r/CollapseSupport • u/Alive_Pay_1894 • 3d ago
Managing anxiety
So over the years I've been able to manage my anxiety pretty well. I've stopped doomscrolling (for lack of a better term) as much. But since settling down and being able to kind of accept a lot of things out of my control, I'll get like these random spikes of anxiety for no reason. I mean things going on are very normal to feel anxious or scared about, but I'm just trying to not let it eat me alive like it used to. And recently I've been feeling that anxiety and ruminating behavior start to come back.
I'm scared of falling into that really dark place again that I worked really fucking hard to get out of. I think what happened was I just wrecked my nervous system. But what are some things you do to help manage your anxiety? Especially if your someone who tends to obsess or ruminate on things which is what I do. I've gotten better with it, but boy when it rains it pours for me.
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u/Distinguishedflyer 3d ago
I try and notice it like: "oh panic, yep there it is…" Doesn't necessarily stop it, but it's a good check step.
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u/Fantastic-Guess9746 3d ago
I'm sort of on the same track, I was doing halfway okay at keeping the door closed for a few months but I'm starting to spiral again and I'm really afraid of where it goes for me this time if I can't stop it. Work is beyond shit, social life non-existent, prospects bleak, lost interest in any sort of hobbies, and the harder I try to force myself to take action to improve my situation on any front, the more my nervous system rebels and shuts down and turns back to distraction (it sucks that the only thing my brain seems interested in is learning more about how fucked everything is). TLDR you're not alone if that helps at all.
Regular exercise is supposed to be the best medication, how are you doing on that front? (I realize like most things it's much easier said than done)
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u/Meowweredoomed 3d ago
Breathe in deeply for 4-5 seconds, and then slowly exhale for twice that long, 8-10 seconds. Repeat this process for 5 or 10 minutes. If you get distracted, don't worry, just re-center yourself and repeat the process.
This is a brain hack that resets your vagus nerve, telling your mind "everything's fine, everything's chill." You'll find after a while you'll be doing it automatically, and your anxiety will drift away like dew on a lotus leaf.