Indulge In What You Enjoy
Whats life without a little indulgence? In moderation of course but doing what you enjoy can take your mind off some major stressors. Hobbies, games and exercise are all ways to greatly reduce your stress. Physical activity burns off the worry inducing hormones and while endorphins are released through exercise, youll start to feel better. Dont limit yourself to simple traditional exercise. Gardening, carpentry, painting, reading, writing or even gaming can keep your mind off your worries, too.
If you arent getting any extracurricular physical or mental exercise, your thoughts will surely go back to your stressors. Find something that interests you and become engaged. Do a jigsaw puzzleyoull be amazed at how quickly time flies and how relaxing it can be. Dont have any interests, find some.
The act of looking for hobbies and interests is a proven way to relieve anxiety. Your mind is actively focusing on something else.
These Are Some Of The Situations In Which I Have Experienced This
- When I am in a conversation with a group of people, and I am expecting someone to ask me a specific question . Yesterday I was at a family gathering. We were in the first stages of conversation, catching up with the latest updates in everyones lives. A family member was asking my sister all about her job. I had been fine up until the point where I thought, They will be asking me next. I felt anxiety come on because I was anticipating being asked about how my work is going, and other questions. They were not questions that would normally pose me any problems answering. It was just the anticipation of waiting for them to be asked that was making me anxious.
- When I am about to be drawn attention to. For example, when I am playing in a concert and it is getting near to the end, where they usually say thank yous and sometimes present gifts to the performers. I sometimes find this part uncomfortable because of the attention being drawn to me. But the worst bit is almost always the anticipation that it is about to happen.
- When somebody made a comment or talked about a topic that made me feel emotional or has a particular significance to issues I am going through, and I dont want to show any emotion about this topic. I anticipate crying and getting emotional, which leads me to feel anxious, even after the moment has passed.
The Difference Between Anxiety And Anxiety Disorders
By now Ive probably drilled the idea into your head sufficiently, but I’ll say it again for good measure: some anxiety is normal.
So, when is anxiety not normal?
What is the difference between anxiety and anxiety disorders? Where is the line drawn, exactly?
Some anxiety is normal. Even a lot of anxiety is normal, occasionally. Important life events like going for a job interview, taking an important exam, or getting married, are all major events that can cause anxiety. Anxiety in these situations is so normal that it is almost universally expected in anyone.
Anxiety starts to become an anxiety disorder when it becomes increasingly frequent, severe, or interferes with your day-to-day life.
For Example:
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Anxiety Is Not Always Bad
On that note, keep in mind that anxiety, as an emotion, is not inherently bad. Its only debilitating in the wrong amounts. Having the appropriate level of anxiety in our brain not too much, but just enough can actually motivate us. Like the example given above, anxiety is a contributing factor in motivating us to study for tests, determine how to act among others, maintain our physical health, achieve our aspirational goals, and so on. Its only when our levels of anxiety get out of balance that it becomes unhealthy and dysfunctional. Thats when we need to seek treatment.
Why Does Anxiety Get Worse
There are two reasons why anxiety may get worse a couple of weeks after quitting.
- Number 1
You have probably developed some degree of addiction related brain changes from all your online pornography use and when you suddenly remove it from your life your brains stress center goes into over dive.
This is because an addictions hijack the survival sections of the brain, you know the parts that deal with food, water, sex and reproduction so the brain really interprets the addiction activity as something that is vital to our survival.
- Number 2
When your brain no longer gets those, what it consider to be, important mating sessions a few times a week it sounds the alarm.
WARNING ==> We are not spreading our genes any longer, our reproduction is in danger!!!
So, when considering those two things, it’s easy to see how quitting porn often leads to increased anxiety and even panic attacks.
In the video below I talk more about the increased stress response that happens in the brain after quitting an addiction. Take a look at it and you’ll see what I mean
If you find the video informative, consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. You can do so
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Controlling Anxiety Takes Time
Theres no quick fix for anxiety, and it may often feel like an uphill struggle. But by gaining awareness of what causes your symptoms, and getting help from your doctor, you can manage your symptoms.
You may find some of these hacks work for you straight away and others may have no effect at all, but the important thing is to keep trying.
Giving in to feelings of anxiety by retreating from the world only served to make my life more difficult in the long run. Continuing to search for solutions that work for me has been key to my recovery. Practice makes perfect, so dont stop trying to find ways that work for you.
Fiona Thomas is a lifestyle and mental health writer who lives with depression and anxiety. Visit her website or connect with her on .
Get The Right Kind Of Sleep
Getting sleep is important but getting restful sleep is life-changing. People with anxiety disorders often report insomnia issues and difficulties in falling asleep. In addition, the less sleep one gets, the more anxiety-prone one becomes.
Creating a healthy routine around bedtime is important. It starts by not eating a heavy meal hours before bed. Bowel distress is a common reason for sleeplessness. An hour before bed is the best time to stop using any screen. Laptops, televisions, tablets, and phones should be turned off or in sleep mode. This is the perfect time for a hot bath with some lavender oil in it. The hot water will help tense muscles relax. Lavender contributes to relaxation and helps one to drift off to sleep. People can get the lavender powder to sprinkle on bedsheets too.
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Take Responsibility For Your Anxiety
Some people choose to hide behind their condition while others use it as an excuse to avoid specific aspects of their life. You have more control than you realize over your actions and how things in your life progress. Sure, life is unpredictable but how you respond to life is in your control.
Taking responsibility for your anxiety and its impact on your life is a big step in taking back control of YOUR life. If you want to be a slave to your anxiety and let it control you, youll miss the beautiful side of life. You wont achieve your goals and youll continue living an unfulfilled life. We often regret the things we dont do more than the ones we do, so what do you have to lose? Try conquering your anxiety and pushing through some of your mental barriers today.
Learn Mindfulness And Meditation
Being mindful means stepping back, tuning out the inconsequential, and paying attention to whats happening in the moment.
Meditation can take some practice. Try downloading a meditation app or taking a meditation class to help you learn. Itll also come in handy when you need help in moments of stress.
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How Long Does It Take For The Increased Anxiety To Go Away From Starting Zoloft
- Asked
- 11 Nov 2015 by jrlundy
- 25 March 2022
- Topics
- zoloft, depression, anxiety, social anxiety disorder
I started taking 50mg of zoloft 8 days ago. The first 2 days were fine, just a little spacy feeling but then on day 3, I started feeling anxiety and kind of a speedy feeling. It got worse on day 4 and 5 then it has slowly declined but I still feel very anxious. I am toughing it out at work but finding it hard to concentrate. I take it at night and I take sleep meds to go to sleep so I sleep good but when I wake up I feel anxious. I keep thinking it will go away soon but it keeps hanging on. Has anyone experienced this and if so what was your experience?
vlanzalaco
Started on 50mg Zoloft, had anxiety and depression for 3 weeks than added 1mg abilify and the side effects went away. At 6 weeks I felt good but not great. Increased to 75mg and have had increased anxiety and some depression going on 3.5 weeks. Im scared that the side effects wont go away and maybe 75mg is too much for me. Im willing to go the distance to 8 weeks. Has anyone else had side effects for longer than 3 weeks?
+0WildcatVetbarbiecorn
Thank you.. do Do you have any advice on how to keep the fear of not getting better.
WildcatVetMmorningstar+0WildcatVet
You should be a therapist you are very uplifting
JeanCarol+0
Stick with it best thing I’ve done confidence much much better first week or so was bad but doc says this would happen by 3/4 weeks you will feel much better
+0hungarian25+0+0Tj1978
Listen To Good Mood Music
Music can have a powerful effect on your mood and on anxiety. They key however is to not just choose songs you like. but also make sure that you are listening to music that represents the way you want to feel. Happy or relaxing music can directly impact your mood and the way you feel.
While many people find it soothing to listen to angry music when theyâre angry or sad music when theyâre sad, the truth is that this type of music will only help you get in touch with those negative emotions. That won’t help you feel better. When you’re trying to stop anxiety, you should listen to music that will help you feel the way you want to feel.
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Can You Make Anxiety Go Away
Anxiety is a debilitating and scary emotion. For those who struggle with anxiety, it often comes out of nowhere. Anxiety is exhausting for the person and their close family and friends. Many people who know someone with an anxiety disorder, reporting feeling anxious around that person.
Anxiety is an emotion that causes one to feel tension with worried thoughts. It also causes physical symptoms such as increased heart rate, high blood pressure, flushing the face, and crying. This is a very normal feeling for many people. Anxiety pops up around a new job, buying a new home, or when someone is hospitalized. It is when it happens regularly without these major life events that it turns into a disorder.
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What Is The 54321 Rule For Anxiety
The 5-4-3-2-1 tool is a simple yet effective method for regaining control of your mind when anxiety threatens to take over and it consists of more than counting backwards from five. Rather, the hack helps bring us back to the present by relying on our five senses sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste.
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Surround Yourself With Positive People
Friends and acquaintances play an important role in the way we think and feel. If there are positive people around us, our thoughts generally follow and it works similarly for negative people as well.
Think about when you last hung out with your negative friends. Did they talk about anything positive? Probably not. What about those with a more positive outlook? Maybe its time to spend more time with them instead of hanging with those who fuel your anxiety. Surround yourself with people who can act as positive friends, supports and confidantes.
You never know who has experienced exactly what youre going though and you may find someone who will be a positive influence or that person may just have a positive spirit that will rub off on you.
Aromatherapy And Essential Oils
Essential oils, the extract from plants, have been used for thousands of years to treat a number of conditions, including anxiety. Essential oils activate certain areas of your brain and release feel-good chemicals such as serotonin. They have been found to ease symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression, improve mood, and improve sleep.
Recommended use includes diffusing, inhalation, or topical treatment which can aid with anxiety symptoms. When diffusing an essential oil or essential oil blend you will need an essential oil diffuser to fill your space with the desired scent. Inhalation is used by deeply smelling the essential oil straight from the bottle or by applying a drop or two of the oil on something such as a diffuser pad or lava bead that is connected to a bracelet, necklace, or even keychain. You can also place a drop or two of essential oil into your hands, rub them together, then cup your hands and take a few deep inhalations to get the desired effect.
You should be sure that the essential oils you use are pure oils and not mixed with chemicals. Some good brands to use include: Mountain Rose Herbs, Plant Therapy, Young Living, Doterra. You can do your own research to find a brand that will best work for you and your budget. Remember that a bottle of essential oil will last a long time since you typically use only a few drops at a time.
Essential oils that are great for treating anxiety include:
- Lavender
- Vetiver
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Different Types Of Anxiety Disorders
- Social anxiety disorder avoidance of social situations
- Phobias avoidance of the things that scare us
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Panic disorder individual experiences a panic attack at certain triggers
A lot of people with anxiety disorders also has another mental illness. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder , Depression, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder are the two most common diagnoses with an anxiety component.
Find Or Initiate A Distraction
The third is to find or initiate a distraction. This can bring you into the moment and distract you from whatever is possibly about to happen. It can also bring you out of stuck-ness and boost your confidence because if you can cope with whatever the distraction is, you are better set up to cope with the original event if or when it occurs. The distraction can also change the course of where things are going so that the thing you were anticipating doesnt happen at all.
An example of this happened in the family gathering I mentioned earlier. I was distracted by my aunts cat who walked into the room. I forgot my anxiety for a moment as I was focused on the cat, and I ended up speaking out in conversation about her. By doing the same action that I was worrying about but on a different topic to the one I was anticipating, my anxiety was gone. The course of the conversation also changed and I never was asked about my work! Likewise, I could distract myself from my toast by chatting to a family member, or by putting on some loud music to mask the sound of the toast popping up.
I could use the distraction method in rehearsal situations too if I am anxiously waiting to play, I could make eye contact with someone and smile or talk if the situation allows.
In a conversation, anticipating being asked questions:
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