hey i'm new to this group, so i thought i'd introduce myself...
ever since graduating college i've felt lost and without direction. i did some traveling and really loved it, but since coming back home (to my parents house) two years ago, i've been depressed and my anxiety has been growing.
i have panic attacks, and things reached a pinnacle in April 2010 when i finally got rx's for my general anxiety and panic attacks. i even had to go to the hospital when the xanax i was prescribed wasn't helping, and was then prescribed lorazepam which works much better for me.
the whole ordeal was so scary, and while i feel more stabilized on the medication, i want to know other ways to cope with my anxiety aside from just medicating it. i've tried therapy, meditation, exercising, self-help books, but i never stick with anything for longer than a week. i guess i'm just looking for any advice on other things i should try, i feel like i've plateaued in my attempts to beat this anxiety!
Hi Abbi2010, welcome to Support Groups and thank you for sharing your story. Do you know what triggers your anxiety? It seems that since coming back from your travel and not having a sense of direction has caused much of your anxiety, if I'm reading your post correctly. I can give you a plethora of advice in terms of what helps stave off my anxiety when my stress levels are high, though even I am always looking for new natural suggestions. I do breathing exercises, where I take five deep breaths and bring myself back to a mellowed out place; I take a breath, hold it for a few seconds and then exhale, repeat five times. As well, somehow laughter always really alleviates all of my anxiety. My anxiety was through the roof today and I watched a hilarious comedy which completely mellowed it out.
If you also get to the root of the problem and start to work through it, then that should help your anxiety and depression slowly but surely. If it is finding direction, then start to explore your passion(s) and how you can apply them to a career. I did a lot of exploring by working in environments that encompassed my passion. Even if you can get an internship that can get you started, that would be so fantastic for you and give you purpose and direction.
Please keep sharing with us. Wishing you all of the very best and sending you tons of positive energy.