I'll probably be homeless tomorrow.

[Saint Frankenstein]

High Saint..... are you totally sorted out now?
It looks like it, but I thought I would ask.

Yeah, we're fine.

I'm not high, though! Lmao!

 

[Infinitum]

Staying placid i take would be worse. There needs to be something affirmative done to address anxiety. I suffer as well but it won't stop me from running toward the anxiety and stare it right in the face so to speak. Complacency won't free you from that mental prison. I think thats a good therapy to address anxiety in it's full onset and work with it full blast and repeat.

I agree. The best way to get yourself out of it is by working together with medical professionals and your close ones. Attitude does matter, a lot, but I wanted to make it clear that attitude does not cover all of it. Especially if the fault is chemical (your serotonin balance is off, for example) no amount of thinking is going to change the fact. This is why I used the example of a broken leg. You need to take away the strain from the bone and fix it with the help of an expert. Then you slowly need to start using the leg again, but it's going to take you a long time. Simply ignoring the problem or telling yourself it's nothing will make the situation worse. That's how depression works as well.

 

[Infinitum]

Hello Infinitum.....
I'm sure the Saint won't mind if I ask you a question....

Can an anxiety attack happen if you are just sitting quietly and watching, say, a film that you are enjoying?

What actually happens in an anxiety attack? Shaking? Hot or cold? Heartbeat massively increased? Do you feel a bit dizzy? Do you feel that you could run a hundred yards fast? Is your breathing all over the place? Do you feel like somebody just jumped out at you in a darkened street? Balance OK?

Do you ever feel totally relaxed?

I very rarely suffer from anxiety attacks and during one a lot of my normal mental processes, including memory, shut down to a degree. The symptoms vary from person to person, but there are lists out there on the internet of the typical signs of anxiety. Here's a good article on anxiety in general. For me the biggest surprising sign was a numbness or a tingling in the face. I had never even paid attention to it before I filled in a form asking about it. I answered no to it just to come back a few weeks later to change my mind.

People with frequent anxiety attacks can get an attack practically any time for any reason. Usually there is some kind of trigger to it, of course, but the trigger can be subconscious. Stress is also a big factor, as it can accumulate for a long time and then suddenly tip you over the edge. Personally I'm perfectly fine until I'm put in a situation where someone demands me to do something. Typical triggers are school work and home work and they have a very clear connection to my teenage years.

I'm generally able to see and control the "danger spots" before they tip me over, but in the situation with the psychologist I wanted her to be able to see what was wrong with me. To be honest I was surprised over how strong my reaction was, especially physically. It still meant I'm currently in the situation where the doctors know what they're dealing with and are working with me to fix it, so it's all good.

What I find interesting is how little conscious control you necessarily have over anxiety and/or depression. I'm a very calm and rational person in normal situations and I don't lose that objectivity even during times of anxiety. You can clearly know your thought processes are running the completely wrong course and tell yourself there's no reason for you to panic, but it doesn't stop the emotions and physical reactions from getting to you. The brain is a very interesting (and honestly rather annoying) thing.

 

[oldbadger]

I very rarely suffer from anxiety attacks and during one a lot of my normal mental processes, including memory, shut down to a degree. The symptoms vary from person to person, but there are lists out there on the internet of the typical signs of anxiety. Here's a good article on anxiety in general. For me the biggest surprising sign was a numbness or a tingling in the face. I had never even paid attention to it before I filled in a form asking about it. I answered no to it just to come back a few weeks later to change my mind.

People with frequent anxiety attacks can get an attack practically any time for any reason. Usually there is some kind of trigger to it, of course, but the trigger can be subconscious. Stress is also a big factor, as it can accumulate for a long time and then suddenly tip you over the edge. Personally I'm perfectly fine until I'm put in a situation where someone demands me to do something. Typical triggers are school work and home work and they have a very clear connection to my teenage years.

I'm generally able to see and control the "danger spots" before they tip me over, but in the situation with the psychologist I wanted her to be able to see what was wrong with me. To be honest I was surprised over how strong my reaction was, especially physically. It still meant I'm currently in the situation where the doctors know what they're dealing with and are working with me to fix it, so it's all good.

What I find interesting is how little conscious control you necessarily have over anxiety and/or depression. I'm a very calm and rational person in normal situations and I don't lose that objectivity even during times of anxiety. You can clearly know your thought processes are running the completely wrong course and tell yourself there's no reason for you to panic, but it doesn't stop the emotions and physical reactions from getting to you. The brain is a very interesting (and honestly rather annoying) thing.

very very interesting.i am on a mob just now, but will reply when i get home, later.

 

[oldbadger]

I very rarely suffer from anxiety attacks and during one a lot of my normal mental processes, including memory, shut down to a degree. The symptoms vary from person to person, but there are lists out there on the internet of the typical signs of anxiety. Here's a good article on anxiety in general. For me the biggest surprising sign was a numbness or a tingling in the face. I had never even paid attention to it before I filled in a form asking about it. I answered no to it just to come back a few weeks later to change my mind.

People with frequent anxiety attacks can get an attack practically any time for any reason. Usually there is some kind of trigger to it, of course, but the trigger can be subconscious. Stress is also a big factor, as it can accumulate for a long time and then suddenly tip you over the edge. Personally I'm perfectly fine until I'm put in a situation where someone demands me to do something. Typical triggers are school work and home work and they have a very clear connection to my teenage years.

I'm generally able to see and control the "danger spots" before they tip me over, but in the situation with the psychologist I wanted her to be able to see what was wrong with me. To be honest I was surprised over how strong my reaction was, especially physically. It still meant I'm currently in the situation where the doctors know what they're dealing with and are working with me to fix it, so it's all good.

What I find interesting is how little conscious control you necessarily have over anxiety and/or depression. I'm a very calm and rational person in normal situations and I don't lose that objectivity even during times of anxiety. You can clearly know your thought processes are running the completely wrong course and tell yourself there's no reason for you to panic, but it doesn't stop the emotions and physical reactions from getting to you. The brain is a very interesting (and honestly rather annoying) thing.

i forgot to ask....
has anybody had a chance to take your blood pressure during one of hour anxiety attacks?
if not, you could buy a bp machine , wrist one will do, and keep it ready to obtain a reading.
i will come back much later.

 

[Infinitum]

Guys, I think we're getting to the point where we're derailing the thread. If you still have a lot of questions, start a new thread and let's clear this for the original topic. I'll answer to one more and then move on, unless Frank tells otherwise.

i forgot to ask....
has anybody had a chance to take your blood pressure during one of hour anxiety attacks?
if not, you could buy a bp machine , wrist one will do, and keep it ready to obtain a reading.
i will come back much later.

I haven't had my blood pressure checked, no, but I wouldn't be surprised to see some kind of anomaly. As the article I linked says, it's not uncommon that your heart starts pounding. In a sense anxiety is the ancient fight or flight reflex gone wrong, where your mind and body tries to react to something that in fact doesn't require that sort of response.

 

[Avi1001]

Hi Infi, I don't think these comments are off topic at all. The first part of the thread was to help Frank deal with his crisis. That done, we are now in phase II, the mop up, where we help Frank to change his situation, so he does not end in crisis again, next month.

Do you have any suggestions for Frank ?

I still think my suggestion, that he volunteer at Walmart or McD's to move boxes or sweep the floor is sound. The key is to become an active, productive member of society. Another idea is to become a volunteer at a soup kitchen. There he could help, the homeless, those less fortunate than himself.

Any other advice for Frank ?

Guys, I think we're getting to the point where we're derailing the thread. If you still have a lot of questions, start a new thread and let's clear this for the original topic. I'll answer to one more and then move on, unless Frank tells otherwise.

I haven't had my blood pressure checked, no, but I wouldn't be surprised to see some kind of anomaly. As the article I linked says, it's not uncommon that your heart starts pounding. In a sense anxiety is the ancient fight or flight reflex gone wrong, where your mind and body tries to react to something that in fact doesn't require that sort of response.

 

[Drolefille]

Hi Infi, I don't think these comments are off topic at all. The first part of the thread was to help Frank deal with his crisis. That done, we are now in phase II, the mop up, where we help Frank to change his situation, so he does not end in crisis again, next month.

Do you have any suggestions for Frank ?

I still think my suggestion, that he volunteer at Walmart or McD's to move boxes or sweep the floor is sound. The key is to become an active, productive member of society. Another idea is to become a volunteer at a soup kitchen. There he could help, the homeless, those less fortunate than himself.

Any other advice for Frank ?

I think your suggestion that he volunteer for a for-profit company that would be violating labor laws is not sound.

 

[Avi1001]

I think your suggestion that he volunteer for a for-profit company that would be violating labor laws is not sound.

You are right, Drole, but the soup kitchen would be fine as would the Ronald McDonald House and Walmart accepts volunteers for their foundation:

Walmart Corporate - Walmart associates give back.

Hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living take volunteers.

I see that Frank is a religious Catholic, he could volunteer at his Church.

There are a tremendous number of volunteer opportunities available, one has to seek them.

 

[Drolefille]

You are right, Drole, but the soup kitchen would be fine as would the Ronald McDonald House and Walmart accepts volunteers for their foundation:

Walmart Corporate - Walmart associates give back.

Hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living take volunteers.

I see that Frank is a religious Catholic, he could volunteer at his Church.

There are a tremendous number of volunteer opportunities available, one has to seek them.

Walmart has its associates volunteer with community agencies.

Personally I think if you wanted to have a thread about volunteer work or volunteering and depression that's fine.

But I think it is misplaced in this thread particularly considering the ignorance that you started this with: "Volunteer at walmart"

 

[Sunstone]

One of the things that interests me about depression and anxiety is the extent to which people who suffer from severe forms of them believe they have control over them.

That interests me because I've been there and thought the same thing. But during all the years I was afflicted with those things, I never managed to cure myself despite making great and sustained efforts to do so. Instead, I would repeatedly clutch at whatever minor fluctuations I experienced in those things as "evidence" that I could control those illnesses.

So, what fascinates me is how complete my sense of being in charge of my illnesses was -- how thoroughly I was convinced that I could cure them by improving my thoughts, forcing myself to get out do something, and so on and so forth.

It was only after I got professional help that I was able to really manage my illnesses. But I have so often heard people say things like "the cure is positive thinking", or "it's just a matter of making yourself get out there and do something", or "the solution is to change your attitude", that I think the illusion is quite wide-spread that such approaches really help even with severe forms of those illnesses. And that fascinates me. It's almost as if the illnesses come with a built in illusion that how you think, your mental attitude, your activity level, or some other such thing, will cure you. If those things help at all, it's with relatively mild forms of the illnesses. Otherwise, it seems to me that trying to cure yourself of depression and anxiety is like beating your head against a brick wall. You may think you're making progress, but progress tends to be an illusion.

 

[ScottySatan]

But I have so often heard people say things like "the cure is positive thinking", or "it's just a matter of making yourself get out there and do something", or "the solution is to change your attitude", that I think the illusion is quite wide-spread that such approaches really help even with severe forms of those illnesses. And that fascinates me. It's almost as if the illnesses come with a built in illusion that how you think, your mental attitude, your activity level, or some other such thing, will cure you.

The opposite of depression is vitality. When I was depressed, I felt happy. But I'd lost interest in lifelong passions. I'd sit and stare for an hour or two without realising time was going by. I could not be bothered to get up and act on something that needed my attention, even knowing that inaction would have strong and immediate negative consequences.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

You are right, Drole, but the soup kitchen would be fine as would the Ronald McDonald House and Walmart accepts volunteers for their foundation:

Walmart Corporate - Walmart associates give back.

Hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living take volunteers.

I see that Frank is a religious Catholic, he could volunteer at his Church.

There are a tremendous number of volunteer opportunities available, one has to seek them.

Listen, I've been incapable of doing much of anything since I was in the 8th grade. I would go weeks without showing up to school. It ended up in me being brought up on truancy charges and being court ordered into therapy. Then I was thrown out of three high schools for not showing up and for not doing any work. I have not finished high school. I basically dropped out without officially dropping out.

I have done some volunteer work in the past but my record with that was spotty at best. I just stopped showing up eventually. The only paying job I've had lasted for about 3 months, but I think it was less than that. I got injured and eventually would just call off sometimes because I didn't feel like going in. I hated that job, started slacking off and quit before they could fire me due to my injury making me "dead weight".

My mother literally takes care of me. She works and does pretty much everything around the apartment because I'm not able to, apparently. I really only leave the apartment by myself when I have an apartment and my record of making appointments is nothing to write home about.

So your advice is not helpful to me.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Personally I think if you wanted to have a thread about volunteer work or volunteering and depression that's fine.

Agreed. It's really more suitable for a separate thread.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Dang.

Someone needs to rescue that poor woman.

I think it's probably best for you to put me on ignore since you seem to have an unidentified personal issue with me.

 

[oldbadger]

Guys, I think we're getting to the point where we're derailing the thread. If you still have a lot of questions, start a new thread and let's clear this for the original topic. I'll answer to one more and then move on, unless Frank tells otherwise.


I haven't had my blood pressure checked, no, but I wouldn't be surprised to see some kind of anomaly. As the article I linked says, it's not uncommon that your heart starts pounding. In a sense anxiety is the ancient fight or flight reflex gone wrong, where your mind and body tries to react to something that in fact doesn't require that sort of response.

OK........ Here's list of 'conditions' that certain people commonly describe in relation to a common condition. Does a substantial portion of this list fit you?

a feeling of tingling in head and face.
heart would race
jitters keep awake
rage out bursts and headaches
does anyone else get the numbness?
incredibly anxious,
head and heart pounding,
limbs tingling,
BP was high.
nervousness for no reason.
heart rate will soar
breathing will increase (while watching tv for example).
Very rarely do I feel completely at ease
diagnosed as a panic attack…
disoriented, nausia, ringing ears, thumping heart, lump in the throat etc…
diagnosed with a general anxiety disorder and given paxil and xanax.
trembling, left side tingling and itching (hand/foot),
loss of appetite,
metal taste in the left side of tongue,
total disorientation,
strange pulsating roller-coaster drop feeling,
raging, headaches,
frequent urination
I feel many anxiety symptoms physically,
dizzziness,
tightness in my head,

EDIT: this list is gathered from a forum where folks with the same condition have gathered over time.

 

[oldbadger]

I think it's probably best for you to put me on ignore since you seem to have an unidentified personal issue with me.

'Morning Saint!
I hope you didn't mind my post (above) irrelevant to your thread really, but you might like to read that list as well.
Old-B

EDIT: Please ignore my chouice of your posts...... I picked the nearest!

 

[Infinitum]

Next to none, Oldbadger. I've been discussing the possibility of problems with the thyroid gland since it's very common in my family and fits a number of other symptoms I have that are not related to anxiety. We're still in the process of finding out, but if a fault was detected it would account for some of the mood swings. My life situation is better than Frank's and I have excellent doctors working with me to solve the situation. The US wellfare system makes it a lot harder to get well, from what I've heard, since it's hard to get financial support and just as hard to get medical help. I'm actually starting to feel a little embarrassed over the focus on me who very rarely gets severe anxiety attacks and is doing pretty well in life when the thread is about someone who might be losing their home because of it.

 

[oldbadger]

Next to none, Oldbadger. I've been discussing the possibility of problems with the thyroid gland since it's very common in my family and fits a number of other symptoms I have that are not related to anxiety. We're still in the process of finding out, but if a fault was detected it would account for some of the mood swings. My life situation is better than Frank's and I have excellent doctors working with me to solve the situation. The US wellfare system makes it a lot harder to get well, from what I've heard, since it's hard to get financial support and just as hard to get medical help. I'm actually starting to feel a little embarrassed over the focus on me who very rarely gets severe anxiety attacks and is doing pretty well in life when the thread is about someone who might be losing their home because of it.

Fair enough....... no embarrassment intended.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Okay, so I didn't want to talk about this but I guess it's better than stuffing it.

We're in trouble again. This time it's due to lack of communication and apparently the property manager lying to us. Everything is through word of mouth and nothing is written down, so we always get smacked with things out of the blue. But this time the landlord said he won't stop the eviction process, apparently. The back rent is due the end of this week and of course we have no resources. My mom is driving me crazy with her depression and anxiety over this. I can't handle it. I saw my therapist and psych nurse this week (the dosage of my medication was raised, too) but that didn't really help.

I don't know what to do anymore.