Tired of being anxious all the time

@communicativeApple9560

I'm just going to say what everyone here feels - living with anxiety stinks.  People who don't have these issues just think you can turn it off.  "Why are you worried about that?  Just stop worrying about it!"  If we could we would.  It's like telling someone with a headache - just stop having it.  It doesn't work that way.

As for what you can do about it - it's all about you.  It's specific to you.  What I mean is, if I was sick and you were sick with the same diagnosis, the doctor wouldn't necessarily give us the same medicine and the same dosage - because we're different people, different weight, different allergies, etc.

After suffering with some intense anxiety for the past couple of years, I have come to find that there isn't just one solution for me to feel better/get better.  There are multiple solutions.  And I use all of them.  Meditation.  Deep Breathing.  Therapy.  Exercise. Making sure I do self-care.  Understanding my limits.  Understanding what triggers me, and why I react the way I do. (Therapy has been awesome at helping me to understand myself.)

I do this or that or a combination, depending on what the anxiety of the day is.  And I'm constantly trying to find new ways to take care of myself in my anxious moments.

So, one thing my therapist and I discussed was my reaction to situations.  Every time "X" happens, I get a panic attack.  Even though X doesn't warrant it, I panic.  Instead of me getting panicked, I need to replace that with something else.  It's kind of like that old joke:

Patient:  Doctor, every time I do this, my arm hurts.

Doctor:  Well, don't do that!

The point my therapist was making is this.  What would happen if I didn't panic?  What would happen if I chose to do something else instead?  Panicking has become a habit.  And I need to replace that habit with something better.

Maybe when X happens, I decide I'm going to take a short walk instead of panicking.  Or maybe I'll read a chapter out of a book.  Or grab a coffee at a coffee shop.  Just something different than the same bad habit of panicking.

I don't know if any of this helps, but we're here for you and this is a great place to find support.

If it helps I am dealing with the same thing your not alone.

Yeah, thanks so much for being brave enough to share that. The nice thing about 7 Cups is that you can find people who are going through the same things as you and talk about it without being ashamed. Although because we aren’t using real names and we don’t know each other in person it’s definitely different. For me it’s easier to talk to people on,I’ve, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t stress full and anxiety inducing. I constantly worry if I’ve said something wrong if someone doesn’t reply right away and if I said the wrong thing. But it also gives me the courage to say things I would be to scared to in person and share my story. I just wish that it could magically give me the courage to confront my parents and the people in my life about what I’ve been facing.

@communicativeApple9560

any psychologist/therapist is going to tell you, is take small achievable steps, learn coping skills, and keep trying. That is it in a nutshell, How you choose to go about this can range from in-person therapy, online therapy, or save yourself a lot of money and just look on YouTube and do your research.

List-making is another technique, of writing down one's worries, noting down the absolute worst possible scenario on something you are facing, then determining if it is a rational or reasonable worry, to coming up with your ideas on how to face the problem.

Things that can also help which I am hoping to get into sometime in 2024 are, acting classes and a public speaking class of some kind. Look up conflict resolution skills and how to set personal boundaries on YouTube.

Depending on how long one has lived with social anxiety disorder and how severe and engrained it is in one's life will also be a factor in how hard recovery is going to be. Someone who is relatively new to having developed it, and has not fully lost hope on the possibility of recovery should have better odds of recovery, versus a mess like myself who has been dealing with anxiety since childhood back in the 80s, and being undiagnosed with any major problems until well into my adulthood. 

There are also plenty of self-help books and workbooks, that you can find for free online or to buy you just have to do the leg work and look for either.

If you have a close network of friends who are willing to work with you and support you in your recovery that is even better, especially if all it takes is asking someone to help you.

Other people like myself who have become a sort of recluse, or have no social skills or are introverts and hate meeting new people and hate trying to make friends but want friends, just good friends, and we don't know how to quickly do that, and then have that support, we are walking up hill on one leg. 

I suffer from the same thing too....

@communicativeApple9560 I understand that dealing with anxiety can be overwhelming. Remember, you're not alone. Reach out when you need support. Taking small steps, practicing mindfulness, and seeking professional help are all valid strategies. You've got the strength to navigate through this, and I'm here for you every step of the way.