Overcoming Anxiety

[John]

I just picked up ''Overcoming Anxiety for Dummies'' & wow I didn't realize how much my anxiety has been a hindrance to me.

One section talks about hindrances to self-acceptance and that people (like me) that get down on themselves in a chronic, unrelenting way is nothing short of self-abuse.

That made me sit up straight in my chair and the light that went on over my head practically blinded me . . .

[lcdc1]

self abuse? My physc said I have anxiety issues? That does not sound like a good way to put it to me!

What is the real definition o f anxiety anyway? My physc asked me what anxiety was the other day and I guess like 3 times what it is and was apparently wrong. So what does the book say is the definition - my physc said something about worrying about issues and outcomes that are way off and something about expectations and soemthing else!

[John]

Anxiety is good for you. It helps you to take action. It mobilizes you for emergencies and warns you about potential problems. Be glad you have some anxiety, it helps you stay out of trouble.

Anxiety becomes a problem for you when:

1. Anxiety lasts uncomfortably long or occurs too often.

2. It interferes with doing what you want to do. *

3. Anxiety exceeds the level of actual danger or risk.

4. You struggle to control your worries, but you are unable
and never let up to your satisfaction.


For me #2 is the most reveling and troublesome of my anxiety problems.

This of course is just the Readers Digest list of what anxiety is or isn't.

Anxiety Disorders Association of America www.adaa.org
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill www.nami.org
Anxiety Self Help www.anxietyselfhelp.com

Have you ever noticed that the main ingredient of MENtally Ill is MEN ~ LoL

[rolypolyone]

Thanks for your post on anxiety John, I never really gave it much thought, but after reading on, I think I'll dig a little deeper on my end.
I think that anxiety affects a lot of people with ADHD.

[John]

Roly ~ and not just with ADD but I think also with the general population but many people don't pick up on it and think that's just how they 'are' and struggle to overcome it and after many years this can lead to more problems like Depression or a increase in their Level of Anxiety and on and on . . .

[lcdc1]

I am learning to recongnize signs of anxiety in myself with the help of my physc - today is an example.

I get physical signs I was not even aware of til a few months ago. Like today I have a tingling scalp, shallow breathing, chest muscle tightness caused by hunching up my shoulders and a stiff neck. The thing I am supposed to do when this happens is drop my shoulders, breath from my belly, and then try to figure out why I am anxious or worried and is there anything I can really do about whatever is getting to me?

I have to, and a lot of people with ADHD, have to learn to recognize the signs and stop to look at them and learn how to recognize them before they are overwhelmed by the anxeity that will cause your adrenaline to whack you out!

[mary2]

Interesting points about anxiety John.

My son has been dealing with anxiety for some time and it has been difficult for me to know how to help him. I have made a few changes in his routines and environment to try to make him feel more relaxed; maybe he has progressed a little bit, but I see that it is difficult for him. Right now he hardly has fingernails as a result of his anxiety; and it is so difficult for him to control this since he is just a child. I was thinking about giving him one of those rubber balls that he could work out with his hands in an attempt to save what he has left of his fingernails.

Any information or idea is welcomed here.

[lcdc1]

Feb 29, 2008 15:47:47 GMT -5 mary2 said:

Interesting points about anxiety John.

My son has been dealing with anxiety for some time and it has been difficult for me to know how to help him. I have made a few changes in his routines and environment to try to make him feel more relaxed; maybe he has progressed a little bit, but I see that it is difficult for him. Right now he hardly has fingernails as a result of his anxiety; and it is so difficult for him to control this since he is just a child. I was thinking about giving him one of those rubber balls that he could work out with his hands in an attempt to save what he has left of his fingernails.

Any information or idea is welcomed here.

I have those too mary and the koosh balls that I actually got from my physc, they help. BUT, hate to tell you, I still chew and have no fingernails!

[John]

Feb 29, 2008 15:47:47 GMT -5 mary2 said:

Interesting points about anxiety John.
Right now he hardly has fingernails as a result of his anxiety; and it is so difficult for him to control this since he is just a child. I was thinking about giving him one of those rubber balls that he could work out with his hands in an attempt to save what he has left of his fingernails.

Any information or idea is welcomed here.

They did mention the old 'rubber band on the wrist trick'' for habits/thought that one is trying to interrupt. When you want to say, chew your nails {Side Bar: Is this a mild form of self cannibalism-LoL} you would snap the rubber band on your wrist.

Both my kids chew their fingernails, DD is 17 & DS is 14. Sean even still chews his toenails ~ Yuck.

[lcdc1]

I never realized there were so many kinds of anxiety myself, did not know about it until recently. I guess you have to look at why you have anxiety and if you can fix any issues first and then deal with some coping mechanisms!

Grinding teeth and chewing my nails and skin around my nails is a sign that anxiety is getting to me!