# How do you deal with anxiety? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 19, 2017, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-anxiety/796678 "2017-09-19T01:02:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-anxiety/796678/21 "2017-09-19T20:47:20Z")
I’ve suffered from anxiety my whole life. The only lasting solution I’ve had is consistent exercise. If I get 3-4 hard workouts a week to the point of exhaustion my mind and body are too tired to feel stress. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-anxiety/796678/22 "2017-09-19T21:17:18Z")
Pictures or videos of Unlikely Animal Friends is the cure. ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-anxiety/796678/23 "2017-09-19T21:47:28Z")
When I get anxious, I look for the thoughts in my mind that are making me anxious. Things like ‘I can’t do this’ or ‘If I get this wrong, people will hate me’ I write them down and evaluate them. Often that in itself makes me less anxious. The next step is to write down the opposite (I can do this. If I get this wrong, I will be OK) and just entertain that as a possibility, just to see where that goes. I usually end up in a better place thinking thoughts like that. ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-anxiety/796678/24 "2017-09-19T23:43:22Z")
Hypnosis CDs Paul McKenna - (Guided Hypnosis) Its free on youtube. Please do give it a serious try. Works for me. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2DtfErdVXg) ---
**Author:** ![trapezoidal\_jellyfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6f9a4e/32.png) [@trapezoidal\_jellyfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trapezoidal_jellyfish)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-anxiety/796678/25 "2017-09-20T01:58:43Z")
Thanks, all! Sounds like exercise, and walking in particular, have been helpful for a lot of you. I took a long walk through a park in the rain earlier, which was very calming. Today was the first day in weeks that I didn’t wake up feeling nauseous because I was anxious about work. I’m going to see if I can start my leave of absence effective immediately, instead of waiting until October. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-anxiety/796678/26 "2017-09-20T03:19:11Z")
> **[The song to listen to if you want to significantly reduce your anxiety in...](https://www.businessinsider.com/the-song-that-could-reduce-your-anxiety-in-less-than-10-minutes-2016-11)** > > Give this song a listen to relax. Music can help you relax when you have anxiety, my ex husband got anxiety attack and he would like to watch our fish to help him relax . I posted a video of music to help you relax . Laughing can help you relax too, you could have really funny movies . Have you though of volunteering at an animal shelter , there are a lot lonely dogs and cats that would love your company . Take care. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-anxiety/796678/27 "2017-09-20T03:47:55Z")
Lots and lots of pot…works for me! ymmv ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-anxiety/796678/28 "2017-09-20T03:52:46Z")
Long time sufferer from many different types on the anxiety-depression-ocd spectrum. I have some foolproof ways that can work, depending on how dedicated you are. First, figure out your triggers, what causes anxiety. If you don’t have any and it is generalized, recognize this fact. Remember when the anxiety flares up that there is nothing wrong, you are in control, you are just having a symptom of something gone haywire in your brain. It is a symptom of a disorder, a malfunction. Not you, not your fault. If you have triggers, try to confront them slowly, as much as you can each day, try for 20-30 minutes at a time, and don’t run away, avoid the trigger or situation, or do anything to try and get rid of the anxiety, except telling yourself that all is fine, and the anxiety will pass. IT ALWAYS does, no exceptions. I know this is much easier said than done, but I promise you it works. If you keep confronting it and don’t do anything to make it go away, the severity will lessen, it always does. (I was skeptical myself, doing this, but found it really does work, takes a few times, but you will notice the difference). The more you confront it and don’t run away from it, and realize it is just a symptom of a disorder and that there is nothing wrong, and nothing wrong with you, the easier it will get, and each time you do, it gets better. It really is best to try the above with some type of anti-anxiety/depression medication, notably an SSRI. That is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Most people with anxiety are deficient in serotonin, or it gets reabsorbed as fast as it gets released. Zoloft, Luvox, and Effexor are really good choices here. If you have mostly anxiety, with moderate depression, Zoloft is best, for OCD related stuff, Luvox is the best. If purely generalized anxiety, Effexor is promising. They take about 4-6 weeks to kick in fully, sometimes less depending on how severe your issues are. In that time, practice the above. Also, if you have 20 dollars and 20 minutes, you can attempt to fix it yourself until you get medication or control of it. Let there be skeptics, but as I have mentioned in other posts, there is a safe (can’t overdose or die from it) option with tons of medical research supporting it. It is a vitamin-like substance called INOSITOL (yes readers, you knew it was coming). It works miracles in alleviating and taking the edge off of the anxiety so you can brush it off, quickly. Buy the powdered form from a supplement/vitamin shop (GNC, VitaminShoppe, whatever). Take 12 grams a day for anxiety. It is mildly sweet, but flavorless for the most part, you can add it to soft drinks or milk, or food, you won’t taste it. Like I said, it is 100% non toxic, you will not have issues from taking it. It has been known to kick in after about 2-3 days and reach full effect within 4-6 weeks. It works. Mild exercise also works, but is only a temporary distraction, and if you have your heart racing and try to work out, you won’t get far before you give up. You’re already mentally exhausted, physical exhaustion will not help. It is a distraction. (Exercise is of course always a good thing, don’t get me wrong). I have panic disorder and mild depression(the “i don’t give a crap” kind), diagnosed when I was 15. Terrible. Zoloft fixed these right up. I also have OCD (age 23) and the steps I listed above and the Inositol combined with the Zoloft (its safe to take them together), do wondered. I used to get anxiety from the OCD that is so excessive, it destroyed entire days, where all I want to do is sleep, and would make sure I underslept, just so I could fall asleep easy to escape. My heart rate was always up, and I was miserable. The stuff I mentioned, worked for me. It worked well. I can function again and never miss obligations or work or anything due to it, anymore. Best of Luck, if you have any questions, PM me. I have been dealing with anxiety for over 14 years. ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-anxiety/796678/29 "2017-09-20T03:54:00Z")
> [@ThisSpaceForRent](#): > > Lots and lots of pot…works for me! > > ymmv Used to work for me as a teenager, but it inevitably makes the anxiety much, much worse. I’d advise against this, a panic or anxiety attack when stoned will really screw you up, it amplifies the terror you feel. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-anxiety/796678/30 "2017-09-20T03:58:25Z")
> [@anomalous1](#): > > Used to work for me as a teenager, but it inevitably makes the anxiety much, much worse. > > I’d advise against this, a panic or anxiety attack when stoned will really screw you up, it amplifies the terror you feel. Find the right strain of pot. Different qualities…this ain’t your grandpa’s weed anymore. Strains have been bred for different effects. ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-anxiety/796678/31 "2017-09-20T04:07:34Z")
> [@ThisSpaceForRent](#): > > Find the right strain of pot. Different qualities…this ain’t your grandpa’s weed anymore. Strains have been bred for different effects. Nothing against pot here at all. Even when I smoked I only had the best stuff. Most dealers or friends have cycling types and not a stable availability, most people don’t have access to consistently same quality stuff all the time, and pot in general is known to aggravate anxiety in many people. Just giving OP a warning about it. Unless of course he has access to a dispensary where he can pick the types. Then I am all for it. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahsparkles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba8739/32.png) [@Sarahsparkles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahsparkles)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-anxiety/796678/32 "2017-09-20T11:22:35Z")
Stop what your doing Breathe deep breaths and count to 5 because nobody has time for 10.😋😋😋😋 ---
**Author:** ![Jennshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Jennshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennshark)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-anxiety/796678/33 "2017-09-20T14:18:56Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > If it’s interfering with your work, you might want to consider medication. There are lots of options. It’s not just Benzos or nothing. There are things you can take everyday that raise your threshold so you can “put up with” a lot more before you reach panic attack. I know someone who was up to two 4mgs of Valium a day, and wanted an alternative, and started taking something called Topamax. It’s a very new antipsychotic, with no weight-gain potential, that is also used to treat migraines. Taken every day, you stop feeling it after about a week (I take it for insomnia), but it definitely raises your threshold for tolerance on anxiety producing stimuli. For me, it’s going to bed. Makes my mind race, and keeps me awake. Not anymore on Topamax. > > I take a does way below that of people who take it for seizures, and I think even below that of people who take it for migraines. No side effects (not even the weight loss one). > > And that’s just one one many, many non-benzo, non-barbiturate alternatives. There are about seven different classes of drugs, with on average, 10 drugs per class, most of them on the market less than 15 years. Most are very clean (ie, few side effects), and are useful for anxiety in very low doses. Some of them are antipsychotics, but don’t let that throw you. People with schizophrenia take 200-400mg of a drug that people who take it for anxiety may take 25-50mg of. > > Please see a doctor. This ^^ You have my sympathies, I went through a rough patch a few years ago and had paralyzing anxiety/panic attacks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-anxiety/796678.md?page=1)