Mental Health

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Dealing with anxiety without meds (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Hello,

I know there are tons of articles and videos about this topic on the internet. But I think I need to interact with real people with similar struggles (feel free to share articles and videos that have helped you, though).

I've always had anxiety problems, even as a kid. I got diagnosed late (at 30) with ADHD, depression and social anxiety, and I started taking meds for those. The meds helped, but after a year or so I stopped taking them, mainly because I was feeling better and they were too expensive. Unfortunately the cheaper options gave me too many side effects.

I can function without the meds. But this year is being really hard on me and my wife, and my anxiety is starting to get out of control again. I'm getting some panic attacks and they make me feel like shit.

Can you share some tips on what works for you when you are feeling anxious?

Thanks a lot and wish you the best.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

The things that helped me, more than any drug ever did, have been running (or any intense exercise you like), yoga, meditation, and eating health.

Running burns off some very frenetic energy that used to find it way to making me anxious and/or depressed. The more I push myself, the better it seems to work out. Plus, endorphins, yay.

Yoga and meditation both have helped me to accept feelings as what they are, and understand that they aren't inherently bad. It has also helped me to know that to do with my body, before the anxiety sets in, or if it gets that far, how to be ok with it. Breathing, unclenching jaw, relaxing muscles that have tensed up. Just those little actions takes my mind from the omg omg omg the world is closing in on me feeling, to oh wow that thing is making me want to freak out, but I don't have to.

Eating healthy has had many MANY benefits, and may not be the biggest contributing factor to anxiety, but not being amped up on sugar, fat, carbs, and caffeine probably a really good thing.