39 replies to this topic

[FiveNotions]

...

[brzghoff]

clonidine update. its been about a week and i am taking .1 mg every night before bed. just one. works well to make me drowsey and relaxed. even if i don't fall asleep right away i am comfortable until i do. the next day i do well without more anxiety than i can handle. i still wake up every couple of hours during the night, but usually no prob getting back to sleep. i did take an extra .1 mg this afternoon after a specific stressful event i wasn't expecting. as a result i don't think i need one tonight - i hope to be going to bed soon. its important to me that the clonidine take the edge off but not cover up the anxiety completely. i want to be able to "feel" that i am succeeding in using strategies as mindullness and rational thinking cognitive skills to manage the anxiety. 

 

the following technique is my latest fave (i copy and pasted and don't know why it came out in different font sizes, it also wont let me fix it):

 

The “Just Worrying” Labelling Technique

 

Before practicing this technique it is often helpful to differentiate worrying from constructive problem solving. Worrying involves repetitive circular thinking, which is associated with anxiety and produces no enactable practical outcomes.

 

This technique simply involves a person labelling worry as “just worrying” and then bringing their attention back to their breath or to simply change the subject of their thinking. Every time a person catches themselves worrying they just label it again and change the subject. It doesn't matter if a person does it 10 times in one minute or if they only realize they have been worrying after a period of 2 hours and then apply the technique. The important thing is that the person applies the technique when they realize they are worrying.

 

This technique involves no criticism or internal struggle, just simple non-judgemental labelling. Therefore it is important in this regard that the client does not change the label from “just worrying” to “don’t worry”.

 

This technique is very powerful and most people find that their worrying thoughts dissipate almost totally within a few days. Then they usually start worrying about a week later because they have forgotten about the technique through lack of need to use it. At that point a reminder of the technique usually suffices.

 

The same technique can be applied to other disturbing repetitive mental events using labels such as “just doubting” or “just criticizing”. This is subtly but significantly different to avoidance. It is not running away from the aversive mental stimulus. Rather it is the non-judgemental labelling which is encapsulated in the word “just”.

 

Source: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Advanced Workshop Handout 2007. Dr Russell Harris, M.B.B.S, M.A.C. Psych. Med. 

 

 

 

I am cross posting - to the "understanding anxiety thread" - all responses will be addressed there

[FiveNotions]

I've totally lost control of the anxiety ... largely due to having to put my kitty down yesterday ... I've maxed out on the clonidine that I can take, as well as the diazepam ...

Any suggestions?

[FiveNotions]

I also just realized that I haven't eaten anything ... really, nothing ... since the cat got sick on Sat night ... have been drinking water .. just had a piece of toast with butter ... and now I feel like I'm going to puke ...

oh yeah, I had "the sweats" again last night ... just like back in the "good old days" of hard withdrawal ...

Crap ....

[brzghoff]

okay, i can no longer find the "understanding anxiety" thread, or another thread i started  on anxiety, although i found both earlier this morning. the functionality of this site seems to fluctuate - it is not "operator error" i found them earlier nad followed the same process to find them again. <sigh>

 

as a result, my follow up comments will remain here until i find it

 

i do feel its important that we are able to feel at least a little of our anxiety so we can recognize when our cognitive skills are working. i compare it to when i need pain killers for a strained muscle. if i cover up all the pain, i don't necessarily know how much my injury has healed. i look at anxiety as a form of mental pain. i want to knock it down so i don't flip out, or in my case, so i can sleep. lack of sleep exacerbates anxiety. but i do want to recognize that i can control it and work towards eliminating it by changing my thought patterns. so much mental illness is caused by, or at least triggered by, irrational thinking. various cognitive behavioral strategies help us to "unlearn" those destructive learned thought responses. 

 

the previous info i provided about the "just worrying" labeling technique is just one of several techniques that can be found in a .pdf at the following link:

 

http://sf-act.com/do...rces_harris.pdf

[FiveNotions]

Brzghoff ... as soon as I can get myself a bit more under control and functioning, I'll try to find those threads for you ...

[brzghoff]

I also just realized that I haven't eaten anything ... really, nothing ... since the cat got sick on Sat night ... have been drinking water .. just had a piece of toast with butter ... and now I feel like I'm going to puke ...

oh yeah, I had "the sweats" again last night ... just like back in the "good old days" of hard withdrawal ...

Crap ....

 

 

 

When we lose a loved one, it doesn't matter the species, we go through a grieving period. that's what you are experiencing now. i must be honest, i ama not the best person to consult regarding the topic of loss. i have lost very few people who were close to me. even my parents are alive and extremely healthy at ages 83 and 88. i was close to grandparents and other older people i've lost but it was easier to deal with due to the grieving period having started earlier due to the nature of their lingering illness and that we are conditioned to some extent that our elders passing is a part of the cycle of life.

 

i have lost pets, and finding closure was not easy. i didn't suffer from anxety at the time so that did not complicate the grieving process. 

 

i have no experience regarding benzos so i cannot speak to that. clonidine is the only drug i have taken to deal specifically with anxiety. the link i provided above is a good source of mindfullness techniques. i will search the forum to find other posts i've made that may provided additional suggestions. however as already documented this morning, i am not having a lot of success with the search engine function.

 

FN, i know that you have a psych and a therpaist of limited skill sets, or at least willingness to get you answers - normally i would suggest seeking out either type of professional. 

 

as for the nausea, since that is a direct symptom of anxiety - getting that under control would help, in the meantime, bananas work well for me. also years ago when i had a vicious intestinal virus the ER prescribed an anti nausea suppository <yuck> however, it was a miracle worker and was also a great sleep aid. honestly i felt doped up in a good way. given its method of administration, i wouldnt worry about addiction ;-) perhaps you cn ask your doc about something like that. that was 30 years ago so i can't recall what it was called

[brzghoff]

Brzghoff ... as soon as I can get myself a bit more under control and functioning, I'll try to find those threads for you ...

 

 

thanks. i am gonna have to bail for the rest of the day. hopefully i can ceck back before going to bed tonight. 

[TryinginFL]

FN

 

I am so sorry for the terrible time you are having.  Grief will certainly take its toll.  Please try to rest and don't worry about the benzo - you need that now, so let it help you.

 

My morning sucks as well if you read my "negative" that I added in the middle of the night.  I am going ahead with my massage therapy as I really hurt after toting what seemed like 1000 wet towels to the washer.  The last load is in now. 

 

My prayers for you,

 

Liz

[FiveNotions]

heheh ... TFL ... I've over-taken the benzos ... and the clonidine ... I don't dare take any more benzos for at least 6-8 hours ... or I'll just keel over ... and, the clonidine has to wait at least until 4 pm ... or I'll end up with no bp ... flat-line ... I'm working on remembering to breathe .. the mindfulness stuff and what Brzghoff posted above ... I keep realizing I'm holding my breath ... not helpful

And, for Brzghoff ... here are the threads I think I had in mind .. and that you were looking for ... ??

Stress and Re-Training the Default Mind State
https://www.cymbalta...ate/#entry49546

Understanding Anxiety
https://www.cymbalta...ety/?hl=anxiety

Brzghoff, absolutely do not stress a single bit about being busy and not able to hang out here on the forum! I'm so very, very happy that you're feeling so good, and are now doing "real life" things ... think back to how you were feeling just a couple of months ago ... wow, what a wonderful testament to recovery/healing you are!!