Nervous all the time

[nhf]

So i am doing my best to try and keep my panic and anxiety in check this week as i know i'm starting to annoy the people around me with it.

I've found the last couple of days i just feel so nervous all the time. The only way i can describe the feeling is - its like the nerous feeling you get before a job interview or say waiting to go on a rollercoaster. Its there constantly just under the surface.

I'm not on medication, i have started to take Kalms to help and its brought the feeling down a bit but its still there niggling away at me jusst under the surface.

Anyone else feel like this and any suggestions on how i can make it go away?

[Veronica H]

Trying to contain the feelings as something that you feel other people do not have or will judge you for, is the mistake that we make. Try accepting that your nerves are sensitised, and although the symptoms are uncomfortable, you can not be harmed by them. As you tune in to the feelings and fight them, then so the cycle continues. Try to stay in the moment as much as you can. Paint a fence, do a word search or crossword....I know it sounds daft but it works. Avoid the 'what ifs' and give your nerves time to recover. Hang in there I know this is not easy.:bighug1:Vx

[nhf]

Thank you Veronica, some days i find easier than others. Its hard to believe there is nothing wrong some days when you feel so dreadful, i know deep down its anxiety its really hard to accept some days.

Will get there eventually (i hope!!) xx

[jill]

Hi hun :D:hugs:

I was like this, I called it my Boo, Mmmm you know, when someone jumped out at you from behind the door and shouts BOO :ohmy: and for a slit second your scared, then you rationalize how you feel, but for a little while longer you feel nervous, then you rationalize it more and then the feeling has gone and you laugh about it, SO YES, this is my BOO LOL, which everyone may get from time to time, when acute with anxiety, IT DOES pass in time. I did feel like I was stuck on my boo.

PLEASE try and help yourself understand that it is OK, to have this symptom, give it GOOD reason for being there, Mmmm lets face it hun, YOU DO HAVE a good reason, you have panic/anxiety, at this present moment in time, NOT forever, JUST FOR NOW, try and help yourself to understand that anxiety MAY happen, what helped me move forward a little, was to take the surprise away from panic/anxiety, watch my thoughts, IF I had panic/anxiety, this is what I have RIGHT now, SO, IF and a big IF it happens, then NO surprise there then. Taking the surprise away, helps you move forward a little.

I know its dame hard for you but, just let it be there, accept, give it good reason for being there, then go and try and totally distract yourself from how you feel.

It is, how we respond to a symptom that helps it stay there, but it can take time to go away too, your body and mind THINK, there is something wrong,
( false alarm ) just like when someone jumps out at you, so you have to learn how to reassure yourself, listen to what your body is telling you, acknowledge the symptom, please DON'T ignore it, again......

acknowledge the symptom..
give it good reason for being there, eg, " Its OK, I have anxiety right now, I am learning things ALL the time and I WILL learn how to get better, in time"

Then and only then, go and distract yourself.

From what I know, if you go STRAIGHT into distraction you are ignoring the natural mind and bodies protection mode, WE KNKOW, its a false alarm, but we need to learn how to reassure ourselves and this takes time and practice, practice practice.

Hope this has been of some help, even if it just knowing your not alone and this symptom does go away.

TAKE CARE

LOVE JILL XX

[nhf]

Thank you for your responce Jill - You make alot of sense and will try my best with your suggestions! x

I've just started reading one of the books by Dr Claire Weekes - Essential help for your nerves - im really hoping this will help and give me a better understanding. I also have a nice relaxation CD now and a 30 minute audio self help about dealing with physical symptoms of anxiety - although with the self help audio i get so relaxed and fall asleep ten minutes in so never hear the end!

I am able to accept the nervous feeling as anxiety most of the time, but from time to time i get that off balance/dizzy (although i wouldnt say dizzy more pre dizzy feeling if that makes sense?) This is what increases my anxiety - i am afraid of fainting (rationally i know its nothing to be afraid of) as soon as i get this off balance/dizzy feeling i can just feel the adrenalin go woosh! so annoying especially when i feel like i've been doing well - it pops up.

Thanks again xx

[pia]

i feel like this at times. Not sure if anyone has mentioned exercise in posts above and i have missed it? It works wonders for me, but of course its sometimes a MASSIVE effort to force yourself to do anything strenuous when your feeling bad. But if your physically able id really reccommend doing something that gets you a bit out of breath-i go running, but it doesnt have to be that, could just be a brisk walk or whatever.
Afterwards i ALWAYS feel calm, the endorphins kick in i think. Its really helped me when ive been at my worst- giving me a break from that constant nervousness (if only for a couple of hours until endorphins wear off!) It is important not to fight the anxiety though, as Jill says above, otherwise you will just create a vicious cycle.
Hope this helps. xxx

[jill]

Hi hun :D:hugs:

Always remember that NO matter what your trying to learn, it IS going to take time, be kind to yourself, ALLOW your anxiety to be there, give it permission, so to speak

I had to laugh when you said about the cds, YES, I did this alot, never heard the end, but they say this does NOT matter, it WILL help in the long run, I KNOW. I still get mine out from time to time. Mine is a self hypnoses one.

*** i get that off balance/dizzy***

I over time, have had many, different types of feeling regarding my head, YES I have had the off balance one, it has felt so strong it pulled me to one side. It can still happen to a small degree, but it does not bother me anymore.

I did go out my way for myself to prove it was anxiety related, I did get a chance to do this for myself.

I went to monkey forest, where you go into the cages with the monkeys (bearbree mackaks, sorry about spelling ) they are all walking around you, ohhhhh boy :ohmy: I do have a slight fear of animals, feel I watch to much tv LOL WELL, I can laugh at the off balance feeling, I have, at that time learnd to laugh about this symptom, but this still never stopped it from happening, BUT, my thoughts where, maybe its still in the back of my mimd its something esls than anxiety, SO, walking round I had to hold onto hubby, I said to him, "it feels like I am on vodka " LOL :roflmao: you know that feeling, when you have had a a few and you can't walk straight LOL

I do understand that anxiety can lock itself inside and we can hold onto a symptom by thoughts alone, fears, lack of understand, so what I thought would help was, if I went outside the cage, I went outside and YES you quested it the symptom went, haha, went back in again and it kicked off again, ohhh blimey, I gave it good reason for it being there, then went on to have a good time. This symptom did go when in there, but just came on a little, BUT, practice practice practice, I am nervous of animal,s, BUT can now, over time, feel fine with them.

YOU ARE DOING WELL,:yesyes: it does NOT MATTER AT ALL if anxiety rears her ugly head, its how you react to it that counts, but as I said hun, it does take alot of hard work and time on your part, this does not happen over night, KEEP chipping away at your anxiety, learning reassuring thoughts and over time, it WILL get less and less.

What we are after is to lesson the feelings and emotions, take NOTE that the symptom is less stronger, if can take note of this change and praise ourselves, this helps us move forward.

There are soooo many different little things we can do and all those little things, help for big changes in the future, but we have to learn patients.

Ohh have to learn to practice what I preach, had a little hiccup in jan, for reason I will not go into and the main thing I forgot, was patients, but thats how anxiety goes, when its high, even me with knowledge, Mrs anxiety can make me forget things too, it IS dame hard to learn and understand.

SO, no matter how small you achievements be proud of yourself, as I used to advice, have a party in your head, be soooo proud of yourself and IF Mrs anxiety says anything esle, tell her shes NOT going to take your achievements away, YOUR GOING TO REMEMBER THEM and KEEP remembering them, this helps us move forward a little.

Ohh sorry for woffling, I can go on at times, I have times when I can talk a lot about panic/anxiety and there are times when I feel I know nothing, (there is a reason for this, but will not go into that ) but what I do know is, it IS possible to get better and you must believe this, if you don't , then I think you are undermining everything you are trying to learn, Mm does that make sense.

YOU TAKE CARE

LOVE JILL XXX

[nhf]

Hi Pia - thanks for the responce, i do go jogging since the start of my anxiety/PA/HA although i havent been in a couple of weeks - partly due to weather and partly due to what you said - 'it sometimes a MASSIVE effort to force yourself to do anything strenuous when your feeling bad'. Think i need to start jogginig in the evenings no matter the weather even if its just 20 mins around the block! xx

Thanks again Jill - i think you are so right about 'that anxiety can lock itself inside and we can hold onto a symptom by thoughts alone, fears, lack of understanding' I've accepted that all my other symtoms are down to anxiety - i've ene stopped getting the palpitations now i've learned to control my breathing - its just this last one with the balance/dizziness i cant seem to let go of - Hopefully with practice and my CBT sessions i will finally be able to free myself of this last part.

You sound so brave in the way you have confronted your anxiety ! Hopefully i will be as brave as you in time :) xx

[phil06]

Yes I can totally relate to this.

For years I'd suffer panic attacks (they still come and go)..but when I don't feel anxious..just sitting watching TV..anything leisurely or work I feel very nervous, worried, my stomach summer salts..half the time time I don't notice it..it's "there" and it's uncomfortable and awful if I think about it.

I first experienced the feeling before job interviews then I sat a few driving tests and failed them last year since then every day I feel I am going to a job interview, driving test the nerves have stuck almost..basically I found Diazepam helped but I was only on them for a week and they are not a cure. I struggle to relax..not sure how it affects you physically but for me I developed Insomnia, frequent bowel movements basically because of a nervous stomach.

I'm not as bad as I was but at my worst I was shaking, I could not stop checking my heart I was a nervous wreck..sadly I am still battling alot of these symptoms.

Basically it's stress..I find it hard to relax, not getting enough sleep or too much sleep makes it worse. Really you can only know yourself how bad it is if it's really bad talk to the GP, if it's just been a few days do some relaxation tapes. The only cure is when you relax. One tip I can give is if it's making you panic/tense then go for a 15 - 30 min walk every day if possible as it limited my panic attacks from 3/4 a day to one a week.

[nhf]

Hi Phil, Thanks for the reply!!

I find it comes and goes for me - the only part i really struggle with now is the feeling of shaking (i'm not its just the adrenaline) and the dizzy/balance/fuzzy head. If these would go away i think i would be absolutly fine!!! My GP has said a big no no to medication of any kind which i'm fine with and why i have started using Kalms. I find they are helping to just take the edge off so i dont get into a panic. Will definatly be starting my jogging again!!

Also wanted to add my litte success story for today. :)

I go to college for 2 hours one evening a week to study photography (my little hobby). Today was the end of year art show, in which 8 of my photographs were being displayed. Now before hand i had decided i'd go for half hour and then come straight home and skip the end of year trip to the pub with my classmates due to all these nervous/anxious feelings. Well im please to say i got there at half six, stayed at the show for an hour and even managed two hours at the pub with a shandy and a lemonade. I felt sooo much like my old self being out with people instead of hiding away at home!! Of course now im home some of the anxiety/nerves are creeping back in but i still feel like i won a little battle today - Yay me!!! :D

[Veronica H]

Hi Jill.....From what I know, if you go STRAIGHT into distraction you are ignoring the natural mind and bodies protection mode, WE KNKOW, its a false alarm, but we need to learn how to reassure ourselves and this takes time and practice, practice practice......I was not suggesting this but can see how my wording may have come across as such. Acceptance is the part where we acknowledge what is happening and realise our fight or flight is kicking in inappropriately.... Vx

[Veronica H]

Well done Nadine...'A journey made with panic is as valuable as one made without' as the great Dr Weekes would say.:yesyes:Vx

[nhf]

Thank you Veronica :) xx

[jill]

Hi Jill.....From what I know, if you go STRAIGHT into distraction you are ignoring the natural mind and bodies protection mode, WE KNKOW, its a false alarm, but we need to learn how to reassure ourselves and this takes time and practice, practice practice......I was not suggesting this but can see how my wording may have come across as such. Acceptance is the part where we acknowledge what is happening and realise our fight or flight is kicking in inappropriately.... Vx




Hi Veronica :D

I am sorry if I offended you in any way, :hugs: I do sometimes go over what someone else has written, but put it in a different way.

I can see that you have knowledge and that knowledge will get you where you want to be and that if feeling better.

YOU TAKE CARE

LOVE JILL XXX

[jill]

***I go to college for 2 hours one evening a week to study photography (my little hobby). Today was the end of year art show, in which 8 of my photographs were being displayed. Now before hand i had decided i'd go for half hour and then come straight home and skip the end of year trip to the pub with my classmates due to all these nervous/anxious feelings. Well im please to say i got there at half six, stayed at the show for an hour and even managed two hours at the pub with a shandy and a lemonade. I felt sooo much like my old self being out with people instead of hiding away at home!! Of course now im home some of the anxiety/nerves are creeping back in but i still feel like i won a little battle today - Yay me!!***

Hi Nadine :D:hugs:

You have every right to be proud of yourself :yesyes: you did really well:yesyes:

Take care

LOVE JILL XXX