Feed: Top Anxiety Tips - AggScore: 45.8

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Im 14 too, and i was 13 when they diagnosed me with depression, see the thing is, if you think your depressed, then most likely you are, your the one who knows most, and if you think you are or could be then yes you should see a doctor, or just a school counselor or something first, if your not comfortable talking to a doctor, and if your actually okay with talking to your parents about it then that would be good too. I know that i never talked to my parents about it, but the guidance counselor at my school called them, because i was doing some self destructive things and never talked to anyone about it and the counselor at school found out, then i had to go to a psychotherapist and she just gave me this questionarre thing and it just asked the normal depression questions, and that was the only test she did to diagnose me. But if you think your depressed then somehow talk to someone, because if you hide it and wait like i did, it just gets worse, and worse, and worse, and dangerous, because i was close to ending my life, were 14, we shouldnt be thinking that, and if you actually depressed it could get to that point for you if its not already. Trust yourself, you cant lie to yourself. You can hide, but not lie.
Another thing i want to add is that depression is also something that is misdiagnosed alot. Like in my case i actually didnt have depression, i have bipolar, i was just in the depressed side of it, but when the depression meds didnt work, they changed my diagnosis, and the meds im on now work. Bipolar is alot like depression, and is alot of the time not diagnosed before depression, if you have also been happier than normal happy then thats a first sign of bipolar, so if you do have depression, make sure you watch out for other symptoms, and if the meds dont work, bipolar is a possibity too. But either way, the sooner you get diagnosed and treated the better, really, because either one of those things can mess up your life, or end it, not good…
So if you think you have a problem get it checked out, and you will be better off than most, because you can still lead a normal life if treated.

admin answers:

Yea… Er… Been tested multiple times actually – and unfortunately “passed” every time and ended up on some stupid medication. They’ll probably ask you some verbal questions then just give you a piece of paper with a few questions on to fill out.

Nothing major, just how you’re sleeping, eating etc..

admin answers:

Separation anxiety is a problem that requires medical AND behavioral therapy to correct. There is no quick fix. The vet will need to ask you many questions, perform a full exam with full bloodwork, and potentially refer you to a specialist for medication and behavioral training for your family and your pet. There is no way to do this during a routine exam, it is way too time consuming! Treating this problem will not be simple or cheap, it will require long term daily medication and monitoring by the veterinarian and lifestyle changes for you and your family in order to improve it, and it may never resolve completely. Its like trying to treat schizophrenia, it doesn’t go away, you just manage it. So if you are serious about treating this problem, schedule a separate appointment with your vet for it or ask for a referral to a specialist. Good luck!

admin answers:

Crating the dog is a good start. It won’t help cure the separation anxiety, but it will prevent the dog from continuing to destory your belongings. A few of the following suggestions can be used alone or in conjunction with each other:

1) Place the dog in the crate while you are at home for short periods of time. Let the dog see that you are still there. However, do not pay any attention to the dog. If the dog barks, ignore it. Don’t talk or yell at the dog. After the dog has stopped barking, walk over and without saying a word or showing any affection, let the dog out of the crate. The point of this exercise is to untrain the dog from knowing “I will bark and they will come”.

2) If ignoring the dog in the crate doesn’t help, and the dog continues to bark and bark and bark, another alternative is to use a loud noise to deter the dog from barking. This was the tactic that ended up working for me. Place the dog in the crate while you are at home. Everytime the dog begins to bark, you want to use something to make a loud noise. (The noise should NOT be you yelling or speaking with the dog – the dog wins when it hears your voice). I recommend putting some pennies in an empty soda can and placing a piece of tape on the opening. When shaken, the noise is obnoxiously loud, and should stop your dog from barking. With the dog in the crate, every time the dog begins to bark, without saying a word, shake the can of pennies loudly for ten or so seconds. If the dog starts barking again, repeat. Repeat, repeat, repeat. This should help with the barking problem.

3) Your routine. Dogs are extremely perceptive and will pick up on your pre-departure routine. For example, my dogs see me pick up a pair of shoes and they know that I (and they hope them) will be leaving the house. Chances are your dog’s anxiety kicks in long before you walk out the door. Placing the dog in the crate before you perform the act (e.g., putting on shoes, grabbing keys, etc.) that triggers the “my owner is leaving me” anxiety should help. One thing that might help distract the dog as you leave in the morning is a Kong toy. The Kong toys are hollow and can be filled with treats that the dog will have to work to remove from the toy. This should help distract your dog while you slip out of the house in the morning.

4) Homecoming – When you get home, the first thing you should do is NOT let the the dog out. Go get a glass of water, read through the mail. Let the dog see you. If the dog is barking, DO NOT let the dog out of the crate. Wait until the dog calms down or use the penny-can to stop the dog from barking. Then let the dog out. Do not fawn over the dog, do not lavish attention on the dog, do not touch the dog. The goal here is to show the dog that your homecoming is not an event. It is a daily occurrence, nothing special. Lavishing attention on the dog when you get home will only add to the dog’s anticipation and anxiety when you are away. After fifteen or so minutes of being home, give the dog the attention you want. The key is to disassociate your attention and your homecoming from each other.

4) Exercise. Border collies are working dogs. They are very intelligent and need to put that intelligence to use. They need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation. A lot of the times destructive behavior is the result of not only separation anxiety, but also boredom and pent up energy.

The muzzles, collars and medication will not cure separation anxiety, they are short term solutions. Stop the muzzle, stop the collars or the medication and the dog will pick up right where he/she left off.

admin answers:

It’s good
No flaws. >;D

admin answers:

There is no “newer” tips available. The advice is simple common sense. Set realistic goals for yourself. What I liked to do was create a schedule that involved class time, study time, meals, and recreational activities. This way I had a “plan” for what needed to be done. Make time for friends, but make time for study to. Don’t procrastinate. In fact, get your assignments done as early as you can and you can play with whatever time is left over. Beware of boyfriends/girlfriends, they’re fun but are a real drain on that schedule of yours. I got engaged my first year of college, I would know .

Some professors are truly out to get you and to see you fail. One of my high school teachers told me this and I think she was right. Beware of these professors. Avoid them if possible. If not, then do the very best you can to pass those classes. Kiss lots of professional tooshies (it sometimes helps).

Eat healthy! Get some exercise! Being sick does not help your chances of success.

Above all, stay positive. And I wish you the very best of luck.

admin answers:

Your child may be REacting to his circumstances or surroundings, more than to simply be an anxious person.

Sameness and a similar daily schedule, even the daily diet and times to eat, plus making use of specific bedtime rituals can all make a difference for him.
If he knows (for the most part) what to expect, and who to expect to be there, and when to expect it to happen, even down to being able to expect what the choices for snack time will be, you can settle much of his anxiety for him.
Anxiousness can come out of uncertainty and fear.
Are you arguing or yelling when he is in the house? That right there can set off a child’s anxiety – bigtime.

Working in a school for handicapped kids – we employed the use of a hand-held personal notebook. On the first page was a little chart, listing the day of the week, and the schedule for that day. Meal times and recesses were always the same times. Class work would change according to the day of the week, but still the classwork times were the same from day to day. Friday was field-trip day. So they always knew we would travel on the bus at a certain time. When a child would become anxious or confused about their day, we would have them look at their (pictures or words) schedule.
The same people in their life was also important. We would have pictures of each one the child could point to and say their name. Familiarity mad a big difference to not have to deal with many surprises. If there was to be a change, we would try to warn the child ahead of time, giving him time to adjust rather than simply throwing him into a big surprise.

Our Story tool worked well for times when there we would travel away from the school. Not knowing what to expect or what would be expected of them could be upsetting when changing physical environments.
For example, if we were going bowling as a class: The story would start at the school, getting on the bus. It would progress to notable events….arrival at the place, waiting for teacher, lining up, getting shoes, getting ball, sitting down, waiting turns, rolling ball, fun! Fun fun… Put balls away, give shoes back, back on bus, back to school.

We had specific children with anxiety problems we would write and read the story to, beginning a couple of days ahead of the event, just before leaving, on the bus as we left the school, on arrival at the bowling alley. ……..what we found was that the child was able to listen and settle down his behaviors with the reading of the travel story…………But we also found, other children on the bus would lean-in to hear the story read, and that their behavior too, was improved.

Not that the child should be a “controller”, or that the family should never move. But, if you do spend the night elsewhere, take the child’s familiar pillow and blanket and clothing so that he can feel as comfortable as possible.

admin answers:

I grew up with ADD and ADHD and putting me on med’s for it was one of the worst thing they ever did. The teacher recommended it (because THEY wanted the easy way out). Children need structure and no unhealthy foods. I think that one of the main reasons children are more hyper today is because on an evolutionary level, children are suppose to be active, but now they have to sit more in a chair. Where does all that energy go? To hyperactivity! To me ADD and ADHD is an exagerated condition.

admin answers:

Where there is a will, there can be several ways to solve such problems.

First please discuss with your beloved parents.
Secondly, please talk to any of your near and dear friends or relatives.
Third alternative is to obtain guidance from some good Samaritan neighbors.
Fourth alternative is to take valuable opinion from your counselor/mentor.
Fifth alternative is to consult a professionally qualified doctor.
As a last resort, you can start praying honestly and sincerely with ardent devotion at least for few minutes in the early hours of the morning daily. Prayer does lot of wonders like a miracle.

Primarily, you should not try to unsettle your mind deliberately and get confused.

admin answers:

Flanagan’s Run by Tom McNab
“In 1931 Charles C. Flanagan, a grand-scale promoter in the P. T. Barnum vein, organizes a cross-country footrace from Los Angeles to New York, with a purse of $150,000 for the winner. Two thousand runners from around the world gather to participate in the grueling trek, which takes them through mountains, deserts, plains, and cities, forcing some friends and some alliances, tempered of course by the intense competition of the situation. Only a portion of the novel is set in Illinois, but organized fisticuffs in Springfield and organized crime in Chicago provide interesting and lively entertainment, along with period views of those cities”

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/484122.Flanagan_s_Run

“”In early 20th century America, a slightly shady entrepreneur stages a coast-to-coast footrace that encompasses all climates, conditions and obstacles. Very interesting characters from around the world take up the challenge, and the race builds to a climax in which at least some of the sympathetic racers will have to lose–or will they?”
http://www.allreaders.com/topics/info_13425.asp

admin answers:

Breathing.
I sometimes say the word “ok”, several times, while breathing slowly and deliberately.
You might find a word that may work for you. Something you need to hear.

admin answers:

It depends on how severe the anxiety is. Deep breathing and yoga can be helpful techniques if it is occasional and doesn’t generally interfere with your social, school or occupational functioning. If it does and you need to see a therapist about it, the best techniques for dealing with mood disorders, such as anxiety or depression, are in cognitive-behavioral therapy. They provide methods for one to begin stopping the thoughts and behaviors that create the undesirable mood. The website for more information on cognitive-behavioral therapy is www.nacbt.org — It is a good place to start to become more familiar with this approach to psychotherapy that has been validated to be effective for millions of people who deal with issues related to anxiety and anxiety disorders.