Just looking for some healthy advice

[Baldobomb-22-OH-MAN!!!]

Hi guys. How are you? I hope all is well.

So, I have a really bad anxiety disorder and for reasons we can't mention here it's at an all time high, I can barely focus on anything else. I've decided to cut following news or news-related social media entirely but I'm worried that my anxiety has been feeding the doom scrolling habit. I'm just wondering if anyone else here has these kinds of issues and what they do to stop themselves from focusing so much on the things that worry them. Im cutting down on social media but I'm wondering if anyone has any advice for what I should do when I start worrying and feel like I need to check the news. I'm basically just looking for some advice to help myself and wondering if anyone else has any good tips or tricks.

[Finish Uncle Muffin’s Story]

I've got pretty bad anxiety and if it's reasonable weather-wise, I just try to go for walks. I'm a big fan of walks. Leave your phone at home and just go strolling. It helps.

Another thing, when I feel like I'm watching my phone too much, I leave it in another room and just do my very best to do something else for a bit.

I don't know your situation, but if you can, reach out to family and friends and explain. lean on them to the degree you can.

[Big BosskMan]

Mar 1, 2022 8:48:47 GMT -5 Baldobomb-22-OH-MAN!!! said:

Hi guys. How are you? I hope all is well.

So, I have a really bad anxiety disorder and for reasons we can't mention here it's at an all time high, I can barely focus on anything else. I've decided to cut following news or news-related social media entirely but I'm worried that my anxiety has been feeding the doom scrolling habit. I'm just wondering if anyone else here has these kinds of issues and what they do to stop themselves from focusing so much on the things that worry them. Im cutting down on social media but I'm wondering if anyone has any advice for what I should do when I start worrying and feel like I need to check the news. I'm basically just looking for some advice to help myself and wondering if anyone else has any good tips or tricks.

First, sorry to hear you're going through this. As the poster above suggested, walks are a good choice. For me, it's anything physical to get my heart rate up and my mind off of what is stressing me out. This includes walks, sometimes with, sometimes without earbuds.

Not making this about me but in the past year on top of the pandemic, I lost my Dad and had to deal with his estate management and got reassigned at work as a result of a merger. So, a lot was happening and not much of it positive.

The one thing that helped me was to keenly focus on what I could control: my emotions, my reaction, how I invested my time and where I invested it, and then when the anxiety would ramp up and I started to feel frozen, I told myself "if you can see the next step, take it."

Also, setting very clear boundaries with your time, especially if work tends to infringe upon it. Saying no can be very powerful. I've stopped checking e-mail after hours and not on weekends. Frankly they're not paying me enough to be on all the time.

[Ultimo Gallos]

Yea in nice weather I will turn off my phone and go sit on the pier and read a big stack of comics/books to de-stress.

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

Dude, I actually closed my Twitter account over a year ago for that same reason.

I also have some anxiety issues myself, and I was getting bored and annoyed with the constant negative tone of my feed (both for smaller and bigger matters). It was becoming a chore to skim through.

These days BBC News is enough as it is. Then I’ll go look up uplifting stories or dive back into my interests and hobbies or just chat with someone IRL, turn to something decent on tv. FAN is my main social media hub for the most part.

[Baldobomb-22-OH-MAN!!!]

Thank you to everyone in this thread for the help and positive talk ☺️

I'm doing a lot better the last couple days. Just got home from watching the new Batman movie with my sister and it was a blast. Probably going to watch the AEW show tonight and relax. Or maybe just read. Haven't really made my mind up. Started dating someone a week ago and that's been going well. Also kinda did some retail therapy and blew my entire income tax refund on vintage Ninja Turtles stuff 😬 I'm glad I have a place where I can come to and shut everything off and get some help when I need it. Thanks!

[Deleted]

I have horrible anxiety.

For about 5 years, I hated leaving my house and barely did.

For me, the best thing (in addition to taking my meds) is working out. I look better, I feel better, and with my confidence building not only do I leave the house with no problem at all, but women flirt with me now.

So basically work out, take your pills, if its legal where you live smoke some weed. If you're still feeling terrible after a few days, call your doctor because you probably need stronger meds.

[Deleted]

Get rid of as much social media as you can and find something fun to fill the time.

The only social media I use is reddit and even there, I erase my entire post history every two weeks. Nothing else. If you're on medication, make sure to consistently take them - without my escitolopram life can be tough - and try to be mindful of your emotions. One of the breakthroughs for me as realizing how often my anxiety manifested as anger. When I started explaining that to people, and they understood, I was one less major thing to be anxious about.

[Toilet Paper Roll]

I deleted Twitter about five years ago and don’t miss it.
I’ve blocked dozens of people on Facebook and stopped following any news sites

Years ago for anxiety I was given Citalopram (celexa) and anxiety went from pretty high to manageable.

I go for a walk every night 3-4 miles, I throw on a mindless historical podcast and just go down neighborhoods. Whether it’s 30 degrees out and dark or 75 and sunny. Fresh air therapy is legit and it works, for me at least.