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This video is all about how to stop panic attacks by avoiding certain things in everyday life. These things all have the power to dramatically increase the amount of anxiety you experience on a day-to-day basis, and I think that by eliminating them from your life you’ll be in much better shape.
Thanks — It helped a lot.
hello alex. thanks so much. i always look forward to hearing from you.
i used to think that watching things about other people’s misfortune would help me feel better about my situation but i realize that the negative material did affect me. for instance, i used to watch shows about people who were sick and the doctors couldn’t come up with the diagnosis and the story lines caused me to worry more about my health.
i totally agree about separating anxiety from loved ones. the other day i started feeling uneasy and worried over nothing and i was gonna tell my boyfriend but instead i worked through it on my own b/c he couldn’t have helped me anyway. after a couple hours of pretending to be relaxed and happy, i really felt that way. it was like “fake it ’til you make it.” so i avoided making him sad and actually made myself happy.
thank you again, chiari from new hampshire, u.s.a
Dear Alex,
Thank you so much again for your video. I like listening to your voice, it’s very reassuring…
I think you are right. I have considered stop watching TV news and I actually barely do it, but I’ll stop altogether. However, it’s not only TV news, but radio and/or Internet news as well that we should kick out of our life. Even when we hear someone talking about something that’s depressing, we should avoid getting involved in the conversation. I acknowledge that nowadays it’s somehow difficult to avoid all sort of sad information, but let’s try our best and stop most of it.
Best regards,
Tanya
Thank you for your help, since I started to watch you videos I feel much better, and anxiety has disappear from my life.
Thanks for doing this!
alex, why is it that when i have panic attack i feel very sleepy?
Hey Alex,
I have recently avoided watching the news and I think it has made a difference. I am also planning to stop buying the paper as this can be just as bad. On you second point, I wonder if you might agree that music is also pretty important. When I’m feeling bad, putting on a cheerful cd always helps me feel better and vice versa. There’s nothing like a Radiohead album to make you feel bad!
Your third point was of most interest to me. In teh past I have really relied on my mum. For various reasons I’ve moved back home and this iften makes thigns worse. When i lived a lone I was forced to rely on myself and be independent which gave me a lot of confidence. I think this is something I will look to do again in the future. I guess it’s also true that if you can learn to cope with anxiety on your own then this will build your condidence further and help you live a fuller life.
Just a couple of thoughts, but again, many thanks Alex. Another great vid,
Andrew
Thank you for all your videos! They are truly helpful in dealing with my health anxiety!
hi alex. i have been living in france for a while and not had english tv for all this time but i do watch movies on the net and i agree about this misfortune of others as being a downer for me so i try to just watch comedies which i think does help!!
your third points a bit more difficult for me as my french is not very good so tend to talk to my girlfriend and friends. i do get worried that my girlfriend will get to the point of enough is enough and leave of which i wouldn’t blame her as its been very hard.
thanks for the vids its making me look at life in a totaly new way!! thanks!!
Thanks Alex,
To take the secrecy away from Anxiety is to disarm its biggest weapon.
Keep it up. You help many!
Hello Alex!
Very good video this week. I’m happy to say that I’ve been doing all these things before I watched it. It seems like more and more people are coming around to these conclusions about such things.
Television was canceled long ago so I don’t even have to worry about the temptation, but when I am at other peoples places and it’s on, it really is toxic. I don’t worry about the financial crisis, because I’m not following the hype of it. I’m able to remain optimistic.
It’s also true of downbeat movies, shows or even stories people will tell me. I do my best to avoid them, and if say someone like my dad is telling me a story, I ask “Does this story have a happy ending?” If not, then I politely say I don’t wish to hear it.
In response to not watching these movies I supplement them with movies that have happy endings or comedies [creating highlights I guess we could say]. It injects more happiness into life. ^_^
Though, for all I’ve done this video has gotten me to think of cutting back on my reading material. I read popular [fairly political] magazines [Times, Macleans] and there are times where I feel awful after. I’d probably do well to stay away from that. Heh heh.
Great advice. :]
- Ren
Chiari,
There was a time when I also thought that hearing about unpleasant things would make me feel better about my own situation. But this negative stuff really does have a lot of power, and if you’re not careful you can let it into your own life without even realising it.
Oh, and like you, I also used to watch a lot of medical shows. In fact, ER was one of my favourite shows EVER. But in the end I just had to stop, because it was causing me huge amounts of anxiety (sometimes even full on panic).
Hi Tanya!
It’s great to hear from you again. I think you’re right that some radio and Internet news can be just as bad as TV news. The reason I chose to focus on TV news is because it just seems to be so addicitve, and it’s very easy to just catch yourself sitting there watching it for long periods of time.
I’m glad you’re enjoying the videos – there’s lots more to come soon
Nadia,
Wow, that’s great. You sound like you’re making fantastic progress! Keep commenting on future videos – you’re an inspiration
Edwin,
It’s pretty normal to feel tired after a panic attack. After all, even though you weren’t in any actual danger, your body doesn’t know the difference between a real threat and an imaginary one. So to your body (and your mind) it’s as if you’ve just gone through something terrible and physically draining, like an accident, or a physical attack of some kind.
One of the worst symptoms I used to have as a result of my anxiety was extreme tiredness. I mist have seen my doctor 5 times for that one thing alone.
The good news is, when we start to get this anxiety under control, as I’m sure you will over the coming weeks, that tiredness will begin to go away!
Andy,
I had to quickly pick up on your “music” point, because I agree that it can influence us a great deal (for good *and* bad). Actually, there’ll be a video coming up in a few weeks that’s dedicated to this very topic!
Also, about your point regarding not talking to loved ones about anxiety and panic-related problems: I think there’s something I didn’t make completely clear in the video…
I think we *should* turn to our loved ones with our anxiety (if we’re lucky enough to be able to do that). But I think we should not do it so freely, because that’s what can cause the problems. If we go to them only occasionally, we reduce the risk of them reaching their breaking point, and we increase the chance that they’ll be happy to hear what we have to say.
So definitely turn to your loved ones when it’s the right thing to do. Just don’t overdo it.
Hey Ryan,
I’m glad to hear the videos are helping you! As I just said to Andy, I think it’s fine if you talk to your girlfriend about this from time to time…in moderation!
Ren,
You really are a couple of steps ahead of all of us, it seems! But I bet it’s made a difference cutting so many of the toxic things out of your life.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, everyone. Maybe those times when we *have* to go our loved ones will be less frequent when we get the chance to talk like this!
I have not watched the news for a long time and only scan the paper briefly, then usually only read happy stories. It works for me.
It’s true what you say about sharing with friends, I have told a couple of my friends but am very careful about how many times I bring the subject up. They might ask how I’m going and unless I am very desperate I say that I’m doing very well. I don’t want to feel like that is all I have to talk about.
Thanks once again Alex.
i just want to say thank you soooo much. I subscribed to your videos and so far iv received and watched up to part three and i have to say i am already staring to feel a big change. you are an amazing person for helping so many people like you do and your such an inspiration and i just want to say I’m really grateful. thankyou.
thanks! your videos have helped me.You are right about mixing anxiety with friends&family.They have no idea what it feels like and once when I went to my friend it sort of ruined our relationship.I have stopped watching the news and it has helped.I have had bad anxiety all my life and have been terrified of people ever since I was born so Im glad I can watch these vidios.
Hi Alex
I have found your audios extremely useful and always look forward to the next installment. I’ve suffered from social anxiety for as long as I can remember. I think it’s so important to develop a tool-kit of measures to manage the problem. You have provided me with some great suggestions and it is very much appreciated. keep up the great work. many thanks
Go well
nick
sad for me czuse is a hobbie of mine i like to know whats really going on in the world….but i offen do feel sad/angrey…rarely happy……..i’m give it a try……i made the mistake of talking about it to my family here i am 34yo worrie’n about everything i’m deff. try not to talk to them about it as muchor at all if possible hope it work’s for me ty for sharing your ideas
This is great advice Alex. I had to stop watching the news years ago when the US went to war with Iraq the first time. Now I’m dealing with health anxiety. One of the biggest challenges for me is sitting down to watch a TV show, and suddenly there will be a Public Service Announcement dealing with some health issue. They spring these on us without warning. It’s also difficult for me when the people I work with start talking about health issues during break. Many times I’ve had to excuse myself and go to the restroom when these conversations start up. You’re right about not talking about it to family and friends. My husband is so tired of hearing about it, and loses patience with me. I see a therapist once a week, and she’s the only one I talk to about my anxieties. Thanks for all you do. It’s good to hear from someone else who knows what I’m going through.
Alex,
Thanks for your opinion and your insight into the dark world of Anxiety.
It is Greatly appreciated and a major help