by Fiona Stockard | Mar 21, 2014 | Addiction Articles, Sobriety For Women
How Do I Handle Anxiety Without Drugs?
Anxiety is a normal human emotion that everyone experiences. In fact, it’s almost impossible not to experience anxiety in real-life recovery from drugs and alcohol. When first getting sober, it’s hard to deal with everyday situations like work, school, treatment, or personal relationships. In serious cases, anxiety can interrupt a person’s ability to live a healthy life.
What Is Anxiety?
There are a few different classifications of Anxiety Disorders. The most common include:
Panic Disorder
Individuals who experience Panic Disorder become very fearful and have attacks of sudden terror. Think things like panic attacks. During a panic attack you feel chest pain, have an increased heart rate, and feel like you can’t breathe. You’ll sweat a lot (gross!).
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Individuals with OCD have constant thoughts and fears, which force them to act in certain rituals or routines. These obsessions are like compulsions, which have to be fulfilled in order to experience relief.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Individuals with PTSD have experienced a traumatic event. This can take the form of sexual abuse, physical abuse, mental abuse, a near death experience, or plain old death. The individual then experiences the aftereffects of this traumatic event, which manifest in the form of fearful, racing thoughts and memories. In extreme cases of PTSD it’s recommended to look into trauma treatment.
General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
Individuals with GAD or SAD suffer from excessive worry, fear, nervousness, and tension. Being in social settings can increase this anxiety. That’s been my experience. If I’m dealing with anxiety and go out with friends, I’ll end up stuck in my head wondering what others are thinking of me.
What Are Signs of Anxiety?
- Shortness of Breath
- Hyperventilation
- Increased Heart Rate
- Sweating
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Insomnia
- Clammy Hands
- Obsessive Thoughts
- Ritual Behaviors
- Nightmares and Night-Terrors
- Fear
- Upset Stomach
- Meditation and Deep-Breathing
- Prayer
- Yoga
- Positive Affirmations
- Exercise
- Acceptance
- Find a Distraction
- Sleep
- Reach Out For Help
- Talk to Your Sponsor/Therapist/Sober Supports
- Utilize a Personal Interest (Reading, Journaling, Etc.)
Remember, anxiety is common for all people, especially addicts! It’s often helpful to pause, take a deep breath, and remember that you’re safe in the moment. If you need professional help, there are treatment centers that deal with dual diagnosis. This is when substance abuse is linked with a mental health issue.
by Fiona Stockard | Aug 19, 2013 | Recovery
False Evidence Appearing Real (FEAR)
Having grown up in functional alcoholism and then married into it, I spent forty-two years frightened and embarrassed. I spent forty-two years! Think about how long that is!
Al-Anon helped me recognize FEAR kept showing up because I’d become comfortable with it. FEAR was my constant companion, it was familiar territory. FEAR seemed better than venturing, all alone, into the unknown.
Lessons from Al-Anon
More than anything else, Al-Anon has taught me I’m NOT alone. I never was. Lily Tomlin once said, “we’re all in this alone,” and that was true, until I connected with my Higher Power. Guess what? My Higher Power had been there all along! It led me into the rooms of recovery. Now, I have many recovering friends and a long list of supports.
Recently, I’ve been learning something most children know by kindergarden. When life’s easy, it’s easy. When life’s hard, it’s hard. My catastrophic thinking and what-if projections find me quickly when the s**t hits the fan. If I’m listening though, my Higher Power says, “come to me, child” and I do! I run, hide, and get real quiet. I focus on entrusting the whole problem (whatever it may be) to my Higher Power’s care. It never fails to work. Time and time again, God’s proven to me that he is Truly the One in Charge!
My Higher Power tells me not to be scared, that FEAR’s just an old habit. FEAR’s just a liar who tries to whisper in my ear. I need to recognize and capture FEAR. I need to put it in one of those old Mason jars, with the clamp lid. I need to bring the jar to my Higher Power, who gladly adds it to a collection.
I’ve learned to dance the Twelve-Step waltz (one, two, three, one, two, three, one, two, three) everyday since 1989. Since then, I’ve captured innumerable moments of FEAR and thrown them in the Mason jar. This has been challenging the lately. My family’s been dealing with a serious medical issues. Along with talking to doctors, I’ve been talking to God! I continually write gratitude lists. Of course, as soon as I reach out to my Higher Power, things start to get better. My trust begins increasing. I can stand upright, joyous for another day in this broken world.
Evidence of my Higher Power’s love, guidance, and support is real and indisputable. Therefore, God’s Grace never fails! It actually causes me to LAUGH in the face of FEAR. When life gets tough, I remember my God sightings. I re-read my gratitude list. I crawl back under the umbrella of Step-Eleven. It seems almost too easy! Real evidence is true, and true evidence conquers false evidence, handily.
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