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