Anyone here deal with anxiety?

[TheGame]

I have been battling anxiety for 16 years.
It got worse after my daughter died.
Been trying to ween off Xanax while trying some natural supplements.

Does anyone here use something that's effective and not prescription based or Marijuana.
It severely disrupts my sleep and until a few weeks ago I wouldn't go out on traffic calls for our CERT team. That's also pandemic related.
It should come as no surprise that people hate emergency road closures.
I'm high risk and don't want to risk dealing with unmasked people.
Any help would be appreciated.

[Puckluck]

Re: Anyone here deal with anxiety?

JD,
I'm afraid in the non prescription arena I can't be of any help. Let me just get behind you and say you're doing the right thing according to doctors and people I talk with, that as you get older, being on the alprazolam/Xanax medication will have bad effects (as yes, probably any prescription medication) on memory and a few other things that have been tested. I'll see what I can find out from my doc.

[TheGame]

Re: Anyone here deal with anxiety?

Thanks Puck.

[BettinMan]

Re: Anyone here deal with anxiety?

I have a great suggestion for you that meets your criteria. Check out the Wim Hof Method at wimhofmethod.com. It is a simple breathing technique that shows quick and powerful results (it also combines controlled cold-temperature exposure in the form of finishing off your showers with cold water, but doing the breathing method alone shows many benefits if you are unwilling to take on the cold exposure side of it). There are many scientific data backing up the method and it has been written about in a few well-respected scientific journals. There are also thousands of testimonials from people who've used it and continue to use it successfully. I'll explain the general breathing technique in depth:

1. Find a safe environment (not driving a car or in a body of water) and either sit upright on the floor or a comfy chair, or lay down on the floor (I find laying down is most effective).
2. Take 30-40 deep breaths with no pause between inhalation and exhalation (it is like controlled hyper ventilation - you can inhale through your nose or mouth or both, but exhale out your mouth).
(i.) On your inhales, breathe deep into your belly area so that if you're lying down your belly rises above your chest. Once your belly area is full, allow your chest to continue filling up with air and follow the flow of breath all the way up to your head area; your inhales should be very deep, but DO NOT FORCE it. The goal is to do this breathing method deeply but without any extra force and maintain a sense of relaxation throughout.
(ii.) On your exhales, don't force the air out at all, but rather just let go completely. Allow the air to flow out naturally (not all the air will exit your lungs since you're not forcing, it'll feel like only about half of what you just breathed in deeply was let go) and then start the process over again for 30-40 of these breaths without pause - you may feel tingling sensations and this is good; it is your entire body receiving much needed oxygen into deep tissues and even on the cellular level (mitochondria).
3. The retention breath. After you've done the 30-40 breaths or start to feel very tingly, take one more deep inhale, let go to exhale but this time hold your breath; you will feel energy (the oxygen) flowing through your body and you'll be very surprised at how long you can hold your breath without air in your lungs! As you are in this retention breath, become aware of your body, your heart rate, and slowww it downnn. Become relaxed. Whenever you feel the urge to take in air once more, you will take your recovery breath.
4. The recovery breath. Go ahead and inhale deeply once more in the same way you did with the initial 30-40 breaths (belly, chest, head), and hold your breath at the top here this time. Hold here for 10-20 seconds, and let go to exhale. This completes one round of breathing and you can go right into the next round. Do 3-4 rounds of breathing at your convenience once or twice a day, and not within 90 minutes of eating (it's best done on an empty stomach).

You can youtube Wim Hof Method breathing bubble to have something to breathe along to if you like. Anyway, as you can see the only thing this method contains is breathing. It is convenient, effective and backed by science as well as thousands of testimonials. I urge you to browse the website and checkout the science and testimonials for yourself. Bottom line: I promise you if you follow those directions, that you will feel results the very first time you try this. Doing 3-4 rounds usually takes about 15 minutes. I hope you try it!

Best,
BettinMan

[TheGame]

Re: Anyone here deal with anxiety?

Thanks BettinMan

[Chamblin]

Re: Anyone here deal with anxiety?

Been fighting anxiety as long as I can remember. Found nothing that works.

[Michelangelo]

Re: Anyone here deal with anxiety?

I have a very long story to tell that I will try to abbreviate.

Ten years ago for a year and a half I had what I can only describe as bodily sensations, mostly in my head and upper body, neck chest, arms. I am not in any way exaggerating when I say that these sensations that would appear daily, sometimes three or four times a day, had me believing that either my body or mind was going to break resulting in some type of paralysis or death.

I live in Boston where there are some of the best doctors in the world at the Harvard teaching hospitals, one of which was responsible for my care. The head neurologist at this hospital came to see me, looked at my charts, looked at some machine that they had me hooked up to and just looked perplexed (as did every other medical professional I saw in that year and a half period). I asked him what he thought and the head neurologist at a Harvard teaching hospital, about a sixty year old man, told me that he "had never seen my combination of symptoms before" and had no idea what was wrong with me! Great!

Eventually a younger neurological doctor asked me if I had ever experienced anxiety. Me, assuming anxiety meant some form of fear, you know shaky hands or something that you might get if you were afraid of something like speaking in front of a large crowd or something, I said no. Truth is I've never allowed myself to have any fears other than rational fears like don't jump off a ten story building and expect to walk away. If I ever felt fear and I saw that many other "normal" people could or would do the particular thing that I might initially fear, I pushed myself to get by the initial fear and take whatever was creating that fear and overcome it. That approach eventually worked for me every time.

So despite my answer of "no" he asked if I would be open to trying a pill, and if that failed a different pill. I made it clear to him that as long as that pill didn't alter what I felt like every prior day of my life that I would be open to that - no altered state or getting high in any manner. He assured me that it wouldn't.

Eventually I got cured of the bodily sensations that had plagued me for a year and a half. And I felt no different than I ever had. No more thoughts of death or my body or mind snapping.

The cure - a little pill called citalopram once a day. And a secondary rescue pill called lorazepam which I haven't used in years.

The conclusion was that my body was manifesting anxiety in a way that is very rare. (I have also since figured out the combination of major life altering experiences I was going through simultaneously that likely triggered the bodily craziness).

Every once in a while I can feel one of the many odd and frightening sensations I used to have trying to surface in my body. But the medication won't let it blossom.

Not sure my little story will help but I hope it does, Game.

If you have any questions feel free to ask. I can't tell you how relieved I was when it became clear to me that I had been so innocuously cured from something that minds much brighter than mine could not diagnose.

[TheGame]

Re: Anyone here deal with anxiety?

Thanks guy's.
Trying different things, the breathing and the walking.
What's so strange and my doctor has witnessed.
I have this procedure I do at every show.
It's my life by Bon Jovi starts playing.
When it gets to the chorus lights go crazy, curtains open.
House lights pop on. I'm center stage.
Never have I had anxiety then or during a set.
Never had it in pro wrestling.
However, after I'm done and walk off stage.
It hits really bad and it takes me a few minutes to calm down.
Then I can face people.

My doctor came backstage at a show and witnessed it.
She asked how the hell can you do that and then have anxiety.
Therapist said it's adrenaline.
You're so focused in that moment. Your mind isn't getting overwhelmed with different thoughts.
When I'm working on my websites, no problem.
Once I stop, it hits.
As long as I can focus on something. It's not a problem.

[Michelangelo]

Re: Anyone here deal with anxiety?

Trying to copy something. Let's see if it works.

5 Calming Herbs To Soothe Anxiety

POSTED JULY 6, 2020 BY GENESIS IN ALL ARTICLES, BACKYARD PLANTS, HOUSEHOLD REMEDIES 12
Anxiety affects roughly 40 million adult Americans each year and the vast majority of them never receive treatment. Whatever your reasons for not wanting to take medications, you should be aware that there are medicinal herbs that can give you a calmer feeling naturally. You just need to know which herbs to use. The following five calming herbs are some of the best known for easing your stress and nerves.

Valerian Root

This calming plant is most often touted as a remedy for insomnia, but it’s also a good way to relieve your anxiety. Keep in mind that it can cause drowsiness and it should not be taken by pregnant or nursing women, or anyone on antidepressants or with liver issues.
Since valerian root tends to have a strong odor and taste, most people prefer to use it in capsule form. You can grind dried roots and place them in gel caps to make it simpler to take. Aim for 1-2 oz of root and take in the evening. It will help you sleep and ease anxiety for the coming day.
If you do choose to make tea, use 1 oz of the root in one cup of boiling water and steep for 5-6 minutes. It’s a good idea to blend this with other types of herbs to ease the flavor. Any of the herbs below will work well for this.



Chamomile


A mild tasting herb, chamomile is a great option for easing anxiety and it’s also very easy to prepare. If you enjoy tea, you can take this herb in tea form, but it’s also good in skin creams. The plant may be harvested once the flowers start to form and either used immediately while fresh, or dried for later use.
To prepare tea, use two tablespoons of fresh leaves and flowers or a tablespoon of dried chamomile in a cup of boiling water. Steep for up to 5 minutes and then drink to experience the calming effect. Alternatively, you can create a skin cream to apply, though this isn’t quite as effective as ingesting the herb.

If you have allergies to daisies or ragweed, you may have an allergic reaction to chamomile

Lemon Balm

This tasty herb has been used since medieval times to treat stress and anxiety. It’s a surprisingly powerful herb, particularly when taken regularly. You can pick the leaves when grown and dry them, or chop them up and use fresh.
Lemon balm can be used as is for tea, either a tablespoon of fresh leaves or a teaspoon of dry in a cup of hot water, or you can turn it into a tincture. Since the taste can be a little strong, many people prefer to blend the dried herb with other teas to create a better tasting drink. You can take the tea twice a day to treat anxiety and stress.
If you use a tincture, two drops in a cup of water will usually give the desired effect. You can also use lemon balm fresh in your food, but the amount you add is likely to be too little to relieve anxiety. With such a strong smell, this herb may be crushed and used for aromatherapy, too. Just mash a handful in your hand or with a mortar and pestle and inhale the scent, or drop into a warm bath and relax.


Lavender

Lavender is famous for its calming effect, but did you know there are multiple ways to use this plant? The flowers are the part most often used and lavender is very effective in aromatherapy, as well as ingested.
Pick the flowers in the morning, once the dew has dried and allow to dry naturally, while hanging in bunches. The dried flowers may be kept in a cool dry place. Another option is to extract the lavender’s essential oil or purchase this ready made.

To make tea, use the leaves of the lavender plant. Two tablespoons of fresh leaves or a tablespoon of dry in a cup of very hot water will give you the desired result when taken 2-3 times a day. You can also use it for aromatherapy, keeping a sprig of fresh lavender with you or using the essential oil. Some people also find adding a handful of dried or fresh flowers to a bath can help relax them. Another option is to tuck a few dried flowers inside your pillowcase to breathe in at night. It will help you calm down in the evenings and get a good night’s sleep, which is important to beating anxiety.



Ginger

Most commonly used as a remedy for stomach ailments, ginger may not seem like something you’d use for anxiety. However, it is quite effective and has been used for many generations for exactly that purpose. The root contains properties that counteract the negative effects of stress and anxiety, helping you calm down.
While you can use dried ginger, it’s best to have fresh gingerroot on hand. Keep it in the refrigerator to maintain freshness and mince 1 teaspoon of peeled ginger and adding to two cups of boiling water. Simmer for 10 minutes and add honey or lemon to soften the flavor. You can drink this up to three times a day to relieve anxiety.

If you choose to use powdered ginger, you can dry slices of the herb and then grind in to powder. Use it in your cooking for a mild effect or boil a teaspoon in a cup of water for 6 minutes. Like fresh tea, you can add honey and lemon for flavor.
Each of these wonderful herbs is a natural method of relaxing and bringing your anxiety levels down. As with all herbal medications, the results may vary, so it’s a good idea to see which option works best for you.

It’s also possible to combine more than one of these herbs to improve the effect. As they can all be made into teas, the simplest method is just to create a calming herbal tea with a variety of herbs to ease the symptoms of anxiety. The actual act of sipping a warm drink is often calming in and of itself.

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I grow stuff and purchased a book online on edible wild plants. Then they sucked me in to a zillion articles which they email me on plants.

This just came in recently.

Maybe it can be helpful.