How do YOU cope with your anxiety?

[swilow]

Candies

Suck.

For a second I thought this was the word association thread

 

[Erikmen]

Sugar makes me calm. It's very temporary but it works for me.
There's a book about addiction I once read, pretty basic called "From Chocolate to Morphine" I think.

 

[swilow]

^I think sweet food (and fatty food) release dopamine. When I quit heroin, I developed an insane sweet tooth. Donuts, my god, I ate mountains of. Better than taking heroin though.

 

[Jekyl Anhydride]

E. I have had this book for 15 years and it's awesome. Doc Weil was one of the first people to warn everyone about negative health effects from trans fats. And that cannabis was not the "Devil's Lettuce". Great read.

Back to the topic, hitting a heavy bag or some other intense exercise followed by a hot shower (or dip in a spa) seems to derail my anxiety.

 

[Nixiam]

Oml.



I listen to lots of music and jog nowadays, been away from oxy for about two months now.

 

[Tranced]

I think there is a rebound effect from booze. It's why I don't drink, it makes me grumpy and then wide awake. Plus hangover feels like mild benzo withdrawal. No thanks!

I've been thinking this these past few days. I hadn't really drank at all recently until the festive period, and have had two cans of cider a night for the past few days. Even though it was a small amount it caused noticeable anxiety. Part of the reason I hate alcohol. Also, I definitely get some kind of rebound if I fall asleep drunk. About 3-4 hours later I suddenly wake up, I'm wide awake, hungover and I will not sleep until the hangover subsides. Reminds me of GBL/GHB.

Anyway, on topic: I take supplements. They don't work straight away, and many don't work at all but I find that:

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Ashwaghanda
Rhodiola Rosea

^over time they seem to reduce anxiety by a few degrees. Aniracetam & choline is even more effective, and seemed to have long term effects.

 

[aihfl]

1. Take a vitamin B complex daily
2. Do whatever I need to distract myself (call or text friends, watch movies, read a book or non-12 step recovery literature etc.) from drinking/using thoughts
3. Hobbies and exercise (cycling, kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, yoga, spin, working out with the trainer etc.)
4. Vistaril (hydroxyzine) for general anxiety
5. Ativan as the last line of defense against drinking/using

 

[aihfl]

They put me on Buspar for my aniexty. It helps some, but other than that I have no ways to cope. I am an agoraphobic so I avoid all places.

Glad it helps someone. My psychiatrist and I think it's basically a placebo.

Even though it was a small amount it caused noticeable anxiety. Part of the reason I hate alcohol. Also, I definitely get some kind of rebound if I fall asleep drunk. About 3-4 hours later I suddenly wake up, I'm wide awake, hungover and I will not sleep until the hangover subsides.

The same thing happens to me. Alcohol disrupts sleep architecture. While it makes it easier to fall asleep, it disrupts sleep during the second part of the night. Having detoxed off alcohol countless times, the rebound insomnia is one of the worst parts. After one particularly bad bender, I didn't sleep for about 80 hours.

 

[Erikmen]

E. I have had this book for 15 years and it's awesome. Doc Weil was one of the first people to warn everyone about negative health effects from trans fats. And that cannabis was not the "Devil's Lettuce". Great read.

Back to the topic, hitting a heavy bag or some other intense exercise followed by a hot shower (or dip in a spa) seems to derail my anxiety.

I had read it ages ago but still kept a lot of the concepts. I had also developed a sugar craving that somehow helped me in the beginning.
Sports especially the ones that involves physical and boxing are also very good when you get into the routine.

 

[cappatown]

Glad it helps someone. My psychiatrist and I think it's basically a placebo.

Really? It helped a little but not enough to stay on it. They put me on Busbar because of my abuse of benzos. Wonder if I can somehow get them again if I tell the right story.

 

[aihfl]

Glad it helps someone. My psychiatrist and I think it's basically a placebo.

Really? It helped a little but not enough to stay on it. They put me on Busbar because of my abuse of benzos. Wonder if I can somehow get them again if I tell the right story.

Yeah, an IOP program I went to in 2014 told me benzo use was not allowed and their pdoc prescribed Buspar and Vistaril. Vistaril is ok for general anxiety but doesn't do jack squat for an acute panic attack and Buspar just didn't do anything period. I think the only reason I can still get a benzo script is because I have a long established relationship with a pdoc I really like and I'm not constantly hounding him for refills so it's obvious I'm not going through large quantities of them.

 

[Erikmen]

^ That's good to maintain benzo on small doses. The problem of course is the tolerance that may arise and if you resist the temptation to rise the dose, perhaps you can carry on for a long time, but eventually that will not be as effective but could very well accomplish the placebo goal.

I used it for almost 20+ years. I never thought I could manage it for so long but at the end I had to quit.