How do YOU cope with Anxiety?

Wow. Thank everyone for the wonderful responses. Check.
What helped me the most today was reading them and realizing I'm not alone.
Now to go walk my dog

originally posted by: skunkape23
Throw in some crazy loose women and good food and you should be alright.

They cause me more grief and anxiety on a daily basis than anything else!

Well, one..

Good food for the win though.

a reply to: rukia

I've never done them so I would actually be nervous to try but my understanding is that it's a guided trip so removing that part of it would take away the 'cure'.

originally posted by: rickymouse
Try eating potatoes three times a week in the evenings.

six boiled asparagus spears three times a week with supper might work also.

I just read that potatoes have much more potassium than bananas.

Low potassium levels exacerbate irritability and anxiety. In several studies with people diagnosed with mild depression, increasing their intake of high potassium foods showed notable improvement in day to day mood. Because potassium is used in neural transmission, increasing potassium intake in the diet may help improve mood and alleviate irritability and anxiety.

www.nutritionalsupplementscenter.com...

Asparagus is rich in folate, an important B vitamin that converts to folic acid in the body. Depression and anxiety have been linked to a folic acid deficiency in the body, and asparagus is one of the top food sources of this nutrient.

Here is a link to seven other foods that purportedly relieve anxiety.

food.allwomenstalk.com...

To help my daughter with her stress, we go slowly and methodically in preparing for activities outside the home. We also go over a few scenarios of how events or social interactions may evolve and she is prepared to handle herself using calm logic.

I don't have anxiety or panic attacks, but I do experience stress from working outside the home. What I do is turn to art, crafts, reading, and music and I do not watch TV nor the news. So, I manage the negative input and balance it out with creative and enjoyable pursuits.

a reply to: WeRpeons

There are no rules. Just sit comfortably - lying down can be a problem initially, because it may lead to sleep more easily. That said, sitting comfortably can lead to sleep as well. If that happens don't get discouraged, just keep trying. It helps if you have a repetitive phrase or "mantra" which you can focus on consciously - that focus will help keep your mind from wandering and also help prevent drifting into sleep.

Repeat the phrase - silently, in tune with even breathing - the rhythm will become automatic eventually. Don't try to force it, it's more like you have to "allow" it to happen. Hope this makes sense.

I always say let yourself See and hear the silence.

a reply to: ChefSlug

There is only one true way to deal with anxiety for me, but I'm not allowed to discuss it due to the site T&C.

Amazing, almost instant, free, natural, fun....

I wish I could drink alcohol to pass the time & distract from my anxiety. Xanax works as a good pre-emptive strike against anxiety, but I hate the idea of having to take a pill every day of my life just to live. I'm envious of people who function "normally" on a day to day basis, but usually only envious of the "functioning" part.

Enlightenments a bitch, ignorance is bliss.

Right now I cope with my anxiety by sleeping 12 hours a day!

Anxiety only exists because everything about our reality is unnatural. I take solace knowing it will all collapse soon.

Isn't it strange how when you walk it actually makes you make more energy and gives you the desire to walk more? When we walk or just do things, the body temperature rises a bit internally and we create more enzymes. This works best with people with a low initial body temperature because enzymes are dependent on certain ranges of heat to be created. It is a built in regulator of detox for some people.

The difference in enzyme creation between even one degree of body temperature is substantial. Do you know how good you feel after you were sick and got better, sickness with a fever? It isn't just the rebound from feeling lousy, it is a boosting of enzyme activity in the body that did this. Now the body self regulates, certain foods can alter this regulation a bit. I'm still working on studying these foods and herbs and spices. Exercise helps, and if we sweat a little it excretes toxins that overload the body. Some of these toxins are created by healthy foods, byproducts of regular metabolic processes. So taking a sauna can help sometimes also. Don't be afraid to sweat. Diabetics sometimes break out into a sweat while doing things. This sweat can contain sugars that the body couldn't process. Finns have been taking saunas for a long time. Saunas will not cure everything though, it can cause a corrective action in the body and the body actually goes into super cooling without sweating. So the heat of the sauna is actually varied for different people and this can change by the metabolic state you are in. Sometimes a hundred twenty degrees is fine, other times a hundred forty is better.

Walking breaks down things in the body to make energy. This creates lactic acid and also releases some nitrogen compounds that speed the heart and dialate the blood vessels. These nitrogen compounds can cause a problem if too much is released too fast. So when you start exercising or walking it is important not to overdo it too quickly. Build up slowly so these nitrogen compounds can be lowered slowly in the body and this will give you endurance in the long run. Also the lactic acid builds up in parts of the muscle and needs to be processed out by either the kidneys, liver, or skin. So taking a shower feels good afterward to wash these chemicals away and some electrolytes in water will help the organs get rid of these. Sweating also gives the liver and kidneys a little break, it helps get the toxins out.

Boy did this get long. I was just going to say that walking is good for us if you aren't in too bad of shape and that you should slowly increase your walking, making sure to start reasonably and always remember that you have to walk back.

When I was young stores were close to most people's home and we used to walk to the stores to get groceries. Now they stick them far away and carrying groceries back in flimbsy bags is impossible. Especially if you go to Walmart with the piles of little plastic bags they give. Consolidating these places created a problem. There I go again, adding content to the post.

Feel your pain OP..Alcohol in moderation does wonders.

a reply to: InTheLight

Food Folate is what we need, not folic acid. Many people cannot use the synthetic form of Folate called folic acid and it hangs around in the blood and does nothing but show up on blood tests as normal levels of this. Methyl is needed to use folate, making sure to consume adequate amounts of methyl in the diet is important. Cooked spinach is a good source, so are eggs and of course coffee and tea. Some people cannot turn trimethyl glycine to dimethyl glycine though, and dimethyl helps build muscle. So these people need to eat more of the dimethyl form, that is found in meats.

You had a very good post other than that though and many people can convert folic acid to folate so it is not misinformation at all. Twenty percent of people may have lowered ability to utilize the synthetic version. I just happen to be one of these people, my wife is fine, my daughter by her is somewhat reduced, but my other daughter and her kids are like me, my exwife must have had similar genetics as I did on this.

Strange how many of the things on the genetic apps actually fit right in my lifestyle. Funny that some people need coffee or a methyl donor while others don't need as much.

a reply to: rickymouse

Thank you for pointing out the difference between the two as it appears some still believe the two are one in the same, and here is a little more information about where to get your folate to help reduce anxiety (hopefully).

Many health professionals would even argue that folate and folic acid are essentially the same nutrient.

Excellent sources of dietary folate include vegetables such as romaine lettuce, spinach, asparagus, turnip greens, mustard greens, parsley, collard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, and lentils. (13) Not surprisingly, some of the best food sources of folate are calf’s liver and chicken liver.

You can supplement with folate if your dietary intake is inadequate. Look for products that contain the Metfolin brand, or list “5-methyltetrahydrofolate” or “5-MTHF” on the label. Avoid products that say “folic acid” on the label. Make sure to check your multivitamin, because most multis contain folic acid and not folate.

chriskresser.com...

a reply to: InTheLight

People can consume too much of the methyl group too, this can cause the jitters and some other problems. Now to counteract and neutralize the excess methyl, nicotinic acid can help. That is the plant version of niacin, small amounts are only needed, so we get a craving for something hot and spicy like BBQ chips or nuts.

It is important to note that the Cruciferous veggies stated above are also goiterogens and lower the production of the thyroid hormones. Sometimes this is good, sometimes it is bad. For those who are anxious, the reduction in the thyroid output might be good and for those with a lack of energy or those who are overweight, the goiterogens might be bad.

Notice I said might, because a person needs to test these things on themselves.

Here is an article that may interest you and some others. lpi.oregonstate.edu...

Remember though that isothiocyanates are potent goiterogens, their positive effect on cancer killing is from their lowering of the thyroid output which feeds cancer and tumor growth. Now, free cyanide in the body combines with thiosulfate from onions and grapefruit to make isothiocyanate in the body which is beneficial and kills two birds with one stone. So cooking the cruciferous veggies reduces the isothiocyanates but leaves the methyl and folate intact. Methyl and folate are heat stable while the goiterogens are not.

a reply to: rukia

I think the *potential* benefit of entheogens/'hallucinogens' is not euphoric feelings, since euphoric feelings are temporary.

I think for some people, they can 'potentially' can lead to insight into oneself, or the nature of things, through a heightened consciousness, or a heightened level of awareness.

But I think it all depends on the person. If a person is full of delusions, then it can possibly increase their delusions. And there are also various side effects.

I don't think it would be right to make any general conclusions about them, and they are all very different, but I think any real and lasting benefit would come from gaining *understanding*, which is not the result of the entheogen in itself.

They can also be fun, or a nightmare.

a reply to: ChefSlug

I have learned to cut the main sources of drama from my life. I lost a few friends and no longer associate with a large portion of my family as a result, but I am ultimately happier since doing it and honestly don't miss them. A lot of people in today's society are blatantly trying to make themselves feel better by knocking down anybody they can. I have anxiety issues and try to be a good and nice person, so i ended up in a lot of situations where my anxiety would go off the charts as a result of other's actions.

The other thing i have found that helps a lot is understanding the power of solitude. Giving myself a little time each day, and the better part of a full day once or twice a month to just relax alone has been huge in my progress toward dealing with my anxiety. I am an introvert, so being able to decompress with a good book, or a video game allows me to process all the information and reach a middle ground in my mind, instead of being all over the place with fear and panic.

In summary, setting aside personal time that is for you and only you, and surrounding yourself with people who are willing to accept you for who you are, even if they don't understand are what have helped me the most.

originally posted by: ChefSlug
I'm a anxious guy. I suffer. Every now and then I get panic attacks. Constantly, I feel obsessed with my past. I went through a bit of post tramautic stress disorder. I'm an anxious guy.

I have to cope with anxiety everyday. We need to discuss strategies to cope. Right now, my major coping mechanism is alcohol. It's not healthy.

I also have my dog. He keeps me sane. How do you cope with your anxiety issues?

Very anxious 26yo male here.

Currently coping through the "abuse" of marijuana, which is helping me quite fine.

Was abused most of my childhood and have been struggling the past few years to finally learn to deal with it, but there's a lot of bad stuff left in there that can only be resolved through other people, which is where the anxiety comes into play...


Skunkape had some good advice, I need me some loose women, I can think I can say that I'm a decent guy, have been in a very long term relationship, but too low self-esteem and a #ty past have made me a very self-aware person who needs to learn how to let go sometimes...


Oh yeah and I make my own art and I love music, both are excellent ways of escaping into your own little world, which at least helps me.

originally posted by: Hefficide

You are getting some really good and some really bad advice in response to your question. I've been dealing with anxiety and panic attacks for more than 30 years and have tried just about everything.

Alcohol... I cannot express strongly enough how bad of an idea drinking or turning to illicit drugs is. I just lost a good friend to liver failure recently because he coped with alcohol. He was 46. Now he's dead.

Learning deep breathing, self-hypnosis, biofeedback, and relaxation techniques help, but they are hit and miss. I can breathe away an anxious moment. I cannot breathe away a panic attack. When it comes to full blown panic attacks nothing natural, over the counter, herbal, etc works. Benzo's are the only thing I have ever found that will hammer back a panic attack.

The best thing you can do is find a good doctor and get on medication - or at least get a prescription for something you take PRN ( only as and when needed ).

Animals are also exceptionally helpful for the general anxiety, as stated above.

Should you have questions, I've done a ton of threads on the issue and my inbox is always open.

"Illicit drugs" is such a conflicting term in this day and age imo


When it is prescribed by some and ignored/avoided by others (because of law or otherwise), can you really call it illicit? Well, you can, but I hope you get my point, you still discredit it together with every other known illicit drug, even though laws are changing rapidly regarding a certain one.


You speak of benzos and I do not disapprove, but there is a herbal remedy that will work for a lot of people. I'm actually on it myself, but my government would rather have me on something prescribed, because it's "illicit", even though it helps...


I agree 100% with alcohol though, I used to be an alcoholic as it "helped" me cope, but I thankfully realized what a harmful drug THAT is, compared to the one I am on now. It even helped me get rid of the booze. I've been on several meds but most of them give me stomach aches, headaches which I otherwise NEVER get,...

Also, taking meds is in part a traumatic experience for me, I was forced to take them as a child, only to throw them up for all the kids to see when I got to school because I simply couldn't hold them down. Doesn't help when you have to take pills that'll "make you better" but bring back memories of the past on top of physical ailments!



The non-drug techniques you offered are most excellent, I tend to summarize it all (for myself) into 'meditating', but it's pretty much a combination of what you've mentioned, so good list!

The thing with hallucinogens is that there are s3veral different kinds for different things. Administered by shamans forever. There need to be a hallucination factor i think. As it opens your mind to interpret things differently and imagine all the things you have done and how they affect others.It is that the chemical opens your mind and imagination. No real fix for emotional problems except dealing with them. This euphoric imaginative state helps some. Psychologists can only help if you can or are ready to admit the problem deal with it and move on to a future not held back by the past. Same for the Hallucinogens. But with hallucinogens it breaks down the barriers for some as it lets the imagination go wild.a reply to: rukia

a reply to: rickymouse

That was extremely valuable information, which reminds me to eat raw vegetables as much as I can. So, I will make my delicious broccoli salad today. Also, I agree that everyone must take control of their health and consult their health professional as to any vitamin or mineral deficiencies, via a blood or urine test, as well as chemical imbalances and stressors. Wouldn't it be nice if one health professional could treat the whole person?

From your link:

Effects of Cooking

Glucosinolates are water-soluble compounds that may be leached into cooking water. Boiling cruciferous vegetables from 9-15 minutes resulted in 18-59% decreases in the total glucosinolate content of cruciferous vegetables (52). Cooking methods that use less water, such as steaming or microwaving, may reduce glucosinolate losses (57). However, some cooking practices, including boiling (5), steaming (7, 58), and microwaving at high power (750-900 watts) (8, 58, 59), may inactivate myrosinase, the enzyme that catalyzes glucosinolate hydrolysis. Even in the absence of plant myrosinase activity, the myrosinase activity of human intestinal bacteria results in some glucosinolate hydrolysis (6). However, several studies in humans have found that inactivation of myrosinase in cruciferous vegetables substantially decreases the bioavailability of isothiocyanates (5, 7, 8).

originally posted by: InTheLight
a reply to: rickymouse

That was extremely valuable information, which reminds me to eat raw vegetables as much as I can. So, I will make my delicious broccoli salad today.

Also, I agree that everyone must take control of their health and consult their health professional as to any vitamin or mineral deficiencies, via a blood or urine test, as well as chemical imbalances and stressors. Wouldn't it be nice if one health professional could treat the whole person?

From your link:

Effects of Cooking

Glucosinolates are water-soluble compounds that may be leached into cooking water. Boiling cruciferous vegetables from 9-15 minutes resulted in 18-59% decreases in the total glucosinolate content of cruciferous vegetables (52). Cooking methods that use less water, such as steaming or microwaving, may reduce glucosinolate losses (57). However, some cooking practices, including boiling (5), steaming (7, 58), and microwaving at high power (750-900 watts) (8, 58, 59), may inactivate myrosinase, the enzyme that catalyzes glucosinolate hydrolysis. Even in the absence of plant myrosinase activity, the myrosinase activity of human intestinal bacteria results in some glucosinolate hydrolysis (6). However, several studies in humans have found that inactivation of myrosinase in cruciferous vegetables substantially decreases the bioavailability of isothiocyanates (5, 7, 8).

Beware, do not consume too much of the cruciferous vegetables raw. The Isothiocyanate ties to the thyroid and activates it but ties to the same area that Iodine ties too. This can reduce the thyroid hormone in the body. Occasional cruciferous vegetables are not bad for you but cooking them when eating them regularly is important. This is one of the only things I have confidence in saying applies to almost everyone. Constant consumption of the raw cruciferous veggies can lead to an enlargement of the thyroid or hyperthyroidism, making you feel good at first but leading to problems months to years later. I consider these raw veggies as medicine, medicine should be taken when needed.

Another thing on the potato. I will provide a few links to show a progression. Some people have a problem with utilizing vitamin D. They have a medicine for this. the medicine is Calcitriol. If you cannot process this in winter it results in SAD, the sun is needed to make this from vitamin D. It is a powerful hormone. www.drugs.com...

One of the supposedly bad things about potatoes is that they contain Calcitriol. This hormone can cause tendons to calcify if too much is consumed because it is a super vitamin D. It is good for bones and muscles but too much is also not good. This hormone is a potent form of vitamin D and can help with all sorts of disorders if used in moderation. Vitamin D can be used for depression and anxiety from what I have read. Here is a link. www.marshallprotocol.com...

So in moderation the Potato can be a powerful medicine, it is also loaded with vitamins and minerals. But you do need to supplement vitamin K foods along with this. Vitamin K2 is found in butter, K2 is a oil soluable vitamin as is K1. Sources of K1 are things like dandelion greens and spinach and boiling them is recommended to neutralize some bad side effects. A little raw is medicine, but most of their nutrients actually get unlocked when cooked.

An old article addressing potato consumption years ago mentioned green vegetables of the lime, which means the liming of soils. You see, liming the soil makes some minerals available, one of which is molybdenum. Potatoes are low on molybdenum which helps convert aldehydes created by our gut flora to CoA which is used in the body to process lipids properly, boosting energy. So adding some foods to a meal containing this oil soluable mineral is advisable. Cooking broccoli breaks the phytates a little and adding butter collects the molybdenum. Broccoli needs molybdenum supplementation when growing to form big heads, without it it has small heads. Liming the soil only works so long as the minerals released are used up from the soils and need to be replaced by the rapid growth of the heads, so supplementing is important. Miracle grow has molybdenum in it, but you can buy sodium molybdate for a lot cheaper from some places. Some veggies do not uptake molybdenum at higher rates though, but some do.

I add a tablespoon of raw wheat germ to my bread, it is high in many minerals but they are bound to the phytates and phytic acid. For some reason the action of the yeast and the whole grain rye enzymes seem to break off this from the phytates and I or my family do not have problems with discomfort when eating the bread. I only use Red Star yeast, the other rapid star GMO yeast does not seem to make good bread.

Boy, I seem to get long winded on these things. I have had people say I should write a book on the reality of nutrition. I thought of doing a free online book. You aren't doing a good deed if you charge for your knowledge, you are just making money. I hate having to cite evidence all the time too, it is a lot of work to keep providing evidence, more than I really want to do. I see many articles supplying evidence that is actually misapplied, if I were to write a book I would call it a fiction so I do not have to do this. Most health books are just fictions anyway, foods interactions with our personal genetics is very complex, I am getting into this now. What is good for one person may be harmful for another.

Bananas are not a good source of potassium, the histamines they contain that protects the fruit in the area they grow in are very potent. They are a medicine, not an everyday food you eat. My wife makes cookies sometimes with cream of tartar, that contains lots of potassium. I eat quite a bit of potatoes to help with my TLE and those cookies sort of burn my mouth a little and taste like metal. So I suppose I am fully titrated with plenty of potassium. Increased salt consumption helps to balance the potassium.

See, I can't stop Most people get bored with long articles.

a reply to: Strawberry88

I specifically used the word "illicit" because legal woes would compound the other issues that the OP is facing ( though I don't know his/her location nor the laws there regarding certain things - however if pot were legal there, then other drugs would still be "illicit" )

There is a vast difference between taking medication and self-medicating. I have, for example, taken benzo's, off and on, for thirty years - mostly on for the past six and work very hard with my doctors to make sure I do not develop physical dependance. It can be done by switching specific medications back and forth every six month to a year. Then again I have a very good friend who cannot function unless he gets six milligrams of Xanax a day. That is an ungodly dose and whatever doctor he charmed into letting him have that much did a ton of destruction to his life. He will likely never quit taking them as he is completely addicted and benzo withdrawls are some of the worst in the world. This person is already developing tardive dyskenesia ( the shakes ) from the high dose.

It's like with anything else in life - responsibility is key. If I were to find a new doctor ( which, as it happens, I am going to have to this coming month, as I recently moved ) the first two things the new doctor is going to argue about is the benzo's and the low doses of medications I take ( I only take two psych meds, both at very low doses ). It's an argument I've had with dozens of doctors.

Experience has taught me that large doses of psych meds rob one of the ability to enjoy life. They are sedating and change ones personality. Low doses, while not totally effective in symptom treatment, do give me just enough of a "leg up" to allow me to take control of my life. I'm willing to trade off awareness for a bad day here and there.