Reddit reviews Hope and Help for Your Nerves

I'm 28 now and doing well, but I had serious panic disorder when I was around your age. I have always been an anxious person, especially socially... I mean, even when I was a toddler I was worrying about things and getting anxious in groups. When I was around 16 I started getting panic attacks almost daily, mostly when I was at school. I know exactly what you mean about being too scared to go back to class during/after one - I was always a good student but after the panic attacks started I would ditch school to avoid those situations. I even literally walked out of class and drove home. Panic attacks are serious and they're NOT "normal nerves" when you're having them that frequently.

I think, as others have suggested, the best course of action is to talk to a trusted teacher or counselor at school about what's happening. If you have a doctor that you can see that might be helpful too. Personally, I saw my primary care doctor about the panic attacks and found out I have hypothyroidism, which either caused them initially or made them worse. Also, the doctor, teacher or counselor should be able to get you help or talk to your parents and convince them that what's happening isn't normal.

There are also other resources you can use on your own (although I think a therapist/counselor is the best course of action right now). These were all recommended to me by my therapist:

paniccenter.net has free online cognitive behavioral therapy tools for panic

Hope and Help for Your Nerves is a book by Claire Weekes that helped me a lot

The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook

If you can't get the books, I have both and can mail them to you for free if you'd like, just PM me. I hope everything gets better for you soon. I know it's REALLY tough to deal with panic and anxiety but it can get better. If you want to talk about it or have any questions you can PM me as well.

Sounds like Pure O or Pure Obsessional OCD although the name is a misnomer since sufferers also have compulsions that can take the form of a constant need to ruminate about certain thoughts or themes. This books is good The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD: A Guide to Overcoming Obsessions and Compulsions Using Mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1608828786/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_USdSCbT2QD388

This one isnt specifically about OCD it tends to be general but this girl knows her stuff helped me out a lot. Hope and Help for Your Nerves https://www.amazon.com/dp/0451167228/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_3YdSCbDPJSP0M

I have panic disorder, diagnosed about ten years ago. Tbh the only thing that's worked for me is medication (SSRIs - Prozac right now but I've also used Lexapro). I tried to quit medication because I hadn't had an attack in years, and my anxiety came back with a vengeance so I've just accepted that I will probably take medication for the rest of my life. It's better than feeling anxious all the time.

I really think you should see a professional. I have a psychiatrist but I also saw a psychologist who helped me with relaxation techniques. He also recommended these books, which I found helpful:

http://www.amazon.com/Anxiety-Phobia-Workbook-Edmund-Bourne/dp/1572248912

http://www.amazon.com/Hope-Help-Your-Nerves-Signet/dp/0451167228

If you have any questions or anything feel free to message me anytime :)

panic attacks are particularly shitty because the person has a fear cycle around them


it really takes time and practice to master the whole not fearing a panic attack, which is 1 step and than the other step is handling it properly


they take time and unfortunately practice.


hard to master this entire thing on a short reddit post but ill give as many tips as possible.


belly breathing, you need to practice it outside of the panic attack so oyu know how to do it while having one, 5 mins a few times a day https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9445-diaphragmatic-breathing


Distraction,you can use distraction as a tool to prior to the huge attack when its coming on


know your cycle of fear so its like a cycle you get a symptom or a thought, and that thought or symptom triggers your mind to create fear, than you fear the fear and than the symptoms get louder and all of a sudden it spirals into a full blown attack you want to stop the cycle
when you get a symptom or a thought you need to not react to it, move on with your day this takes alot of time to really put into practice


this is probably one of the better books to teachy ou the method of the cycles and how to stop them https://www.amazon.com/Hope-Help-Nerves-Claire-Weekes/dp/0451167228/ref=sr_1_2?gclid=Cj0KCQjwvdXpBRCoARIsAMJSKqJqhDlHkFn64xSZnB3v6d5Jcoc3xqQSmdhraz2y6TQTJvdPapuTYU0aAp-sEALw_wcB&hvadid=241606582227&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9022863&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t3&hvqmt=e&hvrand=4862078251736826306&hvtargid=aud-649564993678%3Akwd-6853520801&hydadcr=22565_10355050&keywords=hope+and+help+your+nerves&qid=1563802110&s=gateway&sr=8-2


once you get more used to handling the panic youll need to allow it to wash over you and give it its worse its not something people recommend doing when theyre just starting to have panic attacks and havent practiced any other methods, because they are really still fearful of the panic throughout the day after it happens etc. its more a tool you start to use towards the end of the journey when you have other methods down first.


deff seek out of a psychologist or cognitive behavioral therapist they really are able to help with this far better than i on rreddit


best of luck to you

I'm going to offer my best advice to you.

I've had an anxiety disorder since 2012. For the longest time I had no idea what happened to me. I was transported into a different state of mind. I was blank, detached from myself, didn't feel human, and every little thing set me off. I STILL go through this bullshit every day. But I haven't given up. Why? Because there is a path to recovery, and a path to getting on with your life.

I'm not trying to advertise anything, or try to sell you something. I'm offering a tool that can save your life.https://www.amazon.com/Hope-Help-Nerves-Claire-Weekes/dp/0451167228
This book put anxiety in an entirely different perspective for me. I know I sound informercialy but I promise this book will totally reshape your perspective on anxiety and offer a CURE. It was written by a psychologist who suffered from an anxiety disorder herself.

You're not mentally ill. You're not crazy. And I'm gonna be honest, ditch the pills. Anxiety is a behavioral response to a perceived threat. Every single human has anxiety. However, every single human doesn't have an anxiety disorder like you and I. Their brains aren't in a frenzy over the most minute details. They don't have brain fog, churning stomachs, hot flashes, depersonalization. Basically, it doesn't disrupt their daily lives. If you really want to stare this barking dog in the face, you need to 100% LET THE ANXIETY IN. See, what you're doing is telling your body to fear being scared. Anxiety has access to your sensory organs. It watches your every move. Picks up scents, sights, feelings, and sounds. See, problem is, I'm willing to bet you're in a state you hate. You hate being on edge, being sleepless, in the throes of constant swirling thoughts that never end. Redditor, listen to me. You need to ALLOW THESE THINGS TO HAPPEN. You need to let anxiety do it's worst. You need to let it kick the door in and destroy your house. You need not try to solve it's grand puzzle. This is a puzzle not worth solving. By obsessing over it, you're telling your body to assign a fear to the state you're in, thereby perpetuating the anxious sensations, and you then are stuck in a cyclic tour around a anxious cul de sac.

ACCEPTANCE, LETTING TIME PASS, AND UNDERSTANDING are the tools necessary to lower your anxiety levels. Your nerves are red hot, willing to fire at the slightest stimulation. If I were to tell you that throwing a football with a broken bone never heals it, would you be surprised? Apply that same logic to worrying about anxiety. Your body is never going to heal if you keep stimulating it's anxiety response with MORE anxiety. By allowing the symptoms to happen and not reacting to them, you're showing your subconscious mind that you no longer fear your uneasy state. SLOWLY it will return back to it's baseline level anxiety. You're being bluffed, it's a giant ruse. I've felt sheer panic and complete loss of my personality, and then I've had moments of calm. Don't get yourself down when you have a setback either. You need to let your body naturally return to it's tranquil state. Accept you can't sleep, accept you feel weird, and laugh at your anxiety. Don't let it dupe you into this dark corner. Let it in and you will win.

I hope this helped OP.

First things first, if you do not have access to therepy or a psychiatrist, try doing some lifestyle changes. Try exercising more, eating better, sleeping more, take fish oil, vitamin d, and vitamin b12. When you have an anxious thought, write it down. Something is triggering your anxiety. You have to find out what it is. Also, there are some fantastic books out there.

This is one of my faves.

By the way, Xanax is not the answer. Short-term, perhaps, but that stuff is the devil. It has a super short half life and you can develop a tolerance quick. Also, withdrawal can be terrible if your not doing anything to eliminate your anxiety. If you get xanax from your friends and they can't offer you a steady stream, I think it will do more harm than good.

Hope this helps.

When I was going through intense anxiety (around the exact same age fwiw) the physical symptoms were what made it most difficult. It's hard enough being afraid to express yourself. Shaking, shortness of breath, sweating just add to it. One of the best books I've ever read Hope and Help for Your Nerves helped significantly with that. It gave me a foundation to stand on while I worked on the other aspects.

Someone mentioned CBT in this thread, that was also huge for me. Treating the rise in "fear" or worry as a good thing rather than a bad thing really flipped it on its head. When I get anxious now I think of it as a good sign. I'm about to do something that I really want to, that will really help me grow.

I hope these things can be helpful. I'm still anxious but it's more manageable and I'm much happier these days. If you ever need someone to talk to feel free to pm or whatever.

One book that I really recommend is Hope and Help for Your Nerves. It was an absolute lifesaver (literally) for my SO and has helped me with my personal anxiety immensely. At under $6, it will pay for itself 1000 times over. If you search the author, Claire Weekes on /r/Anxiety you'll find it has a pretty amazing track record! Definitely worth checking out, it's not dense at all and each chapter is self contained so you can refer back and read about/focus on a specific feeling or symptom in the moment as a tool to help calm down and take control. I can't recommend it enough!

I just picked up this book and think you might benefit from it https://www.amazon.com/Hope-Help-Nerves-Claire-Weekes/dp/0451167228

"Don't try to change your feelings, change your thoughts and your feelings will follow"

Can you help her move out?

Ask if she wants to join Job Corps, they will provide everything for her (housing, food, etc.) and she will get money too. She can stay there 2 years. They have rules there but that environment is probably far better than living with Ns.

She could voluntarily check into the mental health system, although it usually causes the patients far more harm than good (especially if she freaks out if she feels like she is trapped there, which can happen to people who enter "voluntarily").

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Some resources

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0451167228/ <-- Claire Weekes book for treating anxiety. Don't force her to read it though, it has to be her choice to get help.

https://youtu.be/EPfKc-TknWU - documentary on schizophrenia.

> But I gave up.

Those words should never be uttered. Think positively and positive things will come.

http://www.amazon.com/Hope-Help-Your-Nerves-Signet/dp/0451167228/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343261332&sr=8-1&keywords=hope+and+help

Try reading this book. It is the most fantastic book I have ever read on anxiety. If you do not want to invest the money, PM me and I'll buy it for you.

Some things that have helped me:


https://www.amazon.com/Hope-Help-Nerves-Claire-Weekes/dp/0451167228/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?adgrpid=55435576229&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI75qVt6zw5QIVyp6zCh1OHgFPEAAYASAAEgKpMvD_BwE&hvadid=274678486488&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9007179&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=b&hvrand=9901417112654074774&hvtargid=kwd-323874757874&hydadcr=22184_10176616&keywords=hope+and+help+for+your+nerves&qid=1573962830&sr=8-2

If you can find the audio of this book, it is worth it. Dr. Weekes made the tapes years ago from Australia and there is just something about her.


A great book on Meditation is Mindfulness in Plain English

Also, check out MBSR. Mindfulness Based Stress Relief. You can probably find books and audio online. It is an 8 week course with great exercises and tips.

There are several great apps to help with relaxing and meditation. You should check them out and see if one fits. Many that are subscription based offer free trials. My goto app is Insight Timer. You would think it’s just a meditation timer. It’s not, it’s a great app with a terrible name. A lot of free content.

Lastly, there are some great podcasts. One of my favorites is Mindful Minute. It’s a recording of a woman who runs a 20 minute meditation class but with themes. Each theme is 3 or 4 sessions. You can scroll through and pick something that suits you or start from episode 1.

I hope that helps. Take some nice, slow, deep breaths. If you aren’t belly breathing, look it up. Remember that panic attacks and anxiety are just sensations that scare you. Then you’re scared and you don’t like it and you start fighting the anxiety or panic. Guess what that does? Yep, more anxiety. Breathe.

Feel free to DM me if you have any questions.

May you be safe, may you be free from suffering, may you be peaceful and at ease.

Did you happen to read this book? It’s the only anxiety book that truly helped me.

https://www.amazon.com/Hope-Help-Nerves-Claire-Weekes/dp/0451167228

Sure- I found that orderIng CBT and anxiety workbooks helped me a lot. This is actually very easy if you can put down a little money on this. Go to Amazon and simply search the most highly rated books on anxiety and CBT. You can also watch videos on YouTube on CBT and anxiety management.
If that's out of the question right now, just head to your library and check out whatever books you can find on anxiety and CBT. I haven't found a book on anxiety that hasn't helped. This book was the first i read for anxiety and I found it helped me.
From there, keep therapy in mind. I know you aren't quite ready but next time you do feel lost in panic and guilt, please consider giving it a chance. Get those lists of people eligible on hand so making this step is easier when the time comes. Therapists eagerly help people like you and I all day so don't worry about sounding crazy or burdening them. The reality is they are highly trained in helping you. Like our reaching out to you to comment over this Reddit post, they enjoy helping others who suffer from anxiety because they know there are effective ways to get better.
Another reason therapy is important is the need for talk therapy. Being able to just talk about what you manage with someone who wants to listen and help might be huge in your getting better. Holding this stuff in without any genuinely direct sounding boards can increase the severity of the attacks.

This book is very old but it has always helped me. I got it when I was your age. I highly recommend it. https://www.amazon.com/Hope-Help-Nerves-Claire-Weekes/dp/0451167228

Hope and Help for Your Nerves. It's the best book I've ever bought (happened to find out about it here on Reddit too). I've been struggling with intense, general anxiety for my whole life and I've tried everything to cure it... years of psychotherapy, SSRIs, meditation, holistic treatments, ADD-related medications, numerous psychoactive substances... the list goes on and on. Meditation definitely helps a lot, but there's no one thing that will cure panic-related illnesses alone. The road to recovery is a long one, and you can't rely on just one thing to overcome years of sensitization.

http://www.amazon.com/Hope-Help-Your-Nerves-Signet/dp/0451167228

Happy wednesday! Hope everyone has a great day!

QotD: I believe it would be, Hope and Help For Your Nerves it's a good book. After I catch the final Hunger Games movie I can finally read the first book than need to purchase the rest!

A book that might help you if you have generalized anxiety and panic attacks is Claire Weekes' Hope and Help for Your Nerves. It's an "oldey but a goody." You can also hear Claire Weekes reading an abridged version of the book here (scroll down to "How to Recover from Anxiety." I found her voice incredibly encouraging and caring. It's not soft or soothing, but it's forceful and compassionate, which I like.

This book helps me so much. Ive read it 3 or 4 times.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0451167228/ref=redir_mdp_mobile

This is an excellent reply. Therapy with CBT is a great way to get past panic attacks.

I also suggest that you go to Amazon and read the reviews for a $7 book called "Hope and Help for your Nerves" by Dr Claire Weekes and see if the people who wrote the "most helpful" reviews sound like you.

That book cured me of my horrible panic attacks and I always recommend it to people going through the misery that you are now.

http://www.amazon.com/Hope-Help-Nerves-Claire-Weekes/product-reviews/0451167228/ref=cm_cr_pr_top_helpful?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addFiveStar&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=byRankDescending

This book is awesome. Anxiety is a complex area. There is no simple solution. If you are not in the mood for reading, don't do it. You can start reading and observe how does it make you feel. Gaining knowledge about nature of our mental processes can be peaceful. From what I have read you seem like a good person, but I will mention nevertheless: Whatever you do, do not try to solve it with alcohol, it makes things n-times worse.

Read this, helped a ton https://www.amazon.ca/Hope-Help-Nerves-Claire-Weekes/dp/0451167228

I started having PVCs in my teens, I'm 37 now, had all the same tests and stuff you have and with the same results, normal. I'm still alive too obviously.

You and your doctors have done your due diligence in regards to your physical health. You're healthy despite what your brain is saying to you.

I've dealt with health anxiety for years and only recently sought out a therapist to help me. Therapy has been amazing and if your insurance provides any coverage for it I suggest you find a therapist to help you. It may take time to find a therapist you like as well so be aware of that and dont stop trying.

If therapy isn't an option right now due to cost then read this and pick up this book which is the one mentioned in the first link.

The blog post and book echo a lot of what I've been doing with my therapist and it does work. It takes time and real effort but it does work and things start to change.

The gist of this bullshit health anxiety is that we're all living in a prison of our own design. Our though processes and patterns keep us in it. You experienced physical symptoms of anxiety and your brain hyped you up because it was scary so now if you get anxious for whatever reason your brain goes "oh I remember what to do when we feel like this, fight or flight time" and you lose your shit. Changing our thinking and thought processes over time can stop all of this.

I've been having mini anxiety episodes at work and today I realized it's because I kept trying to deny that I really am unsatisfied with my job. It's decent money but I know in my heart of hearts that I would like something else. Once I had that realization, the anxiety eased up a bit. It didn't go away completely, but that's expected.

So perhaps there's unattended ideas or beliefs that weed was masking. Think of the anxiety as you body trying to communicate some sort of message. Yeah, it's easier said than done, and it's probably best to let the worst of the feelings pass before trying to learn from I, but do try and find even just a sliver of information from it. And read this book:

Hope and Help for Your Nerves https://www.amazon.com/dp/0451167228/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_y6ORybQV1YP0R

This may be the best $8 you ever spend.

http://www.amazon.com/Hope-Help-Your-Nerves-Signet/dp/0451167228

i was in your place a couple years ago (as a 23 year ld female). i wouldnt even stay more than an hour at my apartment. i stayed at my parents house for a month! i had a hard time going to school, work, anywhere. i had suffered from anxiety since i was 12 also, except this 'episode' was the worst ever. i have been taking medication forever, so my doctor and i worked on altering my doses etc.

like you, i thought i was going to die instantly for whatever reason. i started getting panicky over headaches, muscle aches, and of course news stories...

i eventually found a psychologist that works primarily with anxiety disorders, i went once a week for about 3 months, then once every 2 weeks, once every month, once every 3 months, until i didnt need to go anymore. now, it took a month or so until i really noticed a major change. its not just going to go away. you need to 're teach' yourself how to react in certain situations. psychologists have great ways of helping you work on certain situations and reactions. once you start overcoming certain fears, your self esteem with start to rise and each task with become easier and ever more rewarding. it really is time consuming, and can be very painful. i think i cried at every single appointment for the first couple months, having anxiety since you were 12, there are a lot of things to talk about!

i still get nervous. i will always get nervous, that wont go away. but now i know how to react to the anxiety.

read this book: http://www.amazon.com/Hope-Help-Your-Nerves-Signet/dp/0451167228

its been around forever, and is amazing.

if you ever wish to talk more, PM me, i have a feeling i felt a lot like you!

Hey there. This is no substitute for a doctor's care, but the book "Hope and Help for your Nerves" basically ended my panic. It was so useful that I carried it around with me until I felt strong enough to not need it.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0451167228/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_xpiJAbQQD1RHY