How can I make myself less anxious/paranoid?

[Rainbow Dash]

I was hoping I'd get a reply from my mental health nurse by now about therapy but so far nothing >____< I may have to phone them. Ironically I get anxious using the phone with certain people.

I constantly think the worst of things. I think if my friend don't text me back within 30 minutes they aren't talking to me. If I can't get hold of my family/friends on the phone I think they've gotten into an accident. If I hear I noise downstairs when I'm sleeping I think somebody is downstairs. I was walking home from my sister's house a few days ago at 10pm and some man asked me for directions from his car. I thought he was dodgy straight away and after I talked to him I was really careful walking home.

My parents are in a funeral right now so obviously I can't phone them. I don't know what time it finishes so I'm panicking it may have finished a while ago and they've gotten in a car accident :/

[Quartet]

I have the EXACT same problem... I hope someone has an answer. I took 3 tests last night, one said I was 85% out of a 100% - high anxiety and need to see someone for help. I know it was just a test, but it's very unsettling.

I get the same way, when I have to call someone, or go in for a meeting. I have trouble sleeping, or even just talking about my issues. ><

Theres this website called ILovePanicAttacks.com by this man named Geert, I believe he lives someone close to Holland (that's where I'm from) and he has a book and CD's that help people with panic attacks and anxiety... I'm heard it really works. I'm very poor and his CD's are more on the expensive side, but his book is very cheap, like 10 dollars.

[Rainbow Dash]

I wouldn't mind a book or anything. I actually prefer self-help services, I'll look up that book on Amazon now

[Quartet]

Yeah, he has a link that goes to it, if you can't find it I will find it for you!

[dystorsion]

Hi,

I know how you guys feel. I have the same type of paranoia issue, but it was way more prevalent back then. It took a lot of self-discipline and willpower to rid myself of these paranoid thoughts, and it was HARD. Many nights I would be sleepless to come to terms with my worries, and it was just terrible. I had psychosomatic symptoms (at one point I had high blood pressure from the stress from my anxiety, and had to be given a tranquilizing pill to be able to fall asleep). Oh my goodness, I am so glad that it is over.

One of the things that may help you as it helped me is to realize that your concerns and worries are ill-founded. That is, they are unreasonable and unrealistic most of the time. You have to CONVINCE yourself that your worries and paranoia are largely unrealistic, and have a very low chance of occurring. You have to bring yourself down to earth and just have common sense. This was very hard for me to do, and I read that they do cognitive-based therapy in order to fix these issues. I would have appreciated the therapy, but I did it on my own and it took much longer.

Also, one other thing that helped IMMENSELY is ventilation therapy. I mean, I kept all of my concerns bottled up inside of me and it would just eat me up inside. I was imploding in a sense. But when I talked to my dad (who is a doctor) and my mom (who was very understanding), everything became so much better. They made me realize that my concerns were stupid and silly. They comforted me in a sense that they provided me with an external source of common sense and logic that I lacked at the time. I think this was key. Having an external source of realism and reality is important, and I encourage you guys to talk to someone and VENT!!! IT really works.

I hope this helped, and I wish you guys the best.

Sincerely,
DC

[Rainbow Dash]

Thanks DC <3 It helps to know I'm not the only one going through this My parents and friends just tell me to "chill out" they don't really seem to understand :/ The only people I can really talk about these feelings to are the people of TH.

[Whisperer]

Hey Ceilidh,
I know exactly how you feel. It takes time to overcome high levels of anxiety but that doesn't mean it's impossible. The most important thing is to reassure yourself. Use evidence from the past to show yourself what is truely possible. Have your parents ever gotten into a car accident before when you were worrying? Haven't you sometimes left your phone somewhere or are busy with something to take a while to respond? Did you even have a fight with them in the first place to make them mad? Robbers tend to break into houses when people aren't home. There's been lights on, most likely, no one is downstairs. When anxiety gets high, it's hard to slow down and think things through logically. It takes practice and trust me, it gets aggravating, but once you got it down, it's worth it. Just talk yourself through the situation. My parents are on the way they just got stuck in traffic. My friend is just in the shower and can't text yet. It's just the cat downstairs making noise. Rather then stressing over one thing, take time to think through the logical possibilities. Before you know it, you'll be able to talk yourself through situations without knowing it.

Alessa

[Rainbow Dash]

I used to write a lot of my irrational thoughts down and write rational thoughts next to them to try and make myself automatically think them. It worked for a few weeks but they've come back ._____. Maybe I wasn't reading them enough :/