Anxiety/Stress making me sick:(

[ChasingDreams]

I guess I've always been an anxious kind of person, but its been getting worse over the last few years:(

Ever since I was little, I've had severe separation anxiety, that I seem to have never quite grown out of>< Over the last few years I seem to have anxiety most of the time though. I frequently get heart palpitations, nervous tics, double vision because my eye twitches, panicky feelings (sometimes even when feeding my baby in the night, like I need to escape) and even a feeling like my head is numb on top>< I've put on 30 pounds in the last year and the extra weight, on top of the sleep deprivation of having a young child is making me feel like I am barely dragging myself around every day...

I can't exactly make the stress in my life go away, but I would like to find some better ways to deal with it. Does anyone have any advice for ways to relax and relieve stress? I have very little time to myself these days... and I'd like to make the most of it so I can feel better, because its really wearing me down.

Thanks:)

[Gabby]

Hi

I understand how exhausting anxiety can be. I have experienced it as long as I can remember. ( I am over 40 now) I have misused alcohol to self medicate, and a number of other maladaptive coping methods. I have also been prescribed meds to try to alleviate it, some helped a bit, some I became addicted to.

Nowaday's I hold a different outlook on things. I have been a psychie nurse for 12 + years, and successfully helped others deal with anxiey. Its easier helping others - than yourself!

I practice quite a few 'spiritual' techniques, meditation, reiki and self healing through mindfulness. I have learnt not to fight or resist anxiety - to feel it totally, even if it is consuming you. Feel it, and allow it to pass in its own time. As soon as we try to escape it, we actually feed it, and the cycle continues.

Its late here in the UK, I will write more tomorrow, and give you some techniques to try - if you would like.

Very Best,

Gabby