Reddit mentions of Hardcore Self Help: F**k Anxiety

Thanks for the note! So, it basically boils down to being anxious about being anxious. Its a fairly common reaction people have after having a panic attack (for whatever reason) because those things are shit. Worst of all, it's a catch-22: you try not to be anxious about being anxious, but wind up being anxious about being anxious about being anxious! It really sucks. There are still things you can do to help, though. Like I said, I'm not a doctor or professional of any sort, but here are a few things you can do:

Breathing works really well for this, because just taking a moment to breathe deeply is actually counter-intuitive to the body in its anxious state. Taking a moment to take a breath will focus your mind on something else and break the cycle. Also, if that gif won't load or you want to try something a bit different: when you have anxiety, your body tends to try to take in as much oxygen as it can to be prepared to fight or run. Even if there's no discernable enemy. So, your breathing will be a short, deep inhale, and an even shorter exhale, leading to hyperventilation. One way to counteract this is to breathe in deeply as fast as you feel you need (it's a bit hard to control in the middle of a panic attack), but to make your exhale as long and slow as you can. So, you're changing your breathing pattern from this to this. Pretty sure I got this from a Ted talk or some blogger, but I can't find their charts, so I recreated them to the best of my knowledge. Here is another breathing pattern you can use.

Similarly, chewing something also can break the cycle. Carry a pack of gum or gummies with you. When we were cave people, we would hunt (high adrenaline, high anxiety), but we wouldn't eat until after the danger has passed and we were safe. So, eating or chewing something is a signal to your body that you are safe and time for anxiety is passed. It's saved me in a few tight spots, like job interviews (but make sure to spit out your gum before you go into the interview!).

Additionally, meditation, yoga, and being mindful of the feelings you're having in your body (ex. Tightness in your chest, a knot in your stomach) without judging them - just recognizing they're there - can often put a bit of space between when something happens, and when anxiety starts to get to be too high. They can help you notice when your anxiety is starting to climb, identifying why you are anxious (maybe the situation you're in is similar to when you had that panic attack?), and taking steps to defuse that anxiety (breathing, gum, exercise, yoga, etc).

One thing you'll likely want to work on is being OK with having the sensation of anxiety on your body and how it manifests for you. I would suggest picking up some coping techniques like I mentioned above first, but once you have some of those mastered, you can meditate on the idea of having a panic attack - I.E. Sit down in a safe, quiet area, and think about when you had one last, and notice all the sensations that arise in your body because of it. Does your chest get tight? Hands get shaky? Maybe you get nauseous, or dizzy? Remember during this that you are safe and nothing can harm you where you are. Your heart may pound and your ears may roar, but you survived the last panic attack - your heart beating hard won't hurt you. Remember not to judge - these are just ways your body is trying to tell you "I don't like this situation." For some people, this kind of "meditation" / thought session can help them to face their fears about anxiety, and when they get anxious next, they are able to say "I've gone through this before, and I can do it again." Kind of like desensitization to the stimulus.

There are also guided meditations on youtube specifically designed for battling anxiety. You might give those a look.

Anxiety sucks donkey balls, but there are options to help. If you want some reading material to help, I highly suggest Hardcore Self Help: F*ck Anxiety by Robert Duff, Ph.D. - that is, only if you don't mind layman's and foul language. He curses like a drunk sailor (in terms of literature), but the advice within is solid. Additionally, they have a F*ck Depression book, too.

(Tried to bold the ideas of each paragraph in case you need to come back to be reminded of ideas that will help)

Edit: added some more breathing techniques.

Rooting for you :)

Here are some great books on how to become less anxious and create healthier habits, which are full of specific, actionable advice.

The Upward Spiral (costs $10, but EXTREMELY worth the money imo. There is also a workbook that just came out.)

Hardcore Self Help: F**k Anxiety (free to read for Kindle Unlimited)

I would suggest creating a self care routine that you make a daily habit. Start with a small morning ritual and a small evening ritual, and gradually build it out from there. Things like walking, yoga/stretching/exercise, hydrating, cleaning your space, etc. can be game-changers if you do them consistently.

A really great book on creating habits like this is Atomic Habits by James Clear. For me and my partner, life-changing. (The book is worth it, because it is systematic - perfect for 'checklist people', but you can get a lot from just browsing his website too.)

Take it from me, I have no reasonable source of anxiety in my life -- my life is amazing -- and the only things I worry about are incredibly unimportant things I cannot do anything about. And yet those fears control me sometimes. It's irrational. That's what anxiety means.

Anxiety is an irrational fear preventing you from enjoying all the good stuff in your life. As part of your life changes under NoFap you should read about how anxiety controls you and learn how to control it yourself.

I own this book, it changed my life https://www.amazon.com/Anxiety-Worry-Workbook-David-Clark-ebook/dp/B00FOT65TC/

I havent read this but it looks good too https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NDO429U/

NoFap will help you as well.

Awesome. I'll hit you up when I can check out the show tonight. Thanks! Btw, the book is free this weekend, so if you'd rather have a legit download than the pdf review copy: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NDO429U