How do you deal with anxiety?

Hey, I'm 20 years old and over the passed 3 years I have rarely been out, I know what your all thinking, you're young, you should be out living life not keep yourself locked away. Anyway, 3 weeks ago I had my first anxiety attack, now every day since they have been following me around like a bad smell today has been the worst I have had, I didnt even have a wink of sleep last night even. I have no clue what triggered these attacks, I am such a laid back, easy going person and then my sister goes and sprays too much deodrant in a room I was in and now I can't stop being anxious. lol I have been on 40mg of propranolol (i think thats how you spell it) since last thursday but these passed few days they dont seem to be working. My question is, do you have any tips on how to stay calm? to help me sleep I have found doing a logic game on my Ipod (sounds silly but it seems to relax me) I have also found writing relaxes me too, but none of these seem to be working today, my heart is racing like the clappers, my left arm tingles and It's takign every ounce of strength in me to fight my body from hyperventilating. So any fellow panickers want to share some calming tips with a little welsh girl. Haha

Thanks guys =)

Hi again,

I think that anyone would go nuts if their sibling sprayed lots of deoderant around the place. Those stings stink to high Heaven. Anyway, I can't remember what the other issue we were talking about was (on the other thread you started) but for this particular problem you should try to plan ahead your day so that you will know what is ahead of you. By doing this, your anxiety should decrease as the day progresses. Basically, don't ever leave anything variable/open, and try to grasp an understanding of everything you're about to do, or everywhere you're about to go.

Kevin

Isit possible for the anxiety to occur after a huge fall out with a best mate? it was a couple of weeks after we had both argued but I was wondering whether it was a delayed reaction. The reason I ask is because he is the only friend I have lmao

Hello,

The way usually deal with anxiety is to acknowledge whats going on ( the tingly arms and racing heart ) and tell myself that its just my anxiety and if i ignore it it will pass, that usually helps. OR sometimes I lay there and do math problems or color or play some sort of game until i am completely relaxed and im calm again. Oh and camamille ( or however you spell it) completely helps calm you down as well i drink 2 cups usally before i go to bed it helps tire me out so i can fall asleep =) hope any of that can help

I talk myself out of it basically.
Like sunshine mentioned telling yourself that it's OK that it is just anxiety, that it will pass works for me. I acknowledge it basically, knowing that I've felt it before many many times and it always goes away no matter how bad I feel.
If it's a huge issue with something in particular no matter how anxiety ridden I am I will face it dead on until the anxiety disappears, then the more I do it the less it happens until it vanishes.

I drug myself out of it basically,
after living ten years in the darkness of a chronic anxiety,
ten years of trying to
talk my way out of it (therapy)
run my way out of it (fitness)
meditate my way out of it (TM)
work my way out of it (Work hard)
I realized that all the blood, sweat and tears haven't
made any difference at all, when it came to allay or eliminate
my painful everyday symptoms.
So with that in mind, I finally surrended to medication and discovered
that drugs like Rivotril and Lyrica,
ended the suffering, little by little,
and today I'm a lot more self-confident
and brave, than I've ever been,
I never go a day without medication,
it has given the life I thought I've lost back,
and I can't describe how greateful I am for that.

Just get hope from the fact that everyone is different. There are lots of things that have helped different people with anxiety attacks and generalized anxiety. The safest things to start with would be cognitive behavioral therapy, meditation, exercise -- things that don't put you on meds. But, some people do need meds. Just find a good doctor who knows what they are doing with the prescription -- not just someone who doesn't realize they may be missing out on other options for you. Also, if something like hairspray or perfume sets off your anxiety, you may be chemically sensitive and need to find a way to set up your home and work situations so that you minimize your exposures to environmental chemicals. Do you have trouble in certain kinds of stores? Or in things like the cleaning product aisle in a grocery store? The Human Ecology Action League may have some help for you, if so. they are at http://www.healnatl.org. Good luck!