Does anyone have any calming down tips??

[Gem Can't Switch Off]

Hi everyone,

I was just wondering if anyone had any really good tips for calming down a panic attack?

And also for insomnia?? :scared15:

I'm using herbal remedies but no medication and I can't seem to get on top of things.

Any recommendations would be SO helpful

Thank you!!!

xxx

[Trixie]

I don't suffer from HA (thank goodness) but I do worry about my cats if I have felt myself getting really anxious about them I slap my face and say pull yourself together you stupid bitch.


I don't normally swear and it seems to do the trick.


I personally feel that if I was to give in to any worries I might have I would never do anything. Mind you it does help that I am a laid back person with a good sense of humour.

My daughter suffers from OCD, agraphobia, social paranoia and anxiety but I would never say such things to her.

[jannnne]

Hello, I have had bad boughts of insomnia and panic. For panic I normally find making myself do stuff even though I don't want too helps, I try to make myself really really busy all the time. I also try to have a plan like, make a doc appt and then say to myself its ok in so many hours I will see the doc and I will tell him everything. For insomnia, if its not too bad nytol helps but I must admit diazepam for two or three nights helps break the cycle along with a deep relaxation CD, no caffine or alcohol either. Hope this helps you Love Jane x

[LeeBee]

Glad that works for you Trix... seems a bit mean though. Your poor cheek. Do you really deserve a slap for being worried about your cats? I agree that being able to laugh at yourself is hugely helpful, I often laugh at myself when I get into a tizz about some anxiety or other. It can diffuse the anxiety and make me realise that I am overreacting. It is kind of funny. Hee.

BUT... if you don't accompany it with genuine, good-natured humour I think that telling yourself to "snap out of it" can have quite a negative effect. I found that telling myself to pull myself together when I was depressed led to more negative feelings about me: that I was being an idiot for feeling the way I did, why couldn't I just get on with it and stop being so pathetic, that I was useless, worthless etc etc. And that just made me more depressed.

What started to bring me out of it was just being a bit nicer to myself, and more patient. I realised that I was properly depressed, I wasn't just being silly.

Gem, I find distraction the best thing for helping calm me down, ditto insomnia. Having my mind happily engaged with something stops me focusing on my panic attack and "oh my god, I'm going to die" thoughts. And if I think about something else, rather than the fact that I can't get to sleep, I'm much more likely to nod off. Maybe have a think about what might work as a distraction for you. Cleaning or sorting through a drawer or something sometimes works, other times I just watch a DVD or read a book. Or come on here :).

[Gem Can't Switch Off]

Trixie, brilliant attitude, made me laugh!! Not sure it'll help every time when I'm in the grips of panic attack, but I'll try it!!!

Jane, and LeeBee, great idea about the distraction, it does definitely help when I'm busy as my panic is worse at night when I stop rushing around and when I'm trying to sleep. This site is helping alot too, thanks guys!

LeeBee- I agree with the feeling like an idiot and being hard on yourself part, I know it's irrational sometimes, but when I get physical symptoms like palpitations and blurred vision I can't just snap out of it. I hate lying there thinking "GO TO SLEEEEEEP" as it makes it worse, then i find myself getting angry because I can't sleep!! Vicious circle!! I'll try getting up and reading as that really takes my mind off things

Thanks so much for the advice so far, any more will be great xx

[BNCfan]

Something I find helps me get off to sleep - suggested by a brilliant psychologist some years ago - is to put the radio on or a 'talking' book, with the volume so low that you really have to concentrate to hear it. It worked like a dream (no pun intended) for me. As for dealing with panic symptoms I've used everything from a good slap, swearing & shouting at myself - using a punch ball was brilliant, but I don't have one - walking is very therapeutic, just putting one foot in front of the other. I find if you repeat a little 'mantra' in your head as you walk - mine is "every step is making me better, every step is healing me" - helps distract me from the panic symptoms. Sadly my worst panics are at night and the area of London I live in isn't exactly the safest place after dark.

Hope you find something useful here. Good luck.

[Trixie]

Something I find helps me get off to sleep - suggested by a brilliant psychologist some years ago - is to put the radio on or a 'talking' book, with the volume so low that you really have to concentrate to hear it. It worked like a dream (no pun intended) for me. As for dealing with panic symptoms I've used everything from a good slap, swearing & shouting at myself - using a punch ball was brilliant, but I don't have one - walking is very therapeutic, just putting one foot in front of the other. I find if you repeat a little 'mantra' in your head as you walk - mine is "every step is making me better, every step is healing me" helps distract me from the panic symptoms. Sadly my worst panics are at night and the area of London I live in isn't exactly the safest place after dark.

Hope you find something useful here. Good luck.


moved my message to correct place.

[BNCfan]

Trixie, are you implying that I've been offensive in some way? I certainly didn't mean to be. I do shout at myself, slap myself and I've used a punch ball in the past - it helps burn off the adrenaline. I'm not suggesting you slap, shout at or punch anybody else. My anxiety is so strong it takes tough measures to deal with it and I have to cope with it on my own in ways that work for me. I wouldn't ever even think of harming anybody else. I'm just not that fond of myself.

I'm sorry to hear your daughter suffers so badly. I had no intention of hurting anyone's feelings, I think you might have misread what I wrote.

[Trixie]

Trixie, are you implying that I've been offensive in some way? I certainly didn't mean to be. I do shout at myself, slap myself and I've used a punch ball in the past - it helps burn off the adrenaline. I'm not suggesting you slap, shout at or punch anybody else. My anxiety is so strong it takes tough measures to deal with it and I have to cope with it on my own in ways that work for me. I wouldn't ever even think of harming anybody else. I'm just not that fond of myself.

I'm sorry to hear your daughter suffers so badly. I had no intention of hurting anyone's feelings, I think you might have misread what I wrote.

NO NOT AT ALL ! I should have added that what I said to myself I would never say to my daughter.

My fault for not explaining myself properly. I am going to remove my comment and put it under my post as I don't want you to get upset.:flowers::yesyes:

[BNCfan]

Thanks Trixie, I was worried that I'd in some way hurt your feelings, I wouldn't do that for the world.

[Trixie]

Thanks Trixie, I was worried that I'd in some way hurt your feelings, I wouldn't do that for the world.


Good Lord no, you couldn't do that I have quite a tough shell (as a nurse I needed one). I do get very upset about animal welfare though (and very cross as well).:winks::bighug1:

[NumbForest]

Hiya,
I don´t really have any tips for insomnia at all. I suffer fromn it but the way I counter it is I put on the tv and fall asleep to that. I find though that does not help many other people. so sorry.
I do however have a few tips to help calm down a panic attack, even though these may seem obviouse, once I started to do them I found they really do work.
First I try to stop hyperventalating by slowing down my breathing, taking one deem breath in through my nose and then slowly letting it out. It´s amazing how fast that can get your breathing back to normal then you feel you can breath again. Next I try to counteract the thoughts going through my head, cause otherwise I find the panic attack only returns. I do this first by telling myself it won´t kill me. Then I tell myself all the reasons I know that I am healthy. Then if all that fails I do Aly¡though sometimes this does not work I fond alot of the time it does. I hope this helps a little, take care Samm x

[june]

not intended as being silly
I really do say my times tables by rote to help me fall asleep.
I also use the alphabet to start with girls names beginning with each letter.
boys names
fruit (get stuck anyone know a fuit beginning with I??)
Just a thought
I really do hope it helps someone else.
Best wishes
june