Newbie questions

[LAWays]

Afternoon everyone,

Anxiety is something I have struggled with on and off throughout my life and feel it has got worse hence me joining here. I have tried and maintain lots in my life without going down the medication for it route such as breathing exercises, mindfulness, eating well, exercising, had CBT and counselling, don't smoke or drink...what am I missing?!!

I've always suffered with hypertension and feel the anxiety is the main culprit for it. I have two tweens who through no direct fault of their own, other than puberty, gaining their own identities etc. are causing my heart rate (according to my smart watch) blood pressure and anxiety to rise. Anyone else dealing with anxiety and notice it has an effect on heart rate etc. what did you do? I don't particularly want to increase the medication I take for hypertension but the chest aches I get through stress and anxiety are not great. Appreciate nobody here is medically qualified but if anyone can share their story, I'd love to hear it!

Anxiety also for me affects my work and relationships (negative thought patterns...over thinking...caring too much...waking in the night etc.) I have with colleagues, friends and day to day life really but I think I have got so used to it now. I struggled with a really low episode earlier on in the year, first time i had been like that and I was prescribed an antidepressant called Sertraline but I feel I could manage after 3 weeks of being on them. Now I'm thinking i should have stayed on them as they may have helped with the anxiety thus reducing my heart rate/blood pressure. Anybody else taken Sertraline or other medication?

Any thoughts or anything anyone has tried at least holistically that I've missed.

Look forward to being here as a support for you all too x

[Moksha]

Hi. Welcome to the site

My sister is a ball of stress and had actually begun to experience panic attacks. Anyway, she took up transcendental meditation (or 'TM'). Now she's the last person I would ever have expected to do such a thing. She's cynical, ultra practical, and totally uninterested in New Agey/mystical stuff. But her husband, who is a cancer nurse and equally stressed, wanted to try it. He persuaded her to join him on the course, and they now meditate together twice a day (it helps that they have no children).

I wouldn't say she's a new person, but I have noticed a difference. She seems slightly detached from chaotic and traumatic events. There's a sort of inner calm that wasn't there before - as if she has an inner place she can escape to.

I would also look at your diet. It's amazing how much difference it can make when you cut out caffeine, dairy, sugar and junk food.

[Aelwyn]

Hello and welcome. I'm sorry you're feeling so stressed, and completely relate to how difficult work can be with SA. I don't have children but imagine they could cause additional stress, especially with all the lockdowns we've been having.

I've not had to take medication for blood pressure. The only medication I've tried for SA has been slow release propranolol, and it has been very useful. It's not addictive. It also slows the heart rate, so maybe that's something worth looking at? But your GP would need to advise about that.

Otherwise I agree with Moksha that meditation can help - though more in a general way, I've not found it helpful when I'm actually in a panicky situation. I imagine it could help your blood pressure. Here is a link I've posted before to a body scan meditation - it can be very calming.
https://archive.org/details/MCullenBodyScanMeditation

[LAWays]

Thanks both of you for your replies. I occasionally use Headspace so need to get into a bit of a routine with that and see if it helps. I will look at transcendental meditation as well so thank you for that.

I'm going to monitor things this week, remove my one cup of perculated a day coffee, reduce the sugar and dairy and see how I get on. Anything is worth as try to see if it helps even a bit.
Have a lovely day and thanks again x