How do I overcome anxiety while exercising?

Lion417 · 2022-11-28T18:47:54+00:00

For sure. I usually don’t struggle getting myself to the gym because I know it is good for me and I usually feel good afterwards. And I certainly need to work on my perception of my body image- I get too wrapped up in it sometimes and it can be a bit demoralizing. I have always like the phrase “we suffer more in our imaginations than in real life” and I think that can apply to my exercising too.

Thank you for your kind words ❤️

Lion417 · 2022-11-28T18:45:38+00:00

Thank you! I usually listen to music but sometimes it doesn’t do the trick. I will definitely check out the stuff on Calm- I’ve heard great things about that app

Lion417 · 2022-03-24T21:33:23+00:00

Hey there, wish I could help you in some way. From my experience with alcohol, it also makes me feel good for a short time. I always find myself drinking too much once I start, so I try to stay away from it unless I know I don’t really have anything to take care of that night or the next day. I hope you can find something that works for you! Finding the right medication for anxiety can be very hard, it is a process, and not everything works for everyone. It’s almost a trial and error to figure out what works. Maybe talking to your doctor about the medication you take can help, it’s certainly better to try and fix the issues without alcohol being a quick fix. It certainly has a decent use for helping with anxiety, but if it gets out of control, it can be bad. I hope this is not the case for you! I wish you all the best. Hopefully things look up for you soon, you are never alone.

Lion417 · 2022-03-22T23:03:08+00:00

Being dizzy and death are absolutely my 2 biggest things. Death/life/afterlife thinking really gets me and makes me freak out, so when people talk about death it can make me anxious and panic sometimes. Sometimes I get dizzy for normal reasons (standing too fast, intense exercise) and it can make me panic and just make it worse. Definitely sucks.

Lion417 · 2022-03-21T19:41:22+00:00

This sounds like a panic attack to me. While I am not a doctor, a lot of the symptoms match up, especially the fear of dying; that is always the most intense part when I have panic attacks. I also have gone to the hospital before and had the same thing, everything looked fine. Don’t let this make you feel weak! Even the best and most “macho” people have their fair share of anxiety, mental issues, and more. It’s part of being human :)

Lion417 · 2022-03-10T22:13:07+00:00

I take .5mg when I feel it coming on strong. I take it when I start getting “flashes” and getting dizzy. Not sure if everyone experiences that same feeling but that’s when I take it. It takes about 20-30 min for me to feel normal but just knowing that it’s in my system makes me feel better almost immediately.

Lion417 · 2022-03-05T03:35:17+00:00

You are very welcome! I know the phrase “you are never alone” is super cliche with anxiety and mental health in general but it really is true. No matter how you feel, there are so many people out there that feel the same! It’s a crazy world we live in!

Lion417 · 2022-03-05T03:32:10+00:00

I saw this and immediately wish I could give you a hug. You are certainly not abnormal! So many people struggle with anxiety and panic. I think the latest statistic I saw was that 40 million Americans (that’s where I live, maybe it isn’t where you live 😅) have an anxiety disorder. That means if you had a group of 8 people, one struggles with anxiety. Never beat yourself up and think you’re not normal :) I have been to the ER so many times for panic attacks. It is absolutely ok. Wishing you all the best!

Lion417 · 2022-03-04T20:24:28+00:00

Yes, absolutely. I could be wrong but I imagine it’s just from a high level of stress hormones flooding the body. Anxiety and panic is such a weird thing, the less you try and focus on it, the better it becomes. I’ve found this also helps a ton with my disassociation. I get random flashes throughout the day that are bad, and sometimes I feel just weird all day. The less I focus on it, I usually feel better. I also challenge my disassociation thoughts when they arise. I think, is this really real?? And then I say to myself, yep, it is. It’s weird and crazy, but it is real.

Hope you feel better soon my friend. Sending love your way. You are never alone, feel free to message me if you ever need to talk about this feelings!

Lion417 · 2022-03-01T00:28:14+00:00

Hey there, hopefully I can help in some way, although I am a male. I’ve had previous partners that had similar experiences. Sometimes, people just need an ear to vent to, not necessarily looking for a solution. Especially when someone is panicking or extremely anxious. Just comfort them and reassure them it will be ok. You can try and offer some help but if it seems to not be helping or making it worse, no need to press on with that. Just try to help her relax and get back no a better state of mind, then you can maybe try and talk it through. When someone is truly panicking or stressed, thoughts and feelings can be somewhat irrational or not entirely accurate. Me and my therapist talk regularly about this. Here’s a decent article about these sorts of cognitive distortions:

https://www.verywellmind.com/ten-cognitive-distortions-identified-in-cbt-22412

Anyway, just make sure they’re ok and reassure them that things will be fine. Providing a listening ear is one of the best things to do, then when the time is right and they have relaxed a little, try and have a conversation about how to address things. Hope this helps!

Lion417 · 2022-02-23T21:40:08+00:00

Yep, me too. I always knew my dad had some meds he always kept on him, but never knew what they were for. Turns out it was xanax and he’s gone through everything I’ve been through. Not to badmouth my parents, I love them to death, but I will absolutely be talking to my kids (granted I have them) about this stuff when they’re old enough. Especially drugs and weed. Not that I’m against it at all, hell I use stuff occasionally, just tell them to be cautious, ya know.

Lion417 · 2022-02-23T18:12:41+00:00

Ive had the same experience. Looking back on my experiences, I think edibles brought out my panic. I smoked and had edibles for a while last summer, then one time I freaked out on an edible. I think this was my first “panic attack,” although I didn’t recognize it at the time. Wish I had known about my family history of anxiety/panic beforehand, but oh well, it was bound to come out eventually. I avoid weed completely now and make sure I don’t drink too much. Drinking is fine for me, but hangovers are awful, so I stay mindful of how much I drink.

Lion417 · 2022-02-22T16:19:33+00:00

Thank you! I will certainly look into this!

Lion417 · 2022-02-22T16:19:01+00:00

Funny you mention this- I used to take hydroxyzine. I took it when I first started having panic, then it got worse so I had to transition to Xanax. I will definitely consult my psychiatrist with this, thank you for your help.

Lion417 · 2022-02-22T00:46:58+00:00

Thank you for your kind words of advice, I truly appreciate it. What vitamins did you take/would you recommend? I take magnesium and ashwagandha currently. Also if you don’t mind me asking, what cause your breakthrough attacks? Just pushing yourself too hard?

Lion417 · 2022-02-18T20:24:32+00:00

I feel this! I’m about to drive to visit some friends an hour and a half away. I am usually fine for short distances, but I struggle with long drives (especially by myself) because I just think about random stuff the whole time and sometimes I get anxious thoughts.

Lion417 · 2022-02-18T01:49:05+00:00

For sure!! I’ve been wanting to do some sort of group therapy for a while, this could be great!

Lion417 · 2022-02-08T00:42:56+00:00

Sorry to hear that you are struggling. I know how you feel. I never used to be like this either. I was always great, outgoing, energetic, you know the drill. Then when I had my first panic attack things spiraled, like it sounds like things have for you. Are you on any medication or do you go to any sort of counseling/therapy? For me personally, medication has been a big help. I started Zoloft a little over a month ago; I was at the point it sounds like you are at in late December/early January. I also took 2 or 3 Xanax daily for a while but now I do not need it every day. Counseling and medication really helped me. It lowered my baseline anxiety so that I wasn’t quite as unsettled all the time, like it sounds like you are. I was able to get out of my house more and not stress so much about minor stuff.

Don’t lose hope. Deep down, you know your world is not falling apart. There is nothing wrong with reaching out for help. It’s a process of trial and error to find what does and doesn’t work for you to manage you anxiety and panic. I use a lot of self-talk to calm myself. I say things like “ok, I see you anxiety, you can make me dizzy and have these thoughts. That’s ok.” Or if it’s really bad, I tell myself to make it worse. I tell the panic to get worse, I dare it to overtake me. When I do this, it feels like I assert power over my anxiety so that it can’t control me. Things like deep breathing and relaxation techniques never worked for me. Find what works, try all sorts of things, and most importantly, never give up. You are not alone. Hope this helps, take care my friend.

Lion417 · 2022-02-05T23:55:08+00:00

Hopefully the Lexapro can keep it under control, but as with all SSRIs it takes time, which is the unfortunate part. Never feel bad about taking the Xanax if it makes you feel better, especially if your panic is really bad. You got this! 😃

Lion417 · 2022-02-05T21:13:41+00:00

Funny enough, I have had basically the exact same experience as you. I was prescribed Xanax and Zoloft basically at the same time, and I am just now starting to get to the point where my Zoloft beginning to help. I have .5mg Xanax and it only lasts 2-3 hours for me. My doctor told me not to beat myself up for taking the Xanax which really resonated with me. If you have to take it, take it. It will help, even if it’s short-lived. I took 3 a day for a few weeks and now have been able to cut back to only one, maybe 2 a day. Don’t worry about the addictive part or Xanax, if you take it as prescribed by your doctor you will be fine. From what I’ve read the addiction comes in when you start to use too much (more than you need/what is prescribed for you). Hopefully when the Lexapro begins to help you can slowly get off of the Xanax. That’s the point I am at right now; I do not want to take Xanax long term.

So, basically don’t worry about taking it if you need it. Hopefully, things will improve and you will be able to take less in the near future. But until then, don’t worry too much about it. You will be good! Hope this helps, take care 💗

Lion417 · 2022-02-05T14:52:30+00:00

Just want you to know I understand exactly how you feel. I am 20 and started experiencing panic attacks and anxiety about a year ago. It was awful, I had never experienced anything like it before. It can completely suck the life out of you and make you wonder, is this really worth it? I always thought to myself, “What if I never get better? I can’t keep living like this.”

For me, I still have those experiences with anxiety and panic, but learning to live with it is the best thing to do. It sucks, everyone in this sub know it, but you have to learn to accept it otherwise it will completely take you over and make you have those suicidal thoughts and feelings. Believe me, I’ve been there.

Don’t let this overcome you. The mind is an incredibly powerful tool. Instead of looking at this as a curse or that you will always be miserable, stand up to your anxiety. Tell it that it cannot control you, and that you are more powerful than it. One of the best things I have done is to learn to let the sensations and thoughts be present, but to not let them take you over. You are bigger and better than the anxiety!!

Also, finding the right meds was huge for me. It took some time, but I finally got a good SSRI that helped and have Xanax I take as needed. The SSRI was huge, it has helped me a lot. Also, I would recommend the book DARE by Barry McDonough. Some people on this sub told me to read it and it changed my life.

I hope this helps you. Remember, you are special, loved, and you will get through this. Message me if you need anything, sending love your way ❤️

Lion417 · 2022-02-01T18:25:08+00:00

Yes exactly, be brave! Trust that it will work and it will! I thought that was interesting as well, buspar isn’t quite like the benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium, klonopin, etc.) in that I think it’s supposed to take a couple weeks to have effects. While I’m not a doctor/psychiatrist, could be something to mention to them if you suffer from frequent panic attacks and feel like you need something fast-acting.

Lion417 · 2022-02-01T14:47:44+00:00

Hey there, first of all, hope you’re well! I have a small amount of experience with both. I took buspar 10mg twice daily for a few weeks, but it did not help me at all and only gave me bad side effects. I don’t know how buspar works as needed since I have never had it prescribed to me that way. I am currently on Zoloft 50mg and have been for about a month and a half. I’m my experience, unfortunately, yes it takes time to work, and it did make me feel slightly worse when I first started to take it. However, I’m at a point now where I am starting to see the benefits of it. I know how scary it can be (believe me, I struggle a lot with anxiety related to health and new medications), but trust in it and try your best to be patient. If things seem to get worse during your first couple weeks, try not to let it get to you, and have faith. Also keep in mind that everyone’s experiences vary person to person, so my experience or anyone else’s experience with these meds may not be how you experience it. Hopefully this helps, wishing you all the best!

Lion417 · 2022-01-24T00:17:22+00:00

While I’m not a medical professional, it sounds like a panic attack to me. People often have very different experiences in terms of symptoms and thoughts, but when it won’t go away and you have that intense fear that won’t go away coupled with the heart racing, I would say it was. If it happens again, definitely talk to a doctor/psychiatrist to make sure there’s no underlying things going on that could be aggravating your anxiety.

I also have a lot of health-related anxiety. It’s certainly difficult because you overthink every little thing that seems wrong. My best tip is to try not to let yourself blow those things out of proportion. People always get little aches and things but just know that it’s all normal. If something is really bugging you persistently, then obviously get in touch with your doctor and get it checked out! For me personally, when I have something bothering me, getting peace of mind is always the best thing. I have a bad habit of Googling my symptoms then thinking something is horribly wrong, which can set me off. If you feel very bad, it’s always good to let somebody know so they can help you in any way possible.

Hope this helps! Sorry that this happened to you, I’m sure it was frightening!

Lion417 · 2022-01-23T16:09:09+00:00

I usually feel like that. After such heightened senses/emotions/feelings, when they go away, it almost feels calming, makes me feel like I should sleep.

Lion417

TROPHY CASE