I have learned a few things that really help me with either anxiety, panic attacks or those days where i feel depressed and really hopeless. I hope some of these may help you.
First there is a breathing technic they taught us in our yoga class at the bpd therapy I go to.
You can do this either standing up, laying on your back or sitting.
So close your eyes. Inhale very very deeply through the NOSE making your belly come out as big as possible as you breathe in deep. Then exhale through the MOUTH very very quickly and blow as if you were blowing down of one the little piggy's house haha. And let the noise come out. Repeat this 3, 4 or even 5 times. It really really helps me.
Another thing that really helps me is either a really quick cold shower, i mean really cold. This helps when i am really anxious and sweating a lot. Brings me back to reality and helps, some days i have had to take like 7 or 8 but who cares it really helps.
Other days i find if i am blue or more depressed and having a hard time sleeping, i take a really hot bath, with bubbles with a scent i really enjoy. This helps me sleep, if i am anxious and have stomach cramps, i also have back pain. If i am slightly anxious and my body is all tense from anxiety this as well helps me quite a bit.
I try to eat as much bananas as i can, they really help sleep too.
I will often call a friend, and not say i am depressed or anxious or not feeling well, and just do random chit chat about anything, sometimes i can only concentrate for a few minutes, other times it will really distract me and last perhaps half an hour and really calm me down
I stop drinking coffee for a few days
And try to avoid as much sugar as possible especially at night since it really affects sleep.
I will FORCE myself to go outside even just to the corner store to buy gum. Its not even a minute walk and come back in. It changes my mood quite a bit. If i just cant make myself go outside, i will go on my balcony for 5 minutes, even if it is cold. If i cant even make it to the balcony, i open my window that looks over a busy street, or the window in the back of my apt that looks over trees. And i try to focus on watching the poeple out there, the birds, trees etc, plus its fresh air even if just through the window. But if i manage like i say to go just to the corner dep, a simple 5 minutes going and returning often makes a HUGE difference, If i have the courage that day, i will walk around the block for 10 minutes even better :o) changes my thoughts and reality.
Sometimes after a few days of not being able to sleep i change rooms since i start to associate my room with not sleeping. I will often go sleep on the sofa. Again that helps me.
If i am tossing and turning after 20 minutes i get up and go watch tv or have a glass of water, stay up another 15 minutes then go try again.
If i can during the day everyday, i will try to sit down somewhere or lay down in my med and shut my eyes and just try to relax even if only 2 or 3 minutes. I can repeat this as often as i want during the day.
I try to have a thought that makes me happy that i can always go back to. For me it's often thinking of where i will go on my next trip since i love to travel. Throughout the day, when my thoughts are spinning, i will try to catch myself and go back to that thought. The thought can be anything, looking forward to a coffee with a friend, a supper coming up really anything that works for you.
STRETCHES...this helps me relax, take anxiety away, and if am in physical pain too it really helps. I will do stretches even for just 5 minutes. It helps
I will also lay on my bed and squeeze alllll the muscles of my body from the tip of the tows to the tip of my head, sqeeze as hard as i can, while squeezing i will think dont forget the toes, the belly arms, i scrunch up my face, eyes etc. Squeeze as hard as i can until i cant anymore and let go. I repeat about 3 times. Helps with my back pain. Or any physical pain for me really, and really really relaxes my body especially the face i find and calms down my anxiety.
Mindfulnwaa ia BIG ONE. I will sit there and force myself to focus on something, be it a cup, a fork, the clock, one of the painting on my wall, really anything, if i am on my balcony, i stare at the leaves on my tree.. I will stare at it at whatever i chose to to look at, and focus on the shape, the color, the texture etc etc. Even if it lasts only 2 minutes, its a 2 minutes that your mind is really focused on something else and is quiet. I will do the same with my eyes closed and listen to all the sounds i can hear around me and focus on all of them trying to figure out what they are.
Lately i have a bit of anxiety and physical ilness from withdrawls from detoxing from dilaudid as you know. If i am pacing the house, and sweating or have the shakes, i find all of these can be helpful, and i have been playing video games on the internet as long as i can, to really really distract myself from the pain and horrible negative thoughts or cravings.
THINGS I TELL MYSELF:
This too shall pass it never ever lasts. This applies to anyone going through something hard. I keep repeating it to myself.
I tell myself this might be hard right now, but what is the worse case scenario, i will not die, no one is going to get hurt and again this will pass. Sometimes i have to repeat all day but again this is helpful to me.
I tell myself, i will get through this as i always do. I look at the past at hard things i thought i would never ever get through over the years and worried about with ridiculous amounts of anxiety, and tell myself " I made it through that, i will make it through this like all the other times i thought i would not. And even if my silly head is saying this time is different and harder, i will not make it through, i remind myself that that is what i think everytime yet i always make it through.
I will add more once i remember..soon to come insomnia: treatment and prevention
Thanks for reading me :o)
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