I have read on the forum in many places that anxiety will cause us to fall back on our "medication" (the bad one). Does anyone have any ideas how to rid oneself of this? I get anxiety attacks and as much as I want to say that just having Bitachon would help, I cant say thats for sure. And if growing in Bitachon is the best way, how does one grow so much in this area that the anxiety would reside? This is a very painfull thing for me. I only developed it recently and behind addiction, this is number two on my list of things I'd like to cure. I have seen a psychologist and didnt find it helpfull at all except for the fact that he perscribed me medication. Do self-help books (either the ones in the library or mussar seforim) help? If anyone has experience in this area please give me advice....

Thanks everyone and have a great day!

-Yiddle

Get on a treadmill and run a mile. My sponsor/partner made me do it yesturday, and I was singing niggunim for hours afterwards.


Even with a propper level of bitachon, I have found that my YH still feeds off the little bit of anxiety left. Sothat may not be the derech.

Go do some big chessed!!

Some great tips and ideas on dealing with anxiety in e-mail #478 on this page: www.guardureyes.com/GUE/GUEList/GUEList10.asp

Thanks SE,

But I am talking more about long term cure. I have actual anxiety attacks. I appreciate the idea but thats more of a short term cure and when I say short term I mean like right then and there. I have tried that before so I know.

I appreciate the suggestion though keep em coming!

-Yiddle

"you are not alone" by esther gross (jewish book)

"when panick attacks" by David Burns (not jewish book but fantastic)

for me ,issues with lust is a symptom of deeper issues ,and that on those days where those deeper issues are not bothering me as much,I am more happy,and less anxious,and therefore I have much less problems with lust on those days.

But when those issues plague me,there is nothing more I want to do than escape from them,and there is then a greater risk of escaping into lust,which is temporarily much less painful than dealing with what I am feeling during those times.

Yiddle2,

the anxiety (and the underlying causes of it)  is issue # 1

even if it only sprung up recently

the lust is issue # 2

Buy David Burn's book and DO THE EXCERCISES  that he lays out there.WRITTEN EXCERCISES.DO THEM.and this will definitely help.

ester gross's book stresses bitachon.

so both books together will work very very well but you must be committed to put the ideas written there into practice.

Hatzlacha ,my friend.

I can safely say that I know what you are going through

Yiddle,

Anxiety is fear. You have fears about things in life, and so therefore if you want LONG TERM relief, you will have to do some deep searching into "what it is in your life that frightens you."

What do you think about during the day? From the time you arise in the morning do you see the GOOD in your day...in your life? OR, do you focus on negative?

Leave the bad garbage, and ONLY focus on good, good good. Just as Hashem said to Am Yisroel, "Lo HeBit, Aven B'Yaakov......(Hashem was NOT looking at the bad stuff, only the good, so you too, leave the bad, and look at the good.)

Just one more idea:

If Yiddle would learn to play the Fiddle,
then, he would be able to leave this riddle.

On the general issue of anxiety attacks, I suffer occasional claustrophobic anxiety attacks (once I actually had to get out of the car I was a passenger in and take a bus home - and the bus wasn't so easy either). Whenever I feel that coming on, especially if I am in a place where it is impossible to get out of the car, I try to start learning or discussing some Torah right away, that usually calms me down (whether because of distraction or something else, I don't know, nor does it matter.)
Hope this helps!

I used to get anxiety attacks and have pretty much gotten this issue under control...

R' Yiddle,

Can you zoom in to the anxiety and try to get a sense of what is going on?

Anxiety is such a huge sugya and there can be so many different underlying dynamics that bring it on...

Try to see if you can identify what it is that causes this anxiety...

Very minor anxiety can be reduced with simple things like exercise etc.

For Moderate anxiety self help books can be helpful

For full blown anxiety you'd most likely need the real thing. You said that the therapist you met with didn't have answers...

There are however good competent therapists who'd be able to help, but they are not a dime a dozen... You might have to go through a few to find the right one....

Hope this helps...

P.s. if you are able to identify some of the underlying dynamics please post or PM, I might be able to share some things that worked for me...

Peace and Love...

Dear fellow Yid,

Anxiety attacks can happen for a bunch of reasons. Do not blame yourself that it is because you are missing Bituchen. Rabbi Twerski clearly states in one of his books (don’t remember now which one) that you should never tell a loved one suffering from anxiety (or depression) that they should just snap out of it. Or just have some more Bituchen.

I too suffered for a few weeks from anxiety and some depression. It happened right after we relocated to a new city and the adjustment was much harder than anticipated and to top it off, my business was failing. Our family was used to a very nice income and all of a sudden we did not know how to cover the basic bills and grocery.

I never experienced panic attacks before and I was sure that my heart if failing and that I am getting a heart attack! Why else would my heart start racing all of a sudden so fast?

I went to the family doctor who asked me some questions and prescribed Lexpro with out spending 5 minutes with me. My wife was shocked. I called a friend of mine who I know is helping lots of people with minor mental issues and he told me that we are going to hold off the medication for one week. (I don’t encourage anyone not to listen to their doctor. Medication is a lifesaver and has helped people lead normal productive lives; I am just relating my story). He told me to get the following book. The Feeling Good Handbook by Dr. Birns. It is available at B&N stores and also from Amazon. It has a Depression Self Test and also an Anxiety Self test that you are supposed to do every week and you will see if you approve or not. My first test showed moderate depression and severe anxiety. Both improved immensely on the first week and are completely gone after a few weeks. It is not just over a year. I still get some anxiety when bills are due, etc. But I learned to accept them and how to handle them.

Best luck and feel good!

Thank you all for your chizuk and suggestions. I still do believ its a Bitachon issue to some extent. I get anxiety in specific areas. I do think it has somewhat to do with family history, but Botachon does play a big role nonetheless. For example, I get anxiety when I think about Shidduchim. Its a sore subject but one that if I had the cprrect Bitachon, I shouldnt worry about. There's a fear because I havent internalized what the truth is about life. That is that Hashem runs the show. Hishtadlus is important but I dont need to think that every girl I see at a wedding is a potential Shiduch. Its just not healthy for me. I need to internalize the FACT that Hashem will choose/has chosen who and when my Shidduch will happen. Baruch Hashem I have seen amazing things through my recovery. Things that I would not have imagined a mere 6 months ago. Hashem has pulled me from the depths of hell, He can surely do ANYTHING and CONTROLS everything.

Self help books are probably the best bet for me. Thanks Yechida for the suggestions and whoever else suggested books. Anyone else have any success with any other books?

Thanks again everyone!

-Yiddle