Post: #1

Hey Gang,

Having just emerged from an especially rough stretch of life, most of my affairs are back in order now, but I feel more "high strung" than I ever have. I don't think I need to explain to anyone how anxiety can undermine your success in just about anything you're doing. I've thought about giving meditation a shot -- would definitely prefer to go the non-pharmaceutical route if at all possible. Any resources or guidance you can provide is certainly welcome: I'm open to anything, far-fetched or otherwise. Thanks fellas.

Post: #2

Eat good food, work out everyday and go hard when you do it (preferably get a personal trainer that makes you work hard) and approach tons of chicks everyday.

Post: #3

Find out how your brain works

Post: #4

Do you have social or generalized anxiety ? Anxiety can ruin your life and health and there is usually no easy way out if it is a more severe case.

Post: #5

(02-10-2012 09:28 AM)HawkUnit Wrote:  Hey Gang,

Having just emerged from an especially rough stretch of life, most of my affairs are back in order now, but I feel more "high strung" than I ever have. I don't think I need to explain to anyone how anxiety can undermine your success in just about anything you're doing. I've thought about giving meditation a shot -- would definitely prefer to go the non-pharmaceutical route if at all possible. Any resources or guidance you can provide is certainly welcome: I'm open to anything, far-fetched or otherwise. Thanks fellas.

Go see a personal trainer for the mind. i.e. a psychiatrist or therapist/psychologist.

In the same way the best way to get optimal athletic performance is to have a trainer or coach, one also needs a mental "coach" - to keeps things adjusted and to keep the fundamentals strong.

most men are really averse to this but it works. Do it asap

Post: #6

try meditation, it's simple.

for meditation this will do you wonders: http://www.vipassanadhura.com/howto.htm

it's straight to the point, no bullshit, no gimmics, they don't advertise anything, it's all on one page (albeit a very long page).

as everyone else stated, exercise is completely necessary, along with a healthy diet.

also get a hobby, play some music, build model ships, get a camcorder and start making short films for fun.

keeping yourself busy is probably the best way to get rid of anxiety, since all of your anxiety comes from your thoughts alone, you just need to take your mind off things.

hope all is well with you

Post: #7

(02-10-2012 09:28 AM)HawkUnit Wrote:  Hey Gang,

Having just emerged from an especially rough stretch of life, most of my affairs are back in order now, but I feel more "high strung" than I ever have. I don't think I need to explain to anyone how anxiety can undermine your success in just about anything you're doing. I've thought about giving meditation a shot -- would definitely prefer to go the non-pharmaceutical route if at all possible. Any resources or guidance you can provide is certainly welcome: I'm open to anything, far-fetched or otherwise. Thanks fellas.

Post: #8

Work out and get your diet in order. I recommend 5 days/week on the weight and cardio and a gluten and grain free diet. If you remove gluten and wheat from your diet, you'll find your energy levels high and stable.

If you want to take some natural supplements, take N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) and Rhodiola Extract. The combination of both of these will make you feel real stable and positive. Can be bought in any vitamin store.

Most of all, stay away from any bullshit chemicals that a shrink will give you. You don't need to rely on pharmaceuticals. Fuck them.

Post: #9

Good diet
Supplements: Fish oil, Multivitamin, Vitamin D, Probiotics,Vitamin E

Post: #10

Work out at least three days a week (my "international guide to traveling while getting swole" is a good base for regular and everyday strength conditioning). You can also cut down on junk food (like soda, chips, etc).
I find that my general state of anxiety is also much lower when I'm direct and assertive with people (not necessarily while gaming lol). I also find that I have less anxiety when I smoke and drink on the weekends.

Post: #11

I am much obliged for the advice. I'm already training boxing 5 nights a week, crossfitting for fitness, and taking some dance classes on the side. There is little I can do to gainfully employ myself in a better way, improve my image, or improve my diet. Something about last year (which was very stressful) has lingered on even though I am relatively "in the clear" now. I think I'm going to give the meditation a shot and also see if the VA will spring for some counseling of some sort. Not sure what's wrong -- hopefully it's just a phase. Thanks fellas.

Post: #12

(02-11-2012 05:27 PM)Smitty Wrote:  Work out and get your diet in order. I recommend 5 days/week on the weight and cardio and a gluten and grain free diet. If you remove gluten and wheat from your diet, you'll find your energy levels high and stable.

If you want to take some natural supplements, take N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) and Rhodiola Extract. The combination of both of these will make you feel real stable and positive. Can be bought in any vitamin store.

Most of all, stay away from any bullshit chemicals that a shrink will give you. You don't need to rely on pharmaceuticals. Fuck them.

Actually that is not true for all people. If you have persistent clinical depression, and have a very good doctor who can carefully find the right medication and the right dosage for you, it is a game changer.
Throughout my 20s I suffered 4 separate episodes of clinical depression. I refused to take medication because of irrational fears based on some misleading statistical metanalyses of the clinical efficacy of SSRI/SNRIs, instead exercising even more than I did when I was a competitive swimmer, and bulking up with body building, and going through these awful crash and burn cycles and periods of drug abuse.
The medication I am taking now, and will likely take for the rest of my life or until medical advances render it obselete, enables me to live a normal life, and feel in control of myself, and gives me no noticeable side effects (I'm one of the lucky ones on this count).
Of course antidepressants are overprescribed.
I think it is criminal that a general practicioner precribes these powerful medications to some poor schmuck with a crappy HMO, and has no specialized knowledge of them, and does no follow up.
Not much better are the majority of psychiatrists now. The economics of the godawful clusterfuck of a healthcare system that the USA has, has forced them to structure their practices in such a way that they do 5-10 min visits which are just medication checks, and they in no way engage the patient.
I was able to find a wonderful doctor who does an initial visit of two hours and then subsequent visits on an hour, and combines his extraordinary medical knowledge and experience with a deep patient history and talk therapy.
Definitely has changed my life massively for the better, and for those with moderate to severe persistent clinical depression, medication is a good option.

Post: #13

(02-11-2012 08:14 PM)TudoBem Wrote:  The medication I am taking now, and will likely take for the rest of my life or until medical advances render it obselete, enables me to live a normal life, and feel in control of myself, and gives me no noticeable side effects (I'm one of the lucky ones on this count).

That's good. I'm glad it's working out for you (seriously).

Quote:Of course antidepressants are overprescribed.

Exactly my point to the OP. Doctors are all too willing to just write a "script" and keep the person coming back every few months without ever trying to solve his/her root condition. Medication has become the common answer to all problems. It's a real shame.
[/quote]

Post: #14

(02-11-2012 08:14 PM)TudoBem Wrote:  

(02-11-2012 05:27 PM)Smitty Wrote:  Work out and get your diet in order. I recommend 5 days/week on the weight and cardio and a gluten and grain free diet. If you remove gluten and wheat from your diet, you'll find your energy levels high and stable.

If you want to take some natural supplements, take N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) and Rhodiola Extract. The combination of both of these will make you feel real stable and positive. Can be bought in any vitamin store.

Most of all, stay away from any bullshit chemicals that a shrink will give you. You don't need to rely on pharmaceuticals. Fuck them.

Actually that is not true for all people. If you have persistent clinical depression, and have a very good doctor who can carefully find the right medication and the right dosage for you, it is a game changer.
Throughout my 20s I suffered 4 separate episodes of clinical depression. I refused to take medication because of irrational fears based on some misleading statistical metanalyses of the clinical efficacy of SSRI/SNRIs, instead exercising even more than I did when I was a competitive swimmer, and bulking up with body building, and going through these awful crash and burn cycles and periods of drug abuse.
The medication I am taking now, and will likely take for the rest of my life or until medical advances render it obselete, enables me to live a normal life, and feel in control of myself, and gives me no noticeable side effects (I'm one of the lucky ones on this count).
Of course antidepressants are overprescribed.
I think it is criminal that a general practicioner precribes these powerful medications to some poor schmuck with a crappy HMO, and has no specialized knowledge of them, and does no follow up.
Not much better are the majority of psychiatrists now. The economics of the godawful clusterfuck of a healthcare system that the USA has, has forced them to structure their practices in such a way that they do 5-10 min visits which are just medication checks, and they in no way engage the patient.
I was able to find a wonderful doctor who does an initial visit of two hours and then subsequent visits on an hour, and combines his extraordinary medical knowledge and experience with a deep patient history and talk therapy.
Definitely has changed my life massively for the better, and for those with moderate to severe persistent clinical depression, medication is a good option.

I had a discussion with my genetics prof after class about this. Well about "personalized medicine" basically scientists will soon be able to clone your genes into insect cells and test different antidepressants. He was really against the pharmaceutical industry for the reason that doctors just prescribe anything they are paid to promote without actually properly diagnosing someone. I know a few people who went on antidepressants and it changed them for the worse, they didn't have the chemical problem associated with clinical depression they just had a shitty life and as soon as they fixed bad parts of their life they were all good.

Post: #15

(02-10-2012 09:28 AM)HawkUnit Wrote:  Hey Gang,

Having just emerged from an especially rough stretch of life, most of my affairs are back in order now, but I feel more "high strung" than I ever have. I don't think I need to explain to anyone how anxiety can undermine your success in just about anything you're doing. I've thought about giving meditation a shot -- would definitely prefer to go the non-pharmaceutical route if at all possible. Any resources or guidance you can provide is certainly welcome: I'm open to anything, far-fetched or otherwise. Thanks fellas.

i used to do some exercises called the 'Five Tibetan Rites' basically they are repetitive yoga movements that take 5-10 minutes. been feeling down lately...and I started doing them again! J-E-S-U-S! I feel SOOOO GOOD, i am actually so calm, so relaxed, no bullshit voices, focused and positive...I made a promise with myself...I will do them EVERYDAY from on now, forever..It like a heavy black cloud has lifted off my shoulders...i will NEVER go back to the way i used to feel.

in terms of the science, inverted yoga postures (of which some of these poses are) apparently regulate dopamine production and send more blood to the brain....I feel like I have found El Dorado...try them!!

Post: #16

Write down how awsome you are in a long and detailed manner and read it too yourself every night before you sleep;

Post: #17

I'm always amazed at how well OTC herbal supplements can work. You don't hear them advertised because they're cheap. You can't patent something natural so there are few incentives for companies.

If you're high-strung trying Phenibut could help. Rather than going into it here give it some research. It's dirt cheap and has similar anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) properties as well known prescription stuff such as Xanax.

About a year ago my mood was consistently bad. I had a great life situation all around, good friends, hot gf, good job, etc. yet I was always down and couldn't figure it out. Started to take St. Johns Wort everyday and it has made a world of difference. In Russia St. Johns wort is actually prescribed as the first line of treatment for mild depression. I also suggest you research St Johns wort. You can get a several month supply for $10-20, which is why you may have never heard of it.

I've done lots of research and both of these OTC herbal supplements have tons of scientific and anecdotal backing.

Post: #18

What happens when you have chronic anxiety? Is it like everything bothers you, specific things, or is it unpredictable? I haven't had much anxiety at all since I dropped out of school years ago..