When I am busiest I feel the least anxious
Jill Palmer Says...
Great question. The problem with SSRIs is that they take the edge off of anxiety but they don't teach us coping skills. I always recommend therapy in conjunction with SSRIs. It is best that you don't keep so busy you miss out on your family. You'll need to learn to cope with the anxiety so you can get a peaceful life.
There are a few ideas you can start with. There are anxiety workbooks available at book stores you can work through. They teach you to pay attention to the thoughts and give you ideas on how to conquer those thoughts. You can also try meditation or mindfulness. There are books about being present which help us not worry about the past or the future (anything by Eckhart Tolle). I would also recommend exercise if it isn't already part of your lifestyle.
The other thing I recommend is to have quiet time for some amount of time that is uncomfortable but manageable. Sit with the anxiety and deal with whatever emotions are coming up for you. As you get better with that manageable about of time, increase the time until you can be with yourself in quiet for a reasonable amount of time without too much anxiety. This way you are teaching yourself that you can manage your anxiety in time chunks.
Staying super busy is only a distraction and avoiding the issue. Learning to deal with the underlying issue will allow you to manage the anxiety and eventually get off of the SSRIs.
I wish you the best.
Page last updated Nov 06, 2012