How do you stop worrying about the little things?!
Question: I have a million little issues to sort out and the big ones are getting on top of me. I keep waking up feeling nauseous and anxious.
I'm not sleeping well and i just feel like even the smallest tasks are littered with obstacles.
I am getting so frustrated with feeling helpless in situations, as i am in a country where i do not speak the language and i need help with a lot of things. i feel a panic attack coming on....
Answers: I have a million little issues to sort out and the big ones are getting on top of me. I keep waking up feeling nauseous and anxious.
I'm not sleeping well and i just feel like even the smallest tasks are littered with obstacles.
I am getting so frustrated with feeling helpless in situations, as i am in a country where i do not speak the language and i need help with a lot of things. i feel a panic attack coming on....
Get some psychological help, as soon as you possibly can, also see your Doctor.
You don't say which country you're in, just that you don't speak the language, that in itself is going to cause anxiety, are you there alone, with a partner, or family?
Do you work for a British Company, they may be able to recommend some good local doctors and psychologists.
Having all the little issues, makes the bigger issues bigger, and all the little issues become a bigger issue on their own.
I've read a few of the other answers, one person said that they had eventually managed to forget some of the little issues, probably believes they have for the moment, and I wish them luck, but there may be a time in the future, that all those little issues, and some bigger ones, come back and hit you like a steam train, and you can't do anything to stop it.
It's called a breakdown, I had one about 3 and a half years ago, and things that I had long forgotten about, and thought I'd dealt with came back with a vengeance.
I now live in a bedsit on my own, I've lost family, friends, home, job and everything I ever had, including my confidence and self esteem, I take an elephants dose of Anti-Depressants, with sleeping tablets to back them up, I spent a period of time in a mental health unit, and am now seeing my 13th Psychologist, the previous 12 didn't think they were capable of helping me.
I regularly have suicidal thoughts, nightmares and go to bed praying I don't wake up again.
You don't say why you're in a foreign country, but if it's causing you too much stress and anxiety, get out before it's too late, our Mental Health, and happiness are more important than anything else in this world, except for our kids, but without mental well being and happiness, we're little use to anybody.
I hope I've been of some help, and I wish you all the best.
you stop this by acknowledging that you are depressed and getting help for that.
relax and chill out, go to the beach or something
haha. im just like you i love to relax and listen to music deep breathes
you know those "Sleep MD" or the chill pill hehe, just take them before u sleep to help u sleep better or relax more, and also try a warm bath with lavender soap it helps!!!
stay calm.. take deep breaths, try to think happy thoughts to take your mind off garbages you don't need to worry about! have a good nightt!
Just smoke a Joint itll chill you right out. =)
I was the same way but at night every night i would feel as if i was gonna be sick like u were saying but i'm fine now just don't let it control you and it'll be fine...Good luck hope this helped! ;)
this is easy.....use your head for something else, like use your imagination....like this..
I am a dynamic figure, often seen scaling walls and crushing ice. I have been known to remodel train stations on my lunch breaks, making them more efficient in the area of heat retention. I translate ethnic slurs for Cuban refugees, I write award-winning operas, I manage time efficiently. Occasionally, I tread water for three days in a row.
I woo women with my sensuous and godlike trombone playing, I can pilot bicycles up severe inclines with unflagging speed, and I cook Thirty-Minute Brownies in twenty minutes. I am an expert in stucco, a veteran in love, and an outlaw in Peru.
Using only a hoe and a large glass of water, I once single-handedly defended a small village in the Amazon Basin from a horde of ferocious army ants. I play bluegrass cello, I was scouted by the Mets, I am the subject of numerous documentaries. When I'm bored, I build large suspension bridges in my yard. I enjoy urban hang gliding. On Wednesdays, after school, I repair electrical appliances free of charge.
I am an abstract artist, a concrete analyst, and a ruthless bookie. Critics worldwide swoon over my original line of corduroy evening wear. I don't perspire. I am a private citizen, yet I receive fan mail. I have been caller number nine and have won the weekend passes. Last summer, I toured New Jersey with a traveling centrifugal-force demonstration. I bat .400. My deft floral arrangements have earned me fame in international botany circles. Children trust me.
I can hurl tennis rackets at small moving objects with deadly accuracy. I once read Paradise Lost, Moby Dick, and David Copperfield in one day and still had time to refurbish an entire dining room that evening. I know the exact location of every food item in the supermarket. I have performed several covert operations for the CIA. I sleep once a week; when I do sleep, I sleep in a chair. While on vacation in Canada, I successfully negotiated with a group of terrorists who had seized a small bakery. The laws of physics do not apply to me.
I balance, I weave, I dodge, I frolic, and my bills are all paid. On weekends, to let off steam, I participate in full-contact origami. Years ago, I discovered the meaning of life but forgot to write it down. I have made extraordinary four course meals using only a mouli and a toaster oven. I breed prizewinning clams. I have won bullfights in San Juan, cliff-diving competitions in Sri Lanka, and spelling bees at the Kremlin. I have played Hamlet, I have performed open-heart surgery, and I have spoken with Elvis.
But I have not yet gone to college.
Try and relax a little! find someone you trust, and tell them all of the little things, and then try your best not to think about them. really all you can do is to take a moment, and take a deep breathe, because everything will be okay. im sure all of these little things will end up fine in the end, and take things more slowly. Tkae some time everyday for yourself, and just relax and let everything go (even if this means creaming at the top of your lungs, because it is whatever makes you feel better)
You need to focus on what is really important in life. I know that things can get a bit overwhelming at times, but when you see what you can and can't live without, or what is or isn't as bad as you think it is, you'll be better able to prioritze your life. Also, if you have a really busy schedule, it might help to drop a few activities.
Consulting your psychiatrist is the best thing to do. Do some therapy.
Well, first off, avoid alcohol while you're like this. That's how alcoholism starts. Secondly, try writing out the tasks you need to complete (Since you're in a country you don't understand the language, why don't you write it in the native language?). Thirdly, complete each task accordingly, this will help you feel more organized and prepared.
If you are actually experiencing panic attacks-I hope you have medication to take; and if you do; it may need to be adjusted. If you don't please see a doctor. Medication can help you to sort these issues out and give you a new outlook. Sometimes when things get overwhelming for me I find something to laugh about & remember a year from now these issues will be not only solved, but now look at all serious. Good Luck-and as far as the language-it'll come; just relax.
i know its hard to cope like that- i used to have issues- but you need to get out and do things and just try to ignore them or take care of them until you forget. I used to have this thing where death was always on my mind and i was scared. I would think of it every 5 min or so until i got out there and got a hamster and just ignored it and now my fear rarely passes my mind. The thing is, when you think of the little problems you tend to think into it too much- and only because you let yourself think into until the point where you freak and start shaking. Its like my brain used to repeat to me "youre going to die one day the day will come will come will come""and I freaked out. Just when your brain starts to take over yourself, try and think of something else, block out the thought and dont let it come back. Read a joke book or play a video game, whatever calms you down.
1 is you should eat better and drink more water. Stay away from the caffeine and the artificial sugar sweeteners.
For better sleep,you should set yourself up with short naps and take longer walks during the day. If you are working, take frequent breaks and get in touch with nature.
Staying cooped up in a house or office or school is not good for you.
im not a sleeper either, if u find a solution let me know
Ok.... take a deep breath and remember, one of the key factors to overall happiness is control over one's life!! :) Sort out all of these little things that are bothering you by tackling one by one until these are no longer an issue. This will allow you to look at the bigger problems with more confidence, as these will take longer to sort out. I know it must be frustrating to live in a country where you do not know the language and this probably means that you don't have a strong social network at this time as well? If not, concentrate on meeting some friends to help you feel stronger about dealing with these issues...... Remember, Don't sweat the small stuff! :) Good luck!
1st, make a list so you can keep track of your progress. Sort it out by determining which issues you can actually do something about and which are genuinely "out of your hands." Remember, if there is nothing you can do about it--it isn't your problem!
Next, find someone to translate if you do not speak or understand the language. Banks, schools, major businesses are often where you can find people capable of speaking English.
You will usually find that people are willing to help if you are willing to ask for the help
Good Luck!!
It seems as though this is a big problem and I strongly urge you to seek support. Family, friends, whoever you can. I hope you find strength in yourself and just relax. I know you can get through this. There are many people who feel helpless at times, especially in a new place.
If you are really having struggles, especially since you are not sleeping well and feeling anxious, you might want to talk to a counselor or a psychologist. Don't let these little things take control of you. Think about your values and what makes you happy. Take everything step-by-step.
I know you can do it and I wish you the best of luck. =)
calm down. just let things go. you should only worry abouta few things in your life. you, your family, and your friends
having a bit of culture shock ah, i think what you feel is normal, being in another country can be a bit overwhelming because it's not what your use too, but you have to make the most of it and take it all in because this is an oppourtunity alot of people wish to experience depending on where you are? just try to learn the language and maybe you'll meet someone who speaks english who can show you around a bit more. just make the best of it and who knows you may learn to love it.
Sounds to me like you have classic symptoms of depression. Don't let that worry you - most people go thru some form in their life. I'd advise you see a doctor - take an interpreter with you if you have to. I have been in the same situation as you (only without the language issue).
As far as your tasks go, most of them are likely to be relatively unimportant. Try writing them on a list and identifying the ones that need attending to first. Things like cleaning, etc are not urgent, but paying your electricity bill is, since you don't want your power cut off.
There is a saying that most of the things we worry about will never actually come to pass, and that is very true. All it does to us is waste our energy which could be better spent on more important things! Worrying cannot change anything, only action can. So make a conscious decision to not worry and take one day at a time. There will be a light at the end of the tunnel soon.
The problem is not worrying about the little things but worrying. You need to learn to accept things as they are. If some people don't like you, that's OK. Not everyone likes everyone. You need to let go of your wanting to control things and let things unfold in a natural way. When you are in bed and all these anxieties and paranoia's are passing through your head....stop.....make yourself think about something else. You can do it. Imagine about something positive, e.g. somebody that you like and what it would be like to have a romantic relationship with them. You can also think about falling, falling, falling through your pillow, each breath your take, on the exhale relax your body a little bit more and imagine you are falling through space for ever and ever no down or up just endless falling you never stop, there is nothing to stop you just relax and sleep.
There is a saying in the mental health field; "if the only tool you have in your kit is a hammer, you tend to treat everything as a nail". So it goes with doctors, and their prescription pads: handy, quick, and convenient, when trying to get rid of someone in 10 mns, so they can see the next patient.
With anxiolytics (anti-anxiety medication, such as Lexapro, or Paxil, which treat both anxiety and depression) you are only addressing the symptoms, and even then, often only temporarily, as your system becomes used to it, and you have to accept the risks of an increased suicide/homicide rate, aberrant behaviour, and side effects, such as possible sexual dysfunction (common). For those reasons, I recommend first trying the alternatives, which not only treat the symptoms, using herbal remedies, but the cause, as well, using EFT, and relaxation techniques. The antidepressants/anxiolytics will still be there, should the alternatives prove insufficient for you.
See anxiety treatments, at ezy build (below) in section 6. Set yourself a specific time period for worrying about anything, (say; a half an hour, or an hour, possibly when you get home in the evening, but not too close to bedtime) after which, resolve firmly to refuse to even entertain the thought of worrying again on that day: realise and accept that to do otherwise would be counterproductive to your mental health, and enjoyment of life. You will have had your "worry time" for the day, and can just write down any more thoughts that come to mind, and say to yourself: "Well, I'll just have to worry about that tomorrow, won't I?". Use the technique for reprogramming negative thoughts and internal monologue (self talk), on pages 2, and 2L, to help you in this, if you find yourself backsliding into your former bad habits. Some people carry a wide rubber band in their pocket: put it on their wrist; stretch, and release, as a means of reinforcing it, and speeding up the process, re-pocketing it afterwards, but I regard this as being purely optional.
Practice one of the relaxation methods on pages 2, 11, 2c, or 2i, daily, and when needed. Alternatively, give the EFT a good tryout, to see if it helps you. There is also a version for use in public places, (if you like, you can claim to have a headache, as you massage/lightly tap your temples, but you would then be restricted to subvocalising: saying it to yourself in your mind). Section 53, and pages 2, 2.q and 2.o at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris also refer: "Even though I sometimes suffer from anxiety, I deeply and completely accept myself." Neurofeedback treatment for anxiety is increasingly becoming available. Herbal remedies, such as St.John's wort, arctic root, or Valerian are often effective, but the idea is to use them like water wings, or training wheels on a bicycle, giving time for other treatments, such as therapy, and relaxation techniques, to take effect.
View the techniques for control of panic attacks, in section 8, in my website, at ezy build, below, which I created to contain all the information that there isn't enough space for, here. Begin, on this first occasion, only, by holding your breath for 5, or 10 seconds: this will give you the confidence to realise that YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR BREATHING, but not pass out, or die (your autonomic nervous system resumes breathing, if you become unconscious). Understand panic attacks, and what triggers them, in your life (if it is unresolved anxiety, or stress, see sections 6, or 42, respectively). The paper bag method works for most people: try it. If you are fairly suggestible, the following are reliable: http://www.hypnosisdownloads.com/
Your last alternative is psychotherapy, to address its fundamental cause: read section 1, and examine the http://www.1-800-therapist.org/ website, and use the locators, and phone book. I used to suffer from panic attacks, until I questioned what had changed in my life, at, or just before that time, to trigger them. For some people, this is enough. These days, I have instilled the habit of, whenever a situation occurs where panic is likely, I visualise a large, flashing red "STOP!" sign, as vividly as possible, followed by repeating to myself: "stay calm" in my mind. You could try the same method. It usually takes 30 - 40 repetitions, for most people, to establish a new habit. I also suggest that you learn, then practise the controlled breathing technique, until competent, then employ it, at the very first sign of a panic attack. Practice one of the relaxation methods on pages 2, 11, 2c, or 2i, daily, and when needed. Also, give the EFT a good tryout, to see if it helps you. There is also a version for use in public places, (if you like, you can claim to have a headache, as you massage/lightly tap your temples, but you would then be restricted to subvocalising: saying it to yourself in your mind). Section 53, and pages 2, 2.q and 2.o at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris also refer: "Even though I sometimes suffer from panic attacks, I deeply and completely accept myself." Note: the controlled breathing only helps with the symptoms (as do medications/herbal remedies): you need to address the underlying cause, and this requires some form of therapy. Because many people can't access/afford professional therapy, I include the EFT, for them to try, free of charge. Cognitive Behavio(u)ral Therapy is generally available in most areas, but EMDR (see section 33) may well be worth trying, and is becoming more widespread. INSOMNIA: You can't shut your mind off. Instead, put your mind in a position where it wants to shut itself off. ~~~~~ See insomnia treatments, in section 3, at ezy build, below. Use one of the relaxation methods, in bed, after lights out, on pages 2, 11, 2.c, or 2.i, but they can take some time to learn, (progressive muscular relaxation excepted) so learn and become proficient in their use during the day; an alternative is to use the EFT, in section 53, and pages 2.q, and 2.o, saying to yourself: "Even though I currently have a sleep disorder, I deeply and completely accept myself." (or choose your own wording) while you use the acupressure tapping.
Find out which works best for you, in the daylight hours, so you will be prepared, come bedtime. For many people, a good idea is to develop a set "wind down" routine for the last hour before bedtime, so your unconscious mind learns that it is time to put thinking aside, and prepare for mindfulness, (awareness, without cogitation/purposeful thought) or the EFT, in preparation for sleep, but the idea with mindfulness is to not even think about sleeping: just drift off, naturally, during exercising those techniques. ~~~ Immerse yourself in the local language: minimise use of English. Study vocabulary. Force yourself to go out and interact, speaking their language, even if you need a phrase book/translator. Copy the accent. Practise at home.
Sounds like you have GAD (google it) and anxiety problem.
Talk with your doc about it, there are meds out there that can help you to stop worring and live a normal life.
Good luck!
It sounds to me like you are overwhelmed with all the things you have to do. Your health is most important. Take care of your eating and sleeping. Write down things you have to do that are priority. It is difficult if you don't understand the language well. That is why you feel panic. Take time to get organized and give yourself credit for the things you accomplish.
If you aren't taking medication I would suggest you try St. John's Wort. It's a herb that gentle calms you down. About the language problem.....watch TV, join a group preferably one that meets several times a week.....just listening to the language you will soon speak it. Get out into the world again and start smiling! Good luck.
I agree with the person who said to write down the things that are worrying you. This is especially important if they keep you up at night -- if you write them down, you're saying, "It's okay, I can worry about them tomorrow." You can also prioritize them and tackle them one at a time...from the small to the large.
You didn't say where you are...if the environment involves police crackdowns or IED's and regular suicide bombings, I would be nervous too!
Take an interest in your new surroundings to distract yourself. Every day, try to come up with five new questions about your new surroundings and try to find the answers. "How do they celebrate birthdays?" "How do they govern themselves?" Stuff like that. Knowledge tends to kill off fear.
Try to tell yourself that if you're making an effort to understand the language the culture, the natives will usually be anxious to help you. I found this to be true in both Paris and Mexico. Contrary to popular opinion, the Parisians were both friendly and helpful when I made an honest effort to understand their customs and language.
If the anxiety's really bad, you should pursue some professional help. If you are studying abroad, then the agency that placed you should have resources. If you are working abroad, then your corporate headquarters should be able to assist you. If you're traveling as a tourist or traveling as a relative of someone stationed where you are, check with the local consulate for your country.
Panic attacks are terrifying...and by definition, you can't predict or stop them. A lavender bath will help mild cases, but not bad ones. No one should minimize your experience. If you need professional help, then seek it out -- or consider going home until you can adjust.
Good luck to you!
I write the letter "R" on the back of my hand to remind me to relax and keep calm, breathing slowly and steadily.
Make a big list of all the things you need to do and split them into the big things and the little things.
Next put them in order of priority and allocate a set amount of time to the most important tasks.
Get a diary with a page for each day and fill all the tasks into the days ahead so you know what you are supposed to be doing, when you are supposed to be doing it and how much time you have given yourself.
Don't go over your own time limit for each task because it will have a knock-on effect on everything else. It's better to rush it finished and come back to it later if it needs tweaking.
Cross out each task as you go along.
Once you have completed a day