Going through anxiety without medication

[star68]

Happy New year everyone!

I have a doubt. Since I read Clare Weeks book "Self-help with your nerves" I have learn to deal with my anxiety and panic attacks in a "let it come, ride it and back to normal, without taking medication and so far has worked for me. So when I sense a panic attack or anxiety and my heart still pounding fast I let it go up and wait until the panic subsides.
Recently I had a lots of anxiety because I had to do a upper endoscopy and I was very worried, so a couple of days after the test I had heartburn and my heart started beating fast and ended up in A&E with a panic attack, I couldn't wait until the heart calmed down, couldn't managed I was too afraid my heart was beating at 130 bpm. They did an ECG and the doctor said it was a sinus tachycardia and gave me a tranquilizer which I didn't take because once I am checked out and find out that it's anxiety I calm down.
My question is:

Could it be dangerous in the long term for the heart to beat fast during panic attacks. I still want to use the same technique but once you ridge over 100 bpm is the heart working harder than it should? I would appreciate if someone could explained this? Many thanks.

[KK77]

I don't think it's "dangerous" because, as you say, the heart "calms" down after a short while and returns to normal levels. Only a persistently high heart rate would be of concern.

[Darksky]

Unless you have heart disease then all this is, is a good work out for your heart. It won't hurt you. I've had anxiety for 40 years and my heart is fine.

[Carnation]

Strongest muscle in the body.

[ankietyjoe]

There is absolutely zero danger here. Your heart is designed to beat much harder than that for much longer. For example, many years ago I used to work in construction and my heart rate would often stay over 100bpm for the entire day at work, simply because of the physical exertion. People who do sport for a living will have a high heart rate for hours on end during training.

The issue with higher heart rates linked with health problems are when the heart rate is high due to another medical issue, which is not the case here. 100bpm (or higher) in itself is NOT high...it's just your perception of it compared with a resting heart rate. Just let that sink in....100bpm is absolutely not a high heart rate and your heart can sit there for months with no damage whatsoever.

For the record, I beat anxiety without ever taking medication, and I absolutely believe it's the only true way to beat it. It's 95% gone and I haven't had a panic attack for well over a year...and my life is supremely stressful. You can do it too

[biscuitlover]

My anxiety has made a recent severe return.

I saw a psych yesterday. She was pushing sertarline as the only way to move forward

Can anxiety been managed without meds ? How did you do it esp when levels are high? Is it a chemical imbalance that needs correcting ? Feeling very vulnerable to being pushed on the meds.

[sammiej123]

I know how you feel..My GP has been pushing me to go on Sertraline too... I am just concerned I don't want to feel worse and have no control if I am on medications..

[ankietyjoe]

My anxiety has made a recent severe return.

I saw a psych yesterday. She was pushing sertarline as the only way to move forward

Can anxiety been managed without meds ? How did you do it esp when levels are high? Is it a chemical imbalance that needs correcting ? Feeling very vulnerable to being pushed on the meds.

Your psychiatrist is just wrong. I was told the same thing by the way "you won't beat this without meds".

Take a look at this thread :-

https://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=227051

[biscuitlover]

Hey anxiety joe

I’ve been looking at that thread and other ways of dealing with anxiety

Do you think there is such as thing as a serotonin imbalance, I’ve read mixed things? I wonder if it is true, I can never get any better than a sub optimum level?

I’m very interested in your acceptance of anxiety. It is the only way I believe if you have the will power. Even cbt seems to be about challenging rather than accepting what’s here ?

I used to meditate every day but found it hard to apply the principles in anxiety situations . Do you have any tips ?

[ankietyjoe]

Do you think there is such as thing as a serotonin imbalance, I’ve read mixed things? I wonder if it is true, I can never get any better than a sub optimum level?

Absolutely, 100% no. I do not believe this is a thing for 99.99% of the population. At best, hormonal levels (and serotonin is sometimes classed as a hormone) can only be tested as a snapshot. Without looking at historical interactions between body processes, you can't really accurately define what is high or low. Are you anxious because your serotonin is low, or is your serotonin low because you're anxious? By far the most important factor is diet (I believe). This is backed up by lots of research, but ultimately I believe it's a number of factors flying in formation that cause low serotonin. Diet, sleep, time spent relaxed but not asleep, exercise, reduction in stress etc etc. Anti depressant manufacturers would LOVE you to think you have faulty wiring that needs a pill to fix though.

I’m very interested in your acceptance of anxiety. It is the only way I believe if you have the will power. Even cbt seems to be about challenging rather than accepting what’s here ?

CBT for me (although I had it over a decade ago!!) was about 'so what'.

So what if I have a panic attack in the supermarket?

Nothing happened last time, and nothing will happen this time either. It's a crappy sensation for 10 minutes, then I'll be in the car on the way home again. Of course in practice it doesn't work out quite like that, but the more you say 'so what' to yourself whilst it's happening and don't avoid the situation, the easier it gets over time.

It's also about distraction. Even simple things like running your finger across your keys in your pocket can move your mind away from focusing on the way you feel.........

I used to meditate every day but found it hard to apply the principles in anxiety situations . Do you have any tips ?

.......which brings me onto the real power of meditation.

Meditation isn't really a tool to use while you're anxious, although if you find it works for you, then it's not going to hurt.

The absolute point of meditation is the practice of re-focusing your mind away from distraction. It does not matter if you don't achieve focus, that's not the point. It does not matter that your mind wanders, because it will, 100% of the time. What matters is that when you do lose focus, you gently re-focus on the subject of your meditation, which is usually your breathing. It's THAT practice that builds resistance to anxiety over time. You're effectively re-training your brain not to react to stimulus.

I also found it useful to read about meditative thought, and mindfulness. The idea that nothing is permanent is very powerful, as it emphasises the idea that a panic attack is temporary. When you keep telling yourself this, when a panic attack occurs it makes it much easier to let it run it's course. I think the trap is that you try to make it stop, and nothing will make it stop...unless you tranquillise yourself. Not a road I ever thought was suitable long term. Anxiety isn't an unnatural state to be in, it's there to keep us safe. It's there to make us fight or flee. The problem begins when WE start to fear the sensations of anxiety, that's when it becomes a disorder. A self feeding wave of hell.