Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav
Community /

Anxiety Support

Info
63,886 Friends
Filter by Topic
Community calendar
Group chat
Ask questions, get support and make friends
Find a group chat
My communities
Considering Therapy?
Talk to an expert therapist
New subscribers
Create a New Thread
Gif Photo Link
Reminder✨️🌌
by daydreammemories
Last post
 1 day ago
...See more
Weekly Prompt #41: Are there any underlying beliefs or fears that fuel your anxiety?
by ASilentObserver
Last post
 Monday
...See more Hello all and welcome back to another discussion,  A couple of weeks ago, we discussed what kind of behaviors anxiety has caused you to engage in. [https://www.7cups.com/forum/anxiety/General_2428/WeeklyPrompt40Whatkindofbehaviorsdoyouthinkanxietyhascausedyoutoengagein_336332/] Thank you to all who participated and shared your thoughts with us. I appreciate you all. I hope all who may read it find it relatable, too. If anyone hasn't shared them yet, please share them here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/anxiety/General_2428/WeeklyPrompt40Whatkindofbehaviorsdoyouthinkanxietyhascausedyoutoengagein_336332/], and I look forward to reading and discussing them with you.  This week's prompt:  Are there any underlying beliefs or fears that fuel your anxiety? There are often underlying beliefs and fears that fuel anxiety and these can be categorized into a few key areas like core beliefs, fears, negative thinking patterns, etc. Let's start to discuss and share these behaviors and I look forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences. Did you join us in the Anxiety Support Chat? It is available every Wednesday for the entire day. [https://www.7cups.com/connect/groupChatrooms.php]
A Little Reminder 🦋
by daydreammemories
Last post
 Saturday
...See more
New member of the community!
by elizabethTheAstronaut
Last post
 2 hours ago
...See more Hello! My name is Elizabeth and I just became a listener today as well as joined this community. I've been a Listener before, but it's been a while. Anxiety is something I've fought a long, difficult battle with since I was in middle school. The past 4 years have been the most healing for me and I'm such a different person compared to who I used to be when I was last on 7 Cups. So happy to be back and I really look forward to taking chats and listening people's stories again! 😄❤️
New here
by conscientiousLake752
Last post
 3 hours ago
...See more Honestly this is my first time doing something like this and I'm still really anxious about it, i have no idea what to expect and I'd love if someone told me what usually happens, thank you doves<3
Anxiety
by thoughtfulPlum2097
Last post
 3 hours ago
...See more Hello everyone, i want just to tell you how i feel lately, i just started two weeks ago an Internship for my thesis. This means i was introduced in a completely new environment at one time: both colleagues of work and other internship guys. With the others guys i have lunch every day and we also go out at nights, the thing Is that i feel very anxious into talking when we are in group so i remain quiet and just listen to others' conversations, i feel that i am not able to join the conversations because i have nothing to add and this makes me very sad because i feel out of the group. This also looks weird for the guys because i never talk when we are in group. This doesn't happen if we are just 3/4 because generally they include me more into the conversation. I really don't know how to get out of it. Just wanted to tell someone..
Anxiety just gets in the way
by LittleBird79
Last post
 5 hours ago
...See more Hello everyone, I really wasn't sure where to go with this but I just don't feel good my life anymore. To make a long story short, I had a promotion at my retail job that lasted 3 months because I couldn't handle the stress. To add insult to injury, my hours were then cut and I just don't feel the same about my job. I've been trying to get a second job quick, preferably remote bc I don't have a car. The only remote jobs I find are customer service type and I struggle to do that kind of work. It feels like punishment. I used to do it pretty easily but I don't feel the same about working in CS. I have gotten on a 1099* site where I could make my own schedule but I still can't bring myself to work. I hate it so much that not even the threat of looming bills can get me to do it. I don't know what's wrong with me. (*For those wondering, 1099 is independent contractor work as opposed to being an employee.) I wish I could find something else that didn't make me feel like this. If you read this, thank you.
Conquering Anxiety: The role of Diet and Exercise
by Hope
Last post
 6 hours ago
...See more Hi everyone! I hope you are doing well. This is week 4 of our Conquering Anxiety series. This week we are talking about two underutilized tools when it comes to managing anxiety and these are diet and exercise.  Let's assume you own a car. You do not put the right fuel in the car, then you go long periods without even starting the car, when you do take the car out, you go out in rough terrains with the wrong fuel and the car that has forgotten how it works. Would you be surprised it's not functioning as intended? I don’t think so.  Human beings are so much more complex than a car, but logic dictates that us not having the right diet (physical and digital) and not exercising our bodies will make it harder for us to function well. But we often neglect the role these factors play in our struggles with mental health. Make no mistake, you can have a perfect diet, exercise, and live out in the woods and still be anxious or depressed but some people benefit greatly from fixing these foundations so this topic is worth being talked about.  Diet The food we consume When it comes to the topic of diet about food, we will not go into the nitty gritty of which diet is superior and which one should be avoided at all costs. These choices are rarely that simple. However usually when people report that they are feeling better on a certain diet, there is an overlapping factor that most popular healing diets focus on whole foods, eating home-cooked meals, and being more involved in the process of making your food. The quality of the food you consume can impact your mental health just as it impacts your physical health.  Here is what to keep in mind when it comes to choosing your diet * Include foods that your body likes (whatever you can digest with ease, works well for your body) * Avoid regular consumption of foods that make you feel lethargic or uneasy (this could be cake for some and broccoli for others) * Plan, don’t wait for last-minute meal cooking. Who has the energy? Try meal preps and figure out backup options. Stick to realistic things based on your energy levels.  * See this is a lifestyle change, unless medically necessary, you can still enjoy the things that don’t work for you in moderation, as part of a balanced diet. * Consider reducing caffeine consumption if you have noticed it to worsen your anxiety. You may consider the same with your sugar and alcohol intake.  Your digital diet! Let's not forget how easy it is to overindulge in content that makes us feel terrible. Social media can be quite the mixed bag, you can start your scrolling in a good mood and put down the phone 20 minutes later with a new worry.  Important points to consider * The content you consume is part of your overall diet. It greatly impacts your mood.  * Most of the content out there is biased and heavily filtered. You are not getting the straight facts Most of us know we should reduce the time we spent on the web on things that are not directly related to our jobs/educaton or other such needs. But how do we do it? Actions you can take now to get back in control of your digital diet * Do not pick up your phone first thing in the morning. Get an alarm clock if you must. Spend the first 30 minutes of your day doing anything else other than being on a device. Bonus points if you can do something like a short walk, make your breakfast etc. This is setting the mood for the day.  * Maintain healthy boundaries with your phone. Reflect on the times when your phone is not a necessity. Examples of such situations: * You are going for a walk with someone else who is carrying a phone * You will be working on your homework for the next 1 hour that requires no phone use * You are eating lunch * In such situations, before you start this task/activity, put your phone in a drawer or a cupboard away from the place of activity. Do not take it out until you genuinely need it for something of value.  * Consider a nondevice activity 30-60 minutes before bed. You can read a physical book, you can meditate, you can color, you can complain about not having your phone, or whatever helps you get the habit started!  * Uninstall apps that do not benefit you at all. Replace the time you spend on them with something else that is beneficial and enjoyable for you.  Exercise Exercise helps to regulate your mood, it is a form of distraction, a way to exert your energy into something productive.  Physical exercise Here are some factors to consider when using exercise for managing anxiety or general stress levels * Consistency is important but little is better than nothing.  * Start where you are and with what is doable. For some this means walking for 10 minutes, for others it means taking the stairs * Include micro movements/exercise snacks into your routine. Do a 100 steps every 3 hours, or park your car a block away. Create opportunities for movement.  * For stress management and anxiety levels, it may not be ideal to do exercises that stress you out. Avoid picking up exercises that you dread. Don’t like going to the gym? Take some short walks instead.  Mental Exercise Sounds like a weird concept at first in relation to anxiety management but the reality is, unknowingly we have trained our minds to think the worst, indulge in our worries so it makes sense to give ourselves opportunities to think a bit differently.  Some mental exercises to consider * Gratitude journal (You can start your day by writing down 1-3 things you are grateful for, bonus points if you do it first thing in the morning) * Challenging cognitive distortions (At the end of the day, think of any distressing repetitive thought and challenge it, what are the facts supporting it, what are the odds, what evidence is available against it, what is a more balanced way of thinking about the situation) * Leaves on the stream meditation or other types of meditations that allows you to detach from your thoughts and view them as neutral * At the end of the day, write down one thing you did well today.  In summary, we want to be mindful or our food and digital diet and we want to add regular physical and mental exercises. Here is an example of how one person can include these 4 things in a day  * Start the day by saying out loud what you are grateful for (time taken 30 seconds) - Mental exercise * Go for a short walk after your breakfast/lunch/dinner (Time taken 15 minutes) - Physical exercise * Get yourself a veggie tray and a rotisserie chicken after your grocery shopping trip instead of a take out lunch (No additional time taken) - Food Diet * Ditch your phone 15 minutes before bedtime for starters (Time saved, 15 minutes) - Digital Diet 🔦Your task Draft a realistic plan that includes at least 1 task/activity you will do that covers all 4 types (Food and Digital Diet, Physical and Mental Exercise). You have been provided with an example above.  Please follow through with your plan for a minimum of 7 days. You will be asked about your experience with it in the series evaluation form at the end of the series.  Now remember change can be uncomfortable and frustrating. It sucks to have your phone in a drawer when you would much rather distract yourself with it, maybe you don’t want to uninstall that one app that is reducing your joy but you are capable of doing hard things and the interesting thing about doing so is that it gets so much better, the more you exercise control.  Further Reading 7 Neuroplasticity Exercises for Anxiety [https://acognitiveconnection.com/neuroplasticity-exercises-for-anxiety/] Have you heard of exercise snacks? [https://www.7cups.com/forum/motivation/ExerciseMotivation_2522/Haveyouheardofexercisesnacks_322309/] What We Eat: Food and Diet Choices (or how to enjoy breakfast salad) [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/GlensNookCommunity_547/WhatWeEatFoodandDietChoicesorhowtoenjoybreakfastsalad_264292/] Limiting our screen time! Prevention is better than recovery [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/HopesCorner_2162/LimitingourscreentimePreventionisbetterthanrecovery_313611/] ------------------------- This post is part of the Conquering Anxiety series, you can find all posts of the series here.  [https://www.7cups.com/forum/community/CommunitySpace_2590/ConqueringAnxietyMasterpostOngoingSeries_327724/]
Any advice will help
by Abbyd823
Last post
 7 hours ago
...See more Hello. I’m 22 years old and I have hit rock bottom and not exactly sure how to get back up. I’ve let my grades slip, I’ve ended up jobless and careless and now back living into my parents home. I’ve been going through this pattern of wanting to get my life back together and then going down a spiral where I end up laying in bed all day. Quite frankly, I joined this platform bc I am so tired of living in this runt and want to have more control over my life and my wellbeing. The thoughts have been going and I need them to stop. If you have any advice, please please please help. I am trying to take this journey as serious as possible because I’m worried I am losing everyone around me.
I don't know why
by reliableCake732
Last post
 8 hours ago
...See more I am 13 years old,and rn I am completely clueless.I am weaker than most of the people of my class.I could not complete my  small assignment even after two months!! I am so slow . I am very bad in physical activities like small exercises and stuffs,I am neither good in studies.I mess up every little things .I think I don't have any talent.I get anxiety and pamic attacks easily.I don't know why this is happening:( People hates me for this.Can y'all please help me to find out why all this things are happening and how to cure it? 💔  Is it any sign of any kind of learning disabilities? It's my heartfelt request to you 🌷💌 Plz support me :(
What is right and what is wrong
by greenbanan
Last post
 11 hours ago
...See more Is there anybody who is struggling in life to understand what is right and what is wrong? With me or I'm social connections or finances or past or future?
Dating
by AkiraJinWoo
Last post
 16 hours ago
...See more Im going to be dating my longed for girlfriend and i want to know as much as i can about how i can make her feel better and how to deal her during her periods. please help me.
advice please
by Summerbeach26
Last post
 18 hours ago
...See more hello, i dont know what to do. I have anxiety. my girlfriend have a sister who she friend with my ex. Suddenly, i got freakin out. I dont want to tell my girlfriend because i was worry if she will mad at me or she will tell her sister what did i say. I told her you might be mad but i wasnt sure if i should tell my girlfriend. I dont like anyone get in our business and worry if my ex follow me everywhere or trying to break us up. My ex and i have been over for five years and i feel like she's everywhere. I dont want to sound like im controlling, just bad trauma
Im bad at communicating so i wrote a poem about how I've been feeling.
by communicativeBunny813
Last post
 18 hours ago
...See more scilent cries. In the halls of chatter, where laughter reveals,   A girl walks in shadows, hiding her feels,   Fifteen years cradled in burdens so deep,   With a heart full of sorrow, she struggles to keep.   Her notebooks are filled with a different kind of art,   Lines etched in silence, they mirror her heart,   Each word, a confession, a tempest inside,   While the world moves around her, she silently hides.   When the whispers of pain grow too loud to ignore,   She finds solace in flames that lick at her core,   A match to the canvas of skin stretched so thin,   Painting secrets in crimson, where darkness begins.   She’s a paper-thin girl with a heart wrapped in lead,   Caught in a tempest, the storm in her head.   In the glow of the bathroom, where no one can see,   She dances with shadows, and wishes to be free.   If only they knew, the mask that she wore,   The laughter like daggers, each cuts a little more,   The world felt so heavy, like chains made of gold,   In a quest for acceptance, she feels so alone.   "What’s wrong?" they would ask, but she fakes a bright smile,   As she carries her burdens, each day is a trial,   She wishes to scream, to shatter the night,   To say, "Im hurting, I’m losing this never-ending fight."   But the echoes of voices inside her head scream,   "You’re not worth the battles, you’re not worth the dream,"   And still, she keeps walking, a ghost in the crowd,   With dreams turning gray, and her laughter's unbowed.   In the silence of moments, she whispers a plead, For someone to notice, to set her soul free,   But trapped in a world made of laughs and lies,   She clings to the darkness, and silently cries.  
Scary Anxiety
by tealBear2472
Last post
 1 day ago
...See more You're doing just fine.  You're doing just fine. you're doing just fine.  you're going to relaxe. 

The 7 Cups Anxiety Support Community is here to ease the pain of living with anxiety. Here you will find connection, love, understanding, and support. New to the Anxiety Support Community? We want to get to know you! Introduce yourself here!

Adult Anxiety Group Support Sessions (EST):
☆ Please check the community calendar for any support sessions or events. Thank you!

☆ The Anxiety Support Room is open for both adults and teens every Monday and Tuesday! [24 hours]

Community Guidelines

Please always add a trigger warning to your thread if you believe it may cause harm or trigger another person's anxiety.

Please try to limit your usage of capital letters and emojis, as they may be triggering for some.

Read the 7 Cups Guidelines
Community Leaders
Community Mentor Leader
@daydreammemories
Forum Supporter
@Mya000
Chatroom Moderator
@daydreammemories
Room Supporter
@sallymae3459
Community Resources

Anxiety

Coping with Anxiety Growth Path by Cheery Mango

Anxiety Growth Path by Izzy

Relaxing and calming Guided Visualizations by prestigious professionals, compiled by 7 Cups

Tips to Cope with a Panic Attack

(Resources for recognizing a panic attack and coping with a panic attack)

Some relaxing gifs to help you calm down! 

(Take a look at these gifs/follow their instructions to help you calm down and relax in the event of a panic/anxiety attack.)