GAD?? Can you help me switch my brain off please? - Anxiety Message Board

diva2008 · 07-10-2008, 04:46 AM

Please help!

I suffered from Panic Attacks when I was younger, then I developed (or it emerged) OCD, I got some help and thought I had it licked, was 90% better, but recently Ive had really bad general anxiety! I dont worry about the sensations or anything as I know what they are I dont think Im goin mad and can regocgnise the stupid OCD thoughts so just let them flow through my brain, but I just cannot shift this anxious feeling, like an uncomfortable knot just under my rib cage that actually hurts! I feel a bit sick and have lost my appetite (which trust me NEVER happens - but I need to lose weight for my holiday so quite pleased with that one) and just CANNOT sleep!

I think I've got quite a bit on my plate at the mo and am depsperate for my holiday, I run my own business so cannot switch my mind off it at night, one of my old school friends was just discovered dead and I havent really felt upset about it yet so that's bound to come out soon, Im worried about my boyfriend always being stressed out at work etc etc.

What can I do to just REEELLLAAAAXX ? I just can turn off and certainly at night cant get my mind to just STOP! I get so stressed out that I could scream as I cant sleep, I cant deal with being tired, stressed AND anxious at work.

Any tips for turning your brain off?

Does this sound like GAD to you?

Thanks

OCDeev

xx

soupermom · 07-10-2008, 09:01 AM

Like you, I struggle with not being able to sleep. I have a hard time switching my brain off at night. I live a busy life and always tend to take on more than I should and it catches up with me when it is time to go to sleep. If I am not getting enough sleep my anxiety symptoms increase and it becomes a vicious circle.
This may sound like a cliché but I have experienced good results with relaxation exercises and have several relaxation mp3s that I use when I go to bed. After a fair amount of experimenting with different ones, I settled on exercises that focus on breathing as I find correct breathing makes a big difference in my ability to relax. I have made them my nighttime ritual and with time and effort, I trained my brain to focus on the exercise and not allow it to drift back to whatever my brain is trying to obsess on. It took a month or so to get any results but I have got to a point where many nights I am asleep before the end of the exercise.
As someone with GAD I have so many negative triggers, the relaxation exercises have become a positive trigger to “reboot” my brain. For me, it is all about diverting my brain and not falling into the worrying trap. Not sure if it helps…
Good luck