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Discussion Topic: Why a relaxation forum?
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 Anne-Marie, Site Director |
08-28-2002 @ 9:14 AM |
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Joined: Dec. 2001
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Relaxation techniques and lifestyle changes often help people manage their anxiety. This is the place to share and discuss relaxation techniques and lifestyle changes with others.
Some of you have discussed yoga and meditation. This is the new forum created for that and other forms of relaxation. We welcome your input.
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Anne-Marie, Site Administrator
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| Michelle |
08-28-2002 @ 10:52 AM |
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Joined: Aug. 2002
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I have been doing Yoga and meditation, which I truly have fallen in love with. I am fascinated with the meanings behind all of the moves and what they do to the body and mind.
I have found that I had to make a commitment to change my whole life.
I have changed my diet, drink lots of water and less coffee. I started taking vitamins and medication.
I find that it helps me to focus when I do the Yoga. It helps take some of the anxiety energy away.
Maybe it is the self esteem part that is really the result of feeling better but what ever it is I like it.
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| Marianne |
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08-28-2002 @ 11:26 AM |
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Joined: Aug. 2002
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Yes, yoga is great, if you haven't tried it, do! Same goes for tai chi. You'll love it, it's certainly done me a world of good! Having said that, it doesn't really help me with the panic, or at least not directly. It gets me out of the house and into a group of likeminded people though, which must be a good thing.
I do iyengar yoga and tai chi once a week, and have taught classes in Progressive Muscle Relaxation and practice it when I feel stressed, but none of this really helps me when it comes to a panic attack. Maybe it's a personality thing but to me whenever I try a new program or therapy or book and it doesn't solve my problems I feel hopeless and disappointed, so I just want to say don't expect any miracles. Yoga, Tai Chi, relaxation, great, go ahead, but for me it doesn't work in a panic situation. When I feel a panic coming on the last thing I want to do is concentrate on my body or my breathing, that's the surest way to set me of. I need distraction, a brisk walk, talking to someone, anything to get me out my panic prison and reconnect me to the outside world.
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| Beth |
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08-28-2002 @ 4:31 PM |
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Joined: Aug. 2002
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This discussion forum is fabulous!
Now we can all benefit from each others experiences and "tricks of the trade!"
My advice: Quit Smoking! I've felt fantastic ever since!
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| maria |
10-28-2002 @ 8:26 AM |
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Joined: Jan. 2002
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I, also, recognize the feeling of 'feeling disconnected' from reality. I find this to be a common thread among those of us who have anxiety/panic. I do not know what it is. Sometimes all the 'tricks' we all have up our sleeve to combat the oncoming panic do a great job and we cruise through it. What is 'it'. Why the 'disassociation' from reality? Why the 'floating' feeling. Like being in a different plane of thought - strange. I have been trying to figure this thing out for so long - and just keep on dealing with it day by day.
About relaxation. I do find my 'gardening' very relaxing for me. I do not think I could have a panic attack while gardening. I never have. However, fast walking and sometimes being in a gym for excercise (because I know that is good for panic/depression etc) gives me a problem. If I am walking 'too' far away from home, and that feeling of panic begins to creep in my head, it is really really difficult to get home,
while maintaining control. Also, I might ad, if I walk or am in the gym with 'headphones' on, listening to relaxing music, etc - it is enough of a distraction to get me through the task at hand - again - distraction - but, from 'what'.
Maria
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| Lavic |
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10-28-2002 @ 9:07 AM |
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Joined: Oct. 2002
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Maria,
I was reading your message about the " feeling disconnected " and disassociation from reality. I think that's the worst symptom for me. I feel as if I'am loosing control of my situation at that time. I feel like I can't think straight anymore and I often become aggressive. For example, the other day in the store, I felt a panic attack coming and there was a lady blocking my way out of the store so I said to her in a really loud voice " Get out of me way "- it's just not like me. I believe in relaxation methods and I try to listen to a relaxation tape at least twice a day. Today, I'am having a good day ! I decided to take half of 15mg of Xanax every morning just to give me a little calm to get my kids ready for school and stuff -the morning rush. It's seems to work for me. About walking around the block of my neighborhood, it's just like you said Maria, if I start thinking that I'am away from my house...then it's panic time. I have to sit on the side of the road. Then I start to think that people will wonder why I'am sitting on the side of the road, then I panic more. It's a vicious circle.
Text
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| ocean_turtle |
11-12-2002 @ 5:39 PM |
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Joined: Nov. 2002
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Yoga, Tai Chi and any form of relaxation is excellent!!!
There is a book on Iyengar Yoga with many pictures and many different types of yoga exercises in it aswell. For all sorts of things like high blood pressure, low blood pressure, back ache, loss of memory, breathlessness etc, its really excellent for the enthusiest and the beginner and it has pictures of all the poses and how to do them set by step.
Check your library for:
Author: BKS IYENGAR foreward by Yehudi Menuhin
Title: Light on Yoga (The classic guide to Yoga by the world's foremost authority).
Enjoy,
Angela 
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| maria |
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11-15-2002 @ 6:43 PM |
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Joined: Jan. 2002
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I relate to your 'beyond rapid' exit from the grocery.
When that happens to me - and the panic comes in from out of the blue, as they often do - I have learned to just say to myself, especially if I am alone. 'You know your car is only just outside - just take one step at a time, even though you feel like running - you can do this - you can do this- you will feel proud of yourself when you get to the car and you 'handled' the 'panic' OR if you get 'slammed' by a big one, I sometimes just bite my finger really hard to distract myself - takes my mind off the 'floating' and brings me back to earth by way of 'pain'. What ever works. I only do that in extreme circumtances.
I find if I take my meds in the morning I do much much
better. I have learned always take my meds in my purse - just in case. Then after I have done all that I can do to 'barricade the doors' so to speak, I go on with my life. Then, of course you have the one that is going to come no matter what - then...I try not to incorporate anyone into my 'nightmare of panic', although I have had to a 'few' times. So, I 'know' I am not going to die - 'I know I am not going crazy' I know there is someone next door or somewhere that could 'hold me through it' and 'I know I am not alone or a freak' - most of all, " I know It Will Pass" - I say to myself, I have gone through the absolute worse
panic attack - bring it on. You just keep talking yourself through it - anything to distract you from the panic and bring you back to reality.
I hope that helped.
Bye for now,
Maria
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| bonnie |
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02-03-2003 @ 1:40 AM |
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Joined: Feb. 2003
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Maria and Lavic,
I, too go for walks with the dog when I feel "up to it" something I used to do every day. Now that my anxiety is back in my life (been a few months now) I am like you...get a little too far, get panicky and once or twice had a hell of a time getting back. What I have been doing lately is bringing this lil radio with headphones I have. I agree, listening to music really helps. I LOVE music and find myself singing along. I mean who can panic while out in the sunshine singing Motown or any of your favorite songs. If a song just ain't doin it for me, I flip stations, another distraction. It is wonderful. While I don't go too far out of my comfort zone, now that I have my radio, I do a little, and maybe go around my block one or two more times. I definitely stay out longer.
Lastly, I have to say, I just found this site yesterday, and it is SO SO nice to be among people just like me. It truly feels good.
Thanks to all who put this together.
Bonnie
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| Roseanna |
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02-10-2003 @ 10:39 AM |
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Joined: Feb. 2003
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theres not many things i can do to get rid of the derealization feeling i get alot no matter how i try. that is the worst symptom i have
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| mehere |
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02-28-2003 @ 6:58 PM |
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Joined: Feb. 2003
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It's hard relax during an attack. For me self talk.Or trying to get the flash backs out of my head seem to help. I wish my juccuzz was still working that way I don't have to leave the house. But alone time is almost impossible with the children around. They can out last me, and I am the type of person that needs to get a full nights rest.Maybe when taxes come in the jaccuzz will get fixed.Today my stomach was just tied in nots. I could feel every nerve cell in my body. felt like I was about to jump out of my skin. Tomorrow may be a better day.
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| wanda |
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03-01-2003 @ 8:06 AM |
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Joined: Jan. 2002
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Gee, for a minute there I thought you were my sister!
However, back to reality. Self talk can be done no matter where you are or when whosoever is screaming or running around the house creating havoc. You have to create a little place in your mind - a safe place for you whirling mind to rest - it takes concentration, but it is possible under any circumstances. Practice makes perfect in a discipline this nature. It is called visualization. Instead of self-talk, because sometimes that does not work - visualization is a good tool to have in your belt. Visualize yourself in a place where only you can know - perhaps it is sitting beside a very calm body of water with beautiful Weeping Willows just touching the water’s surface - whatever it is or where ever it is, you can go there for peace and quiet even if there is chaos around you.
Practice - it works. I have suffered through so many years of panic attacks I don’t want to even tell you how many. And, I am still here, and have finally realized ‘it’ is not going to go away, I am not going to be miraculously cured; I have accepted ‘it’ as part of my life. Not to fight – but, to control.
Wanda
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| maria d. |
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03-18-2003 @ 2:28 AM |
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Joined: Mar. 2003
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hi wanda, i just read your post about visualisation and am quite curious. i recently read a book on NLP (neurolingustic programming). my understanding is that it is a visualisation technique used to attain goals help with stress, phobias and anxiety. i wonder if you or anyone else knows any more about it. i am dealing with social phobia and a driving phobia among other things and am curious whether anyone knows anymore about this. thanks maria d.
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| wanda |
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03-18-2003 @ 11:27 AM |
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Joined: Jan. 2002
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Hi Maria D.
I will give you an example of visualization - using myself as the person in the 'anxiety/phobic provoking situation'. I am driving down the road - and all the sudden my mind goes 'chaotic - out of control - and the phobias, anxiety thoughts' begin to take over my mind. OR, I could be at home and there is chaos around me, lots of noise, kids out of control and all the while I know I have to be at an ‘appointment’ for something - and I know I have to ‘drive’ there. So - to 'calm my mind' and 'go to a safe place in my mind', I may pull over - if I am driving. Or, I may go in the bathroom and close my eyes- if I am at home; someplace where I can, if only for a few minutes, go to the place I have already prepared in my mind. I would go to a stream in a lush forest - I am an Indian girl in a canoe - a hand painted canoe, and I am very slowly paddling it down a very calm and quiet stream - only disturbing the water with my paddle and the sharp V of the front of the canoe - all is so quiet I can hear little birds chirping and actually hear the soft purr of the water as my canoe slides effortlessly through the clear, calm water. I am calm, serene and pensive. All the while I am breathing very slowly - I will soon realize I am under control. And can continue the task at hand. Even if you are in a room full of people and they are all staring at you - don't care - just close your eyes and do your work - go to your safe place - and you will feel a relief - you will begin to feel safe and in control.
Hope that helped...
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| Anne-Marie, Site Director |
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03-21-2003 @ 3:07 AM |
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Joined: Dec. 2001
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There is a long history of people using visualization techniques to try to reduce anxiety. Perhaps the best way to think about this is as "imaginal exposure", that is, exposure work that you do in your imagination, rather than "in vivo" (in "real life"). Variations of imaginal exposure have been used in behavioral therapy for a long time.
The short answer is yes, Maria d. if it is too difficult to do something in in "real life" you can start out exposing yourself to your fear by imagining the situation in detail over and over again, until your fear decreases. Some therapists encourage people to write out the "scene" they fear and then read it over and over, or you could write out the "scene" in detail and then make a tape that you can listen to over and over. Doing this kind of exposure work may help some people move towards doing exposure work in the "real world".
A couple of important things to note:
1. All of the "rules" of exposure work as outlined starting in Session 4 of The Panic Program apply to imaginal exposure.
2. You can make imaginal exposure one of the steps in your treatment plan but don't make it the only step in your treatment plan. Imaginal exposure probably works only if it moves you and encourages you towards doing "real life" exposure in the real world. Use imaginal exposure as a step in that direction but try to think about what the next small steps in the "real world" would be as you work towards your "real world" goals.
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Discussion Topic: Why a relaxation forum?
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