Anxiety

[knives669]

I wanted to ask all you people here about something that I'm really trying to improve on. All throughout my life I've never really been good at handling anxiety and nervousness. I tend to dwell on thing that make me nervous and overexaggerate. I think things are worse than they really are. It sometimes gets to the point where I have panic attacks or hyperventalate. And it's usually over really small things like having to read a report out loud in class, or when I know I'm going to be meeting someone (The person can be my boyfriend or a good friend of mine. It's not always someone that I don't know). It's getting to the point where it's not good to my health. I'm having horrible stomach pains as many as four times a day now. All of these stomach pains happen after I feel anxious or nervous.

 

 

 

I was just wondering how some of you guys deal with anxiety. What do you do to calm yourself down when you're nervous? How do you keep yourself in a rational state of mind when you're nervous so that you don't overexaggerate?

 

 

 

Your help is greatly appreciated.

[runesmithie]

Take life at a slow pace, no need to be highstrung about everything :)

[insane]

I used to worry over homework assignments and presentations - then I realized that out of all my worrying, nothing ever really went wrong. They always got done. So now I just tell myself

 

 

 

"It'll get done".

 

 

 

It's a way of life I tell you! I stop worrying when I tell myself this, because I know it's true from experience.

[Striker6]

Don't worry about things, take life as it comes, that's what I do anyway.

[Death_By_Pod]

 

Your help is greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

I assume your a mid-teen, you will naturally get a bit like that from being more self conscious but in your case it's a bit above average. However it might only be occurring because something in the short term (i.e., tests, new relationship, new school, sporting event etc.), so give it some time and think over it before taking any drastic measures.

 

 

 

I'm permanently anxious; I even get nervous around some of my best friends. The best way I deal with it is plenty of self reassurance by comparing what might happen to things that already happened. If I'm going to meet my friends I think about how every other time I've met them has been really enjoyable or if I'm doing a speech I'll read the speech over and over again, beforehand to be really familiar with it (and to make sure you know what your talking about). The only way to really fix it is to go over it with someone trained to help and guide your problems (i.e. a psychiatrist, psychologist).

[Punc]

Well, I think everyone as atleast a bit anxious, but in your case it seems a bit extreme. I think finding professional help is better in this case, seeing you are having physical effect.

 

 

 

You could try analysing yourself, as to why you are anxious and try to convince yourself that there isn't a problem and all that, but I'm kinda sure you already tried that.

[Kryptic]

Try breathing exercises...

 

 

 

Breath in at a steady pace, and breath out at a very slow rate.

 

 

 

It helped me..Also, I know for me - and a few others - that anxiety happens because you loss your self-confidence and motivation. This is caused due to things like "Im not good looking - Not cute enough" blah blah..

 

 

 

If thats the case, you just need to learn to love yourself - and it seems difficult at certain times when your feeling the lowest of the low.

 

 

 

Also, try thinking about thinking. Think about certain situations you put yourself in when it comes to your social life. Understand the position you are with your friend, and learn to love it. Know that the friend your meeting isnt going to bite at you, and criticize you for how you look like, or the occasional stupid things you do. Know that your friend likes you the way you like them, and that anxiety isn't necessary due to the history/fun/bond you have with them.

 

 

 

Anxiety is just all done by a lack of self-confidence, and a fear of doing something that will land you to the bottom of the pits. You just need to work hard on mind adjustment to love who you are, and how you want to live your life.

 

 

 

Once you hit a certain point, where you just love yourself - it becomes easy to just live life the way you want too; Happy. You will begin to appreciate things you never thought you would ever think twice about.

 

Usually, you would be concerned if someone is looking at you, and thinking negative things, or if your hair is in the right position, or if your makeup looks trashy or not... thats doesn't matter. You begin to listen to the birds, watch the grass grow, laugh with your friends and not care whos watching.

 

 

 

But to get there takes a long time, took me 7 years to realize that life is too short to care about what others think. Atleast you took the first step and asked for help. I also recommend talking to someone that cares about you. That really helps, knowing there is someone who is your backbone.

 

 

 

Final note:

 

BE HIGH ON LIFE!

[yomom1919]

you may have anxiety disorder. if you think you do, go see a psychiatrist. (you may not have it) it also may be genetic. no advice here will help you cope with it, but a psycitraist will. anyone here could say anyting, but therapy is the only thing that may work if you do have anxiety disorder. therapy will also work if you do not have anxiety disorder, and it is just an occurance. either way therapy will help. remember anxiety is different from nervousness. i myself have hightend anxiety, which usually leads to obsessive compulsive disorder (ocd), which i have. you may have or develop OCD, which is doing an act repetitively and subconciously, and which has its roots in anxiety.

[Death_By_Pod]

you may have anxiety disorder

 

 

 

You know itÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s almost impossible to tell the difference between Adolescent anxiety disorder and just ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâ¦Ã¢â¬Ågoing through that phase.ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬ÃâÃ

[VOV]

[yomom1919]

you may have anxiety disorder

 

 

 

You know itÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s almost impossible to tell the difference between Adolescent anxiety disorder and just ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâ¦Ã¢â¬Ågoing through that phase.ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬ÃâÃ

[Death_By_Pod]

 

i have alot of experience with anxiety; its strong in my faimly, and myself. seriously if you dont have anyting to say, and you dont know anything about the topic, dont talk.

 

 

 

http://www.adaa.org/GettingHelp/FocusOn/Children&Adolescents.asp

 

"Although children experience the symptoms of anxiety in much the same way as adults do, children display and react to those symptoms differently. This can lead to difficulties in diagnosis. It can also be difficult to determine whether a child's behaviour is "just a phase," or whether it constitutes a disorder."

 

 

 

Definitely best to tell the Original poster that they may/may not have anxiety disorder, when their symptoms might be a once off thing (in the case of S.A.D, symptoms have to persist for 6 months). Are you a Doctor, what makes you think you know more then this about me?

 

 

 

Also if you bothered to read my posts you would realise that I have some form of S.A.D.

[yomom1919]

 

i have alot of experience with anxiety; its strong in my faimly, and myself. seriously if you dont have anyting to say, and you dont know anything about the topic, dont talk.

 

 

 

http://www.adaa.org/GettingHelp/FocusOn/Children&Adolescents.asp

 

"Although children experience the symptoms of anxiety in much the same way as adults do, children display and react to those symptoms differently. This can lead to difficulties in diagnosis. It can also be difficult to determine whether a child's behaviour is "just a phase," or whether it constitutes a disorder."

 

 

 

Definitely best to tell the Original poster that they may/may not have anxiety disorder, when their symptoms might be a once off thing (in the case of S.A.D, symptoms have to persist for 6 months). Are you a Doctor, what makes you think you know more then this about me?

 

 

 

Also if you bothered to read my posts you would realise that I have some form of S.A.D.

 

 

 

i never said that i know more then you, but that type of thought is proved in my post, it proves that you think you know more then everything else. mabye i know nothing either, but thinking your the best is not thinking. also please respond to my medatation as a form of treatment response in defence of kryptic. as for S.A.D, and he did not describe any symptoms of depression, in any form. and and like i said both children AND adults have OCD, which is a similar symptom. but his symptoms are serious, very serious. go watch The Avatior, howard hughes's symptoms were very serious, much like this person. btw i have one of howard hughes's symptoms of ocd: i wash my hands frequently. but lets not argue about helping someone, there are many ways too, but do not deny someon elses post because you think yours is supreme. this is a forum, and the point is to vocie opinions, which are not facts and cannot be proved wrong. this guy needs all the help he can get :D

[magictv]

I dont know about this it's a bit random but what i do is work out numbers squared going up from one cause it occupies my mind or just try and remember the lyrics to a song in my head or something. They both take my mind off what's coming up.

 

 

 

Hope it's some help.

[Bubsa]

Might sound a bit naff but, you may want to take up Yoga. I have done for around 18 months now and it's a great way of getting focus or channelling out energy. You don't have to believe all the spiritual stuff, it's just good to relax while doing it.

 

 

 

There are ample resources online nowadays, so I'd seriously consider taking it up. It's great when in your room, ipod or stereo playing atmospheric music and just sitting there...doing nothing :)

[Adam007]

About your stomach pains - if they're just pains, I don't know what it is, but if you frequently have to go #2 around when you get anxious, that's from irritable bowel syndrome. There isn't much that can be doen about it now in terms of medicine as of now, but it's being worked on.

 

Your best bet really though is to just see a doctor or psychologist.

[Lionheart_0]

Err, im no doctor, but cant anxiaty give ulsors (sp?)? Dunno... maybe thats the cause of the pains?

 

 

 

Id recomend just finding some time to unwind. Im not saying do drugs or go partying, but do something that you can just go with the flow and dont have to worry about anything happening. And when it comes to those situations where you have to do something and your all nervouse (ie reading outloud), dont sweat, alot of people get nervouse. just try to do what you have to, and not worry about it. But also keep that undercontrol, you dont want to not worry about stuff so much that you become lazy and will not do stuff.

 

cuz thats what seems to be happening to me :oops:

[knives669]

I've been really bad at handling anxiety all throughout my life. The earliest time I can remember being extremely nervous to the point of having a panic attack was five years old. I don't think it really has anything to do with my being a teenager.

 

 

 

But, I spoke with a psychologist about it today. She told me that it sounded like I had an anxiety disorder, but I really seem to have issues with my self esteem (I'm already on medication for depression). She's giving me a month to see if I can't work it out on my own, (develop a better love for myself, and a better view of the world around me) and if I can't, she'll have me consult a pyshciatrist to see if I could use some medication. She wants me to see a doctor about the stomach condition as well, to decide if it's a medical or psychological problem. I plan on seeing one pretty soon.

 

 

 

Breathing exercises always tend to work pretty well for me. Sometimes, they just don't work though. Then, I usually try to occupy my mind with something else. Diversions work well. Some of the things others here have suggested, such as relating good past events to future or current events sounds like it will work for me. Although I know that I need to talk about it more to try and sort it out and get to the root of the problem, it's very hard for me. I see it was a weakness of mine, and I worry that whoever I'm talking to will try to find ways to exploit that weakness. I'm not so much scared of what others think about me. I'm scared to let my guard down around others. I do have quite the trust issue, but it is one that I've been working with for a few years now, and I gradually find it easier to trust people. I talked with my parents and some of my friends about it earlier today, and I was very surprised and happy to find that they were willing to support me in any way possible.

 

 

 

Perhaps I can work through this without the aid of medication. But, I'm not afraid to turn to it. I just want to know that I've tried everything else first.

[kido14]

Well I don't know what to say about the stomach pains and such, but here is some advice that helps me get through things like speaking in front of class without a sweat. Just think about things of that nature like this:

 

 

 

A few minutes(in the case of a speech usually), days, weeks, months, or even years, when you think back about the problem you usually completely forget about it. What I mean is if I had a speech that I thought sucked, I figure a few days from now I'll forget all about it, and I will probably even laugh at myself for even being worried about it. In the case of something say, a noticeable defect(like a pimple or something), I think about it in the same way. First of all, not many people will even notice; when I have a problem with myself like this, I usually overexaggerate how bad it is. Second of all, no one, not even yourself, will remember that you had this problem once it goes away.

 

 

 

Basically don't sweat the small things. In the future, it won't even matter, so there is no need to sweat about it in the present.

 

 

 

I hope my advice helped you even a little bit. If you want another person just to talk to or someone to listen to your problems, feel free to talk to me. I'm a good listener. I try to give advice whenever possible, but if I can't, I'm always here to listen. Feel free to PM/add me to AIM or MSN (Aaronm1420 on AIM and [email protected]) or even email me. I'll be at the beach until Wednesday though. I'm 16 and I'm male, if you want someone near your age and of the opposite sex to talk to. Like I said, I'll try to be as helpful as possible. I hope your ability to handle your anxiety improves :P

[unFaith]

well you're finding help, that's nice.

 

 

 

my advice though-- besides the above which you've already done-- is to read some existentialism and get to the point where nothing really matters anymore. jk :)

[Bubsa]

Meditation, not medication ;) Just give it a try, you have nothing to lose :)

[Lionheart_0]

I agree with bubsa here, find a way to deal with this stuff on your own. As a teenager, you shouldnt be taking medication for deppresion or anything of that sorts, it will only mkae you worse because you will then become dependent on those meds to not feel depressed. sometimes the easy rout will lead to worse stuff...

[Death_By_Pod]

 

i never said that i know more then you, but that type of thought is proved in my post, it proves that you think you know more then everything else. mabye i know nothing either, but thinking your the best is not thinking. also please respond to my medatation as a form of treatment response in defence of kryptic. as for S.A.D, and he did not describe any symptoms of depression, in any form. and and like i said both children AND adults have OCD, which is a similar symptom. but his symptoms are serious, very serious. go watch The Avatior, howard hughes's symptoms were very serious, much like this person. btw i have one of howard hughes's symptoms of ocd: i wash my hands frequently. but lets not argue about helping someone, there are many ways too, but do not deny someon elses post because you think yours is supreme. this is a forum, and the point is to vocie opinions, which are not facts and cannot be proved wrong. this guy needs all the help he can get :D

 

 

 

Where on earth did you get that I idea that I think I'm the smartest person here? I questioned your post because you said that they might have a disorder based on very little information they presented in the post. I wanted to know why you were so sure that they might have a disorder and not be something most teenagers go through (maybe youÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢re a doctor that deals with these cases everyday, I don't know).

 

God forbid that people have differing opinions on an internet forum; if someone develops anxiety it usually correlates to a recent event (assignment due, embarrassing eventÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâæ), I don't automatically assume it's a disorder (Like I posted above, SAD requires reoccurring symptoms over 6 months).

 

 

 

Meditation is good in general as it is a decent method for regulating the body. Breathing and meditation is good for milder cases of anxiety, but it wonÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t help too much when you have a panic attack; your brain just stops functioning logically to consider things such as deep breathing.

 

 

 

 

But, I spoke with a psychologist about it today. She told me that it sounded like I had an anxiety disorder, but I really seem to have issues with my self esteem (I'm already on medication for depression). She's giving me a month to see if I can't work it out on my own, (develop a better love for myself, and a better view of the world around me) and if I can't, she'll have me consult a pyshciatrist to see if I could use some medication. She wants me to see a doctor about the stomach condition as well, to decide if it's a medical or psychological problem. I plan on seeing one pretty soon.

 

 

 

 

Now that you mention depressionÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâæ I guess you donÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t need too much advice when youÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢ve got your own, personal psychologist. ItÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s good to see that your willing to take help and ask for advice, it really gives you motivation for helping yourself out (when you know there are resources to fall back on).

 

 

 

I agree with bubsa here, find a way to deal with this stuff on your own. As a teenager, you shouldnt be taking medication for deppresion or anything of that sorts, it will only mkae you worse because you will then become dependent on those meds to not feel depressed. sometimes the easy rout will lead to worse stuff...

 

 

 

Yeah, I agree with that; doctors today overmedicate for things that can be resolved through other methods. However if your Anxiety is uncontrollable and becomes a problem for day to day living, then you should seek help and to consider medication.

[yomom1919]

 

i never said that i know more then you, but that type of thought is proved in my post, it proves that you think you know more then everything else. mabye i know nothing either, but thinking your the best is not thinking. also please respond to my medatation as a form of treatment response in defence of kryptic. as for S.A.D, and he did not describe any symptoms of depression, in any form. and and like i said both children AND adults have OCD, which is a similar symptom. but his symptoms are serious, very serious. go watch The Avatior, howard hughes's symptoms were very serious, much like this person. btw i have one of howard hughes's symptoms of ocd: i wash my hands frequently. but lets not argue about helping someone, there are many ways too, but do not deny someon elses post because you think yours is supreme. this is a forum, and the point is to vocie opinions, which are not facts and cannot be proved wrong. this guy needs all the help he can get :D

 

 

 

Where on earth did you get that I idea that I think I'm the smartest person here? I questioned your post because you said that they might have a disorder based on very little information they presented in the post. I wanted to know why you were so sure that they might have a disorder and not be something most teenagers go through (maybe youÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢re a doctor that deals with these cases everyday, I don't know).

 

God forbid that people have differing opinions on an internet forum; if someone develops anxiety it usually correlates to a recent event (assignment due, embarrassing eventÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâæ), I don't automatically assume it's a disorder (Like I posted above, SAD requires reoccurring symptoms over 6 months).

 

 

 

Meditation is good in general as it is a decent method for regulating the body. Breathing and meditation is good for milder cases of anxiety, but it wonÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t help too much when you have a panic attack; your brain just stops functioning logically to consider things such as deep breathing.

 

 

 

 

But, I spoke with a psychologist about it today. She told me that it sounded like I had an anxiety disorder, but I really seem to have issues with my self esteem (I'm already on medication for depression). She's giving me a month to see if I can't work it out on my own, (develop a better love for myself, and a better view of the world around me) and if I can't, she'll have me consult a pyshciatrist to see if I could use some medication. She wants me to see a doctor about the stomach condition as well, to decide if it's a medical or psychological problem. I plan on seeing one pretty soon.

 

 

 

 

Now that you mention depressionÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâæ I guess you donÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t need too much advice when youÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢ve got your own, personal psychologist. ItÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s good to see that your willing to take help and ask for advice, it really gives you motivation for helping yourself out (when you know there are resources to fall back on).

 

 

 

I agree with bubsa here, find a way to deal with this stuff on your own. As a teenager, you shouldnt be taking medication for deppresion or anything of that sorts, it will only mkae you worse because you will then become dependent on those meds to not feel depressed. sometimes the easy rout will lead to worse stuff...

 

 

 

Yeah, I agree with that; doctors today overmedicate for things that can be resolved through other methods. However if your Anxiety is uncontrollable and becomes a problem for day to day living, then you should seek help and to consider medication.

 

 

 

i told him he should visit a psyc because he 'may' have anxiety disorder according to his symptoms. even if he did not, a psyc would have helped either way, regardless. it was not a ballparked remark i made about a possible disorder. i never assumed it was a disorder but it 'may' have been, which means that it is possible. as for the symptoms, they were quite extensive and apparently more natural then situational.

[Lionheart_0]

i told him she should visit a psyc because she 'may' have anxiety disorder according to shis symptoms. even if she did not, a psyc would have helped either way, regardless. it was not a ballparked remark i made about a possible disorder. i never assumed it was a disorder but it 'may' have been, which means that it is possible. as for the symptoms, they were quite extensive and apparently more natural then situational.