Continuing the conversation: Paralyzing anxiety

5 min read

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Aeirmid's avatar
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Aeirmid
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Hello, group!


in response to my various recent journals on mental illness, a lot of you commented that we need to present specific strategies for coping with mental illness and for helping others help us cope. That is the goal of this article, this time with specific attention on anxiety that is paralyzing or suffocating. Please consider joining the conversation, whether you suffer from anxiety or not.

About anxiety


First, let me say that the World Health Organization (WHO, www.who.int ) has little to nothing on anxiety worldwide, which is a travesty. Thus, the statistics I am presenting below are for the United States through the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH, www.nimh.nih.gov ). Know of a great, reliable site with mental health statistics for your country? Please drop me a link.

Anxiety, especially when severe, is considered a serious mental illness, just like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are. Many people blow anxiety off as being something people can just "get over," but for many of us it is paralyzing, significantly interfering with our daily functioning. According to NIMH, about 18% of Americans will suffer from notable anxiety in a given year. That's nearly one out of every five us us-- and that's a lot! There are a variety of anxiety disorders, ranging from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and everything in between. I won't bore you with the details of what each disorder means because I think, for the most part, w e already know. I'd rather focus on what it means to us and what we can do about it.

The most important message I want to get across about anxiety disorders is that they  are real, and you can't just "snap out of it." They often occur comorbidly with other disorders, such as depression. In fact, depression and anxiety both are associated with dysfunctions of the serotonergic nervous system. Thus, when you feel you are suffering from an anxiety disorder, it is important to seek care. You matter, too, and it's not just in your head!

My story in brief


You may notice that I'm posting this article around 5:30 in the morning. Normally I would be asleep right now. I suffer from severe anxiety that is triggered by outside stressors like work and school pressures. Scientists think that anxiety disorders come about when an environmental stressor acts upon our genes to cause an upset in the way they produce and handle serotonin and other neurotransmitters. For me, if I am anxious about something, I have obsessive thoughts about it until I can barely breathe from the tightness, I can't sleep, and I have gastrointestinal side effects due to my stomach being in knots. Not sleeping triggers my bipolar disorder; it's all intimately connected. So, I end up being a hot mess.

it interferes with my daily functioning in that, not only am I exhausted, but also I become paralyzed to the point where I cannot get anything constructive done, and school and work suffer.

Let's discuss


I'd really like for us to have an open discussion about anxiety and its impact on our lives. Will you share with us? Here are some discussion questions, but please don't let them limit you:

  • Do you suffer from anxiety? What triggers it for you?
  • What are some strategies that you use to overcome your anxiety?


© 2014 - 2024 Aeirmid
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nikolayhranov's avatar
nikolayhranov

I've been dealing with anxiety, panic attacks, obsessive thoughts, ..etc. I could go on and on. People always like to put names on things, but anxiety is in the root of all these "mental illnesses".

I've been suffering from anxiety for 10 years +. I don't like the word suffering though, I prefer to say that I am a very anxious person. In the last year or so I realized that there is noone that will help me overcome this except me. Doctors provide temporary relief as do pills. YOU have to do the work. After all I am learning and trying new things to better myself everyday. Some days are hell, some are good, some are great. Some methods work, some don't. 

Please consider that we are all different, so something that didn't work for me, might work for you and the opposite.

This comment is too short for a complete guide, but I can share some tips

- Do not avoid anything, due to the panic and anxiety that you feel. I know, it sounds crazy, but I've been there and most likely will be again. I've been working my ass of at work with 10-15 panic attacks per day and you know just one of this fuckers can drain your complete energy. YOU are way stronger that you think. Anxiety can't hurt you, but it's extremely unpleasant, I know.

- Do not argue with your thoughts and feelings, when you are in a period of high anxiety. It's a battle you can't win. Your mind is FAR from reasonable then. Try to accept everything that you think and feel without being judgmental. Most of us on this website have a very active imagination, it makes sense that during these periods our minds can produce some crazy scenarios and thoughts. Don't dwell too much on meaningless thoughts, even if they look so.

- Enough about what you shouldn't do. What you can do to help yourself is:

  - healthy foods (greens, fruits, nuts - don't eat processed foods and foods high in sugar too often, they can elevate your anxiety) Avoid caffeine and energy drinks when you feel anxious.
  - exercise/ walks/ running/ yoga/ swimming etc. - whatever you prefer. The key is to be regular.
  - meditation helps, but you need to calm your mind first, as meditation in high anxiety is very difficult.
  - walk towards the things that you fear. In time all these false fears will loose their grip on you.
  - sleep is very important. You should not sleep less than 7 hours a night.
  - re-connect with nature. Go to the forest or the beach or whatever peace of nature you have close to you. Withdrawal from everyday city life, calms the mind and gives you perspective on what's really important.
  - share your ups and downs with your closest friends. It's way cheaper than therapy and it does the same job. Don't be embarrassed to share anything. If they make fun of you or make you feel bad, it’s a sign that they are not the friends that you need.

Be kind to yourself and give yourself permission to feel down sometimes. You need the lows to appreciate the highs in life.
Even though most of you hate the way you feel, it made you the kinder, stronger, better person that you are, even though it doesn't feel this way most of the time.

Hugs to all of you that might need it! :)