Exercise: The Answer To Anxiety - A Follow Up - Please Read!!

ocdengineer

You are on to something. Keep it up. I exercise all the time and it helps a lot. It doesn't "cure" my anxiety problems, but it definitley helps me manage them.

Keep it up!

Later,
OE

wholegrain

Exercising is an extreme panic trigger for me. But if it works for you, great.

j2006

For me as well. I just got a personal trainer to help me get used to having my heart rate up. Before my first panic attack I worked out every day - and then to nothing for a year. I finally decided to get back into it. I use the personal trainer 3 times a week and the other days I try do work out on my own. It has helped me this past week as I just dropped all meds.

HelloEverybody

Exercise lightly at first... because when i first started having panic attacks.... and i exercised... my heart would be racing so fast

do it softly... light jogging... breathing fresh air.... and then your heart will adjust and get healthier!!


Also... besides exercise.... eating healthy -- lots of fresh organic fruits and vegetables.... not the bruised up waxed up chemical kinds....... will help...

Also..... go get a professional massage. They cost anywhere from $50-$100 for an hour but it makes a big difference.... it relieves so many kinks, tension, etc.

SoccerDad

Exercise (in addition to releasing endorphins) also helps to burn off excess adrenaline, which is one of the major aggravating factors in panic disorder. So it's a win-win proposition. I agree 100%. Personally, I try to run (on the road or on a treadmill, depending on the weather) for at least 30 minutes in the morning, and then lift weights at night (lighter weights, more reps). I try to do this at least 5 days a week. This seems to be the best combination for me.

Keep moving!

gxpark1234

hello.. i agree that exercise is the best way to fix this horrible problem.. but what about people that panic or have more anxiety because of exercise?? i know for a fact i couldnt run because my heart would go a million miles per hour.. any advice?? thanks everyone.

SoccerDad

I know exactly what you're saying, and you're absolutely right. Sometimes exercise is a trigger for panic. I used to have this happen to me. I would get on a treadmill and get my heart rate up, and then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, it would skyrocket, and I would have to stop and deal with a panic attack. It was completely unpredictable when it would happen. But I found that gradually, as I continued to exercise, it would happen less and less frequently. It hasn't happened to me in a while now. Who knows? It could happen again tomorrow, but I think the benefits of the exercise gradually win over the anxiety. I still have the anxiety, don't get me wrong, but it gets a little easier to deal with all the time.

So if you can't run without triggering a panic attack, try walking for a few weeks, or months, or however long it takes. Then try running a little. Try lifting some weights, too. Go real light at first, then very gradually increase the weight and reps.

I made some radical changes in my diet, too. No caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate, whatever), no fast food, no junk food, no candy or sugary snacks, no chips or salty snacks, less red meat, more fruits and vegetables.

Anxiety and panic are nasty. You have to use every available weapon to fight them.

Heartzexplode

I agree with wholegrain. I used to be a bike messenger sprinting about 25 miles across the city. I was in three serious acidents and wasn't even anxious. Now...walking about a big hill gets me anxious o.0. I hope you still continue to feel better in your pursuits, nothing could be better then gettings healthier and stronger.