I for one am going to cry if I feel like it. (but I will probably look around first, cause that is how I've been conditioned)

Here for you,
Davit 
13 years ago 0 286 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Brittany,
 
Your strength and determination is inspiring.

Re: crying. I used to be really distressed when after boughts of intense anxiety I would find myself crying, sometimes several times throughout the day and at some of the strangest things. Someone told me that at least crying is an emotion - infinitely better than that terrible feeling of panic! My counselor also considered crying to relieve some of the stress and tension after prolonged periods of anxiety as progress, which I still tell myself when I break down into tears!

Teebs
13 years ago 0 12049 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Brittany,
 
Welcome and thank you for sharing.  You have such amazing insight and your coping mechanisms are well thought out.  This is a good way to begin your progression.  Take a look through the program and take the depression test, this is a good tool to take to your doctor to better assess the situation for you both.
 
You have some great ways of helping yourself each and everyday, so push forward and use your mechanisms!  Massage does occasionally release toxins and can release a certain amount of stress, causing that relief feeling. Keep looking for posts as the members can really be supportive and helpful.
 
Josie, Health Educator
13 years ago 0 18 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Brittany, you should be very proud that at your age you can recognize the symptoms for what they are.  When I was 17 and felt anxious, I chalked it up to hormonal misery that I promised myself I would not have to deal with later in my life.  And that's exactly what happened: I didn't deal with any of it.  You have such a leg up on most teenagers who feel anxious, because you can see it for what it is.  Of course, that doesn't necessarily make it less unpleasant, or less frightening.  I had a therapist tell me once how happy she was every time she saw me cry, not because tears meant misery, but because tears meant I was allowing myself to release the fear.  Now, every time I cry, I feel a huge wave of relief from the physical symptoms of panic, that I myself feel really happy when I shed tears.  Thank you for the tip about eating, it is one that I would not have thought of on my own, and already it has worked in helping me finish my dinner tonight.  And keep getting the massages - be selfish, take care of yourself, and know that you are not alone in your stress and worry.  I have felt such immense support from the people in this program, and I hope that I can pay it forward. 

Katie
13 years ago 0 11 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
I'm not the best person at dealing with huge problems. But anxiety that I've only felt for such a short period of time now, is the biggest challenge I've ever faced in my life.

I've been through so much in my 17 year long life, and have so long left, yet unlike most teenagers, I've been through medical issues, had huge issues with my physical growth and have often been lonely due to being somewhat of an outcast in my earlier life. But unlike all that I've ever gone through, anxiety has been permanent for 3 weeks. For 3 weeks now, I have only had a couple of hours at a time in which I was not feeling the anxiousness. So I'm going to start this thread, break down all my physical symptoms and say how I'm fighting them.

Firstly I'm trying to distinguish the anxiety from everything else. It's not my mind, it's not my body, it's anxiety. My mind and my body can both fight this, rather than one fighting the other.

Dealing with Swallowing Food: For some reason, a bit of liquid in my mouth allows me to swallow. My throat is fine, so I know there's nothing to worry about.

with Heart Ache: Accepting it's anxiety.

Stomach Ache: Eating, taking kalms herbal pills.

Depression: Exercise.

Anxiety: The herbal pills, getting massaged, distracting self with difficult tasks.

General: Crying. 

For some reason, the easiest way to deal with all of this is doing something which brings stress release. I.e. Crying (Did that earlier, felt infinitely better.) and having a massage, (I started crying for some reason when mum gave me a massage, which she's very good at.)

Not sure what else I can say. I would like some input on if people think I'm dealing with this in the most effective way. It's caused me a lot of stress and worry, especially considering that I am constantly doubting if my symptoms ARE anxiety.



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