How do you guys pro-actively manage anxiety?

[Hammerhunker]

Re: How do you guys pro-actively manage anxiety?

I say this with all do respect for everyone, so please presume positive intentions:

I have followed this thread, so I don't think this has been discussed. I often think about the generations living at the beginning of the last century. Those generations experienced a pandemic while a world war was being fought, into a few years of normalcy, into the Great Depression, into another world war, into 2 more military conflicts, all without the conveniences, or perceived conveniences that are available in the present. How did people cope. (I say this rhetorically because of course many didn't and those that did may have needed help)

It's not to say our generations haven't had our conflict and challenges, I am just wondering what the exact version of me, during that time would have done to battle through each day, like this version does. To me, I see the century-ago generations as having to deal with so much more external challenge. If gives me no solace, reprieve, nor shame, just the curiosity of how.

[Gramps91]

Re: How do you guys pro-actively manage anxiety?

I say this with all do respect for everyone, so please presume positive intentions:

I have followed this thread, so I don't think this has been discussed. I often think about the generations living at the beginning of the last century. Those generations experienced a pandemic while a world war was being fought, into a few years of normalcy, into the Great Depression, into another world war, into 2 more military conflicts, all without the conveniences, or perceived conveniences that are available in the present. How did people cope. (I say this rhetorically because of course many didn't and those that did may have needed help)

It's not to say our generations haven't had our conflict and challenges, I am just wondering what the exact version of me, during that time would have done to battle through each day, like this version does. To me, I see the century-ago generations as having to deal with so much more external challenge. If gives me no solace, reprieve, nor shame, just the curiosity of how.

Well, for one thing, other generations didn't have to deal with social media.

[Jolly Roger]

Re: How do you guys pro-actively manage anxiety?

It's not to say our generations haven't had our conflict and challenges, I am just wondering what the exact version of me, during that time would have done to battle through each day, like this version does. To me, I see the century-ago generations as having to deal with so much more external challenge. If gives me no solace, reprieve, nor shame, just the curiosity of how.

I think spirituality must be a big part of it. And I'm not here to preach any specific religion or spiritual practice, but I think everybody needs some sort of spirituality in their life. You just can't believe that we're here, we struggle, we die, and that's it. I'm not arguing whether this is factual, I'm simply arguing that, whether it's true or not, you can't let yourself believe it.

I've gotten more spiritual in my own way over time, and it's changed my life for the better. I'm much quicker to recognize when some worldly matter is bothering me and remind myself that it's not important. We have bigger, wonderful, beautiful things coming in ways we can't even perceive.

[tarheelguy4736]

Re: How do you guys pro-actively manage anxiety?

Does anyone here struggle with sleep anxiety (insomnia)?

For the past couple of months I have struggled with sleep anxiety and just cant seem to shake it. When night time approaches, I start to get anxious about going to sleep and worrying about not getting enough sleep.

Just wanted to see if anyone else here struggles with it too.

[Caulfield]

Re: How do you guys pro-actively manage anxiety?

Does anyone here struggle with sleep anxiety (insomnia)?

For the past couple of months I have struggled with sleep anxiety and just cant seem to shake it. When night time approaches, I start to get anxious about going to sleep and worrying about not getting enough sleep.

Just wanted to see if anyone else here struggles with it too.

only on Sunday nights, Mondays are the worst for me, after that I'm good.
until the next Sunday.
I dont have a permanent cure, I just deal with it the best I can. I might sometimes fall asleep for an hour, but then I'm right back awake at 11pm or midnight.

so I try to sometimes get a baseball video game in, played on the playstation

[Gramps91]

Re: How do you guys pro-actively manage anxiety?

Personally, I just scheduled my first therapy session yesterday. I feel like I've been struggling with depression on and off for probably 15 years and this is the first time I've actually tried to do something about it. It's been marginally worse in the past 7 or 8 months. I've got to try something.

[Gramps91]

Re: How do you guys pro-actively manage anxiety?

Does anyone here struggle with sleep anxiety (insomnia)?

For the past couple of months I have struggled with sleep anxiety and just cant seem to shake it. When night time approaches, I start to get anxious about going to sleep and worrying about not getting enough sleep.

Just wanted to see if anyone else here struggles with it too.

You bet, I've battled it on and off for a long time. I used to have intense nightmares when I was in college and thankfully that has dwindled. I still rarely have an uninterrupted night's sleep though.

[southernmetalhead]

Re: How do you guys pro-actively manage anxiety?

only on Sunday nights, Mondays are the worst for me, after that I'm good.
until the next Sunday.

I experienced this when I had a typical Monday to Friday 9-5 job that I hated. Sunday nights were terrible.

[tarheelguy4736]

Re: How do you guys pro-actively manage anxiety?

Personally, I just scheduled my first therapy session yesterday. I feel like I've been struggling with depression on and off for probably 15 years and this is the first time I've actually tried to do something about it. It's been marginally worse in the past 7 or 8 months. I've got to try something.

There was always a stigma around going to therapy. I think it has gotten better over the years. I personally do it once a month if I can. Does it always help? Maybe not but it just feels good to talk to someone who isn't family or friends and get their honest opinion. Sometimes it's just good to hear yourself talk and you can have a light bulb moment where you figure it out on your own.

I know when I was struggling with anxiety real bad a couple months ago, I told a friend about my struggles. They asked if they could share my story with a church group of theirs, which I didn't mind. They came back and told me they had several people in the class just breakdown crying because they were either struggling with anxiety or depression but never wanted to bring it up. They said it was the best class they had been apart of in a long time because people opened up more about their struggles and they didn't feel alone anymore.

I am of the mindset now of just being open with people because you never know who it might help. I came to the conclusion we all struggle at times with anxiety and we really need to focus on our mental health, especially in these social media connected times.

So I hope therapy works for you because I know it does for a lot of people. Just being able to talk with someone is really helpful.

[Gramps91]

Re: How do you guys pro-actively manage anxiety?

There was always a stigma around going to therapy. I think it has gotten better over the years. I personally do it once a month if I can. Does it always help? Maybe not but it just feels good to talk to someone who isn't family or friends and get their honest opinion. Sometimes it's just good to hear yourself talk and you can have a light bulb moment where you figure it out on your own.

I know when I was struggling with anxiety real bad a couple months ago, I told a friend about my struggles. They asked if they could share my story with a church group of theirs, which I didn't mind. They came back and told me they had several people in the class just breakdown crying because they were either struggling with anxiety or depression but never wanted to bring it up. They said it was the best class they had been apart of in a long time because people opened up more about their struggles and they didn't feel alone anymore.

I am of the mindset now of just being open with people because you never know who it might help. I came to the conclusion we all struggle at times with anxiety and we really need to focus on our mental health, especially in these social media connected times.

So I hope therapy works for you because I know it does for a lot of people. Just being able to talk with someone is really helpful.

Thanks. I appreciate it

[LowerWolf]

Re: How do you guys pro-actively manage anxiety?

Once upon a time, seeking out therapy was viewed as a sign of weakness. I've always thought it was a sign of strength.

[Dead2009]

Re: How do you guys pro-actively manage anxiety?

By watching horror movies, as crazy as it sounds.

[EUBlink]

Re: How do you guys pro-actively manage anxiety?

I am about to pro-actively manage my anxiety by moving to Alaska. You only live once.

[ODogg]

Re: How do you guys pro-actively manage anxiety?

I must say that despite a lot of progress I still find myself sometimes slipping into anxiety and depression and there often feels like there's no way out. I have recently began embracing who I am and instead of it being liberating, it seems to be alienating to most around me. I have a lot of conservative friends and although I'm conservative, I have decided I really want to support all folks, not just certain types and man has it cost me.

My best friend who was the best man at my wedding and I are no longer speaking after a sort of contentious debate about religion and non-mainstream, alternative lifestyles (he opposes alternative lifestyles citing morality, I support freedom of choice and believing in people for who they are, even if I myself do not understand their decisions).

I am an artist, a creative type and I am finally really trying to embrace that. I support people's lifestyle choices, and choose not to judge, but expressing this to those who I considered good friends is not doing me any favors.

I know, maybe I have to move on from those folks, but it seems that the more I try to embrace the right thing the more isolated I become. It seems folks today don't want to be friends with you if they believe you're not "on their side" or whatever, which is incredibly frustrating to try to reconcile my own opinions with being different from others, when it is not up to me if others simply write me off for being too far gone and an immoral person due to my support of social issues that are not popular with many of the more "family oriented" people aka religious man/woman is the way.

On top of that, my mother died in January, I no longer really speak to my father or family (see reasons above) and I no longer have any friends to speak with online or in person. My wife is great but she has her own mental health issues, ie panic attacks, and so I cannot really talk to her either as it is upsetting for her.

[tarheelguy4736]

Re: How do you guys pro-actively manage anxiety?

I must say that despite a lot of progress I still find myself sometimes slipping into anxiety and depression and there often feels like there's no way out. I have recently began embracing who I am and instead of it being liberating, it seems to be alienating to most around me. I have a lot of conservative friends and although I'm conservative, I have decided I really want to support all folks, not just certain types and man has it cost me.

My best friend who was the best man at my wedding and I are no longer speaking after a sort of contentious debate about religion and non-mainstream, alternative lifestyles (he opposes alternative lifestyles citing morality, I support freedom of choice and believing in people for who they are, even if I myself do not understand their decisions).

I am an artist, a creative type and I am finally really trying to embrace that. I support people's lifestyle choices, and choose not to judge, but expressing this to those who I considered good friends is not doing me any favors.

I know, maybe I have to move on from those folks, but it seems that the more I try to embrace the right thing the more isolated I become. It seems folks today don't want to be friends with you if they believe you're not "on their side" or whatever, which is incredibly frustrating to try to reconcile my own opinions with being different from others, when it is not up to me if others simply write me off for being too far gone and an immoral person due to my support of social issues that are not popular with many of the more "family oriented" people aka religious man/woman is the way.

On top of that, my mother died in January, I no longer really speak to my father or family (see reasons above) and I no longer have any friends to speak with online or in person. My wife is great but she has her own mental health issues, ie panic attacks, and so I cannot really talk to her either as it is upsetting for her.

I have posted in the past about my struggles with anxiety and have, just recently, gotten a better handle on it. Its definitely a long road and one that never ends because it is a part of you. I, like you, feel like I have just embraced who the true me is and that is a good thing. If your friends don't like who you are, then that is their loss, especially if you accept them for who they are. We all have difference of opiinions. I personally don't want someone around me who thinks exactly the same as I do, that would be quite boring.

I will leave you with this, which has helped me tremendously. When you start to doubt who you are and your struggle with anxiety and depression, just think the phrase "Progress, not perfection". My wife, who has been tremendous in helping me get a handle on my anxiety, told me that one night. She said its all about not trying to be perfect but just the progress you have made. If you take the moment in your life and compare it to the worst moment in your life, is it really the worst? Have you made even just a little progress in getting a handle on anxiety and depression? So, just think, "Its all about progress, not perfection."

Keep on doing the things you enjoy ODogg and keep working on yourself. Its a daily thing, so just take it minute by minute.