Hey everyone,
I would like to ask how you handle anxiety. Although I’ve been sober for over 7 years now, l my general anxiety gets worse and if feels like more things trigger it. It seems like the more time passes, the worse it gets and more powerful it seems to be. Has anyone else had similar experiences?
I cannot function without being properly medicated.
I tried to go through therapy, utilize my skills, practice mindfulness, and it was useless!
I had to be medicated first so that my brain chemistry allowed me to focus on therapy, skills, mindfulness, etc.
Do you have a mental health diagnosis that involves anxiety?
Congratulations on 7 years! Holy cow, that’s incredible especially with you battling anxiety!
Hey there! I too struggle with anxiety. I do take medication for it which dulls it, but there are times/situations that can make that feeling be heightened.
I love techniques such as deep breathing (box breathing), mindfullness exercises, and grounding techniques. Anxiety is future based and so its crucial that I stay in the moment (in the present) during times of anxiety.
I like to do a mindfullness exercise while doing the dishes. Its a great way to get present. Feeling the warm water on my hands, smelling the scent of dish soap, feeling my hands on the dishes, feeling my feet touching the floor, listening to the music im playing while doing this chore. I find it really helpful 
I do box breathing… so 4 sec inhale, hold for 4 sec, 4 sec exhale, wait for 4 sec. Repeat.
Grounding techniques such as the 5 senses grounding technique are very helpful also (similar to mindfullness):
Hope these help
This is so true!
When I get anxious, I will hold my breathe. I do it all the time. I will think why is my vision going blurry? Oh right! 
Remembering to breathe should be an automatic response, but I have to make intentional decisions to keep breathing throughout the day. And box breathing helps so much!
Haha thats funny lol Breathing should be an automatic response but we all have diff ways to breathe during stressful times. I find that when im anxious i forget to breath “normally”. My breathing get shallow and fast paced. If i slow down and really breathe, it calms me right down
Sounds strange but try walking bare feet in nature. On your front lawn. You can just stand or walk. If you have a pup you can take out with you, that it even better. Nature has a way of putting things in perspective immediately. Worth a try. Meds help too.
Yes!!! Love this!!! Walking on nature with bare feet is verrrrry grounding
Me too! I love box breathing and 4-2-6 breathing. Inhale thru ur nose for count of 4, inhale even more for 2 then slowly exhale out of mouth. Very calming and soothing.
Never heard of this one but im definitely going to try this
I forgot to mention candles and aromatherapy helps alot too. I like lavender essential oil to smell when Im stressed. And watching the flame of a candle
I also struggle with severe anxiety. I’m bipolar and borderline and I have meds. But anxiety is daily, has been since 2013. Others have give great tools, but for me most of them don’t work (except walking barefoot/Vibram Fivefingers). I reduce my anxiety listening to calming music, burning incense, taking a hot shower or going for a run/walk. But anxiety is my daily companion and I have learn to live with it. Like @Butterflymoonwoman mentioned, it’s future based, so I’m trying to stay present with all the tools that works for me. I’m starting a therapy pretty soon and I believe it will help with my anxiety because I can talk about my fears concerning the past and future. I wish you all the best, anxiety is so devastating, but it can be under control.
I’ve never thought of anxiety as being future based, it just never occurred to me. It always seems to be right in the moment when it hits. Maybe i need to realize this when the anxiety hits
Its interesting bcuz I too felt that way until in therapy, my councellor mentioned that to me during a session. And then i began thinking of the times when I was anxious and how they literally were all based in the future. Every anxious thought was about future potential situtions, my worries about the future with regards to myself or my family, fear of the unknown, fear of change, fear of relapse or what else… id have to think about what I generally get anxious about, but u get the idea lol.
I find tho that when it comes to anxiety and future situations, I have to remember that i only have control over myself and how I react. I have no control over people and the outcomes of alot of situations. When I remember this, it helps me to focus on myself and what I CAN control. Which is today, in this moment, and how I choose to handle my anxiety.
Medication has helped me alot with anxiety. But as others mentioned, it still creeps in at times. I do the grounding techniques that were listed, aromatherapy, and hot bath with my ears under water. I’m not sure why that last one helps, but it does.
I am unmedicated at the moment because I can’t afford it but I do the following:
· journaling (brain dump, positive & memorable entries, gratitude journal, mental health prompts)
· hot tea of any kind (I prefer chamomile and jasmine to ease my nerves, especially at night)
· warm showers and self-care (scented lotion, soothing balm/salve, etc.)
· hugging a pillow or plushie
· crying it out in private if I absolutely have to and need to
· talking to anyone in my trusted support system
· eating food and drinking beverages I like (healthy ones)
· comfort movies, books, shows
· taking a walk in nature or going on a trip if I can
@Spring i feel like we’re in the same boat. I’ll be sober 7 years in May. I thought getting sober would alleviate my anxiety and depression. Maybe it was causing it or causing it to be worse, at the very least. I found that wasn’t really the case. I was using drinking to mask those issues and the symptoms of them, and tbh it worked until it didn’t. However, being sober has allowed me the clarity to identify and work through my symptoms. Albeit not always successfully. I’ve managed my depression w meds, journaling, new hobbies, meditation, and listening to my body. However, this pesky anxiety will not go away and feels like every day it’s getting worse. I’m on meds for it, but honestly they don’t feel like they’ve done anything at all. I’ve heard of the grounding techniques. The breathing techniques. That anxiety is living in the future. Etc etc. I’ve researched it to death. It’s dead. But it hasn’t helped me much, not as much as I would like. I can hardly drive a car some days, going into a simple store to grab an item is impossible sometimes, and I’ve put off going to doctors, making appts, etc bc I can’t even bring myself to make the first phone call, and then the anxiety as the appt approaches, ekkk. It’s all too much.
My apologies as this wasn’t helpful at all. It turned into a brain dump of my own problems. I just wanted to let you know that you’re not alone. 
I know that being sober is keeping me on the right path and that this issue is solvable as long as I stay sober. I know that you’ll find the right answer for yourself, just keep working at it and don’t give it up.
I totally understand this. I am 9 years sober tomorrow and initially the anxiety lessened, but over the years it has amped up and I use medication as needed and prescribed, which does help. I don’t like relying on medication, and I am grateful for it. I use other tools as well.
Like others posted, walks in nature, exercise, box breathing, yoga (especially restorative yoga), journaling and box breathing are all helpful tools. So is mindfulness, bringing myself back to this moment and calming my breath…being aware of it. Mindfulness is probably my favorite go to.
Part of my drinking/using was my body / mind looking for ways to self medicate. I am glad that through sobriety I have been able to dive deeper into the healthier ways of regulating my body / mind. I had hoped anxiety would go away completely with sobriety, but for me, that hasn’t been the case. I also do talk therapy, which adds to my toolbox of knowledge and skills.
I hope you can find some go to tools that work for you. Like any dis-ease, finding the healthy tools which heal and help is key.
Wishing you all the best and congrats on your 7 years!! Hold tight and fast to your sobriety…drinking would only make it way worse.
*a purring cat on my lap is also very calming 
I literally cannot agree with this more!
Yes!
So. Much. Yes.
Instantly calms and grounds me back into the moment.
Thank you for adding this because it’s so true!
I’ve tried the mindfulness doing dishes - still not working 
Lol
