What should I do if I have anxiety disorder, insomnia, and gain weight while taking anti-anxiety medication?

Dear questioner,

My name is Yi Ming, and I'm a heart exploration coach.

I empathize with your situation and hope to offer some insight and encouragement.

1. It might be helpful to reassure yourself and take a moment to re-evaluate the situation.

You have mentioned that you have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder and insomnia, that your weight has increased significantly following the use of anti-anxiety medication, and that you are experiencing difficulties in accepting your body.

I can understand why you might feel this way. It's a normal reaction.

It is important to remember that taking medication can have side effects.

It's understandable that we didn't anticipate the extent of the impact.

It's understandable that you're feeling more frustrated about your weight now, given that you were already experiencing some anxiety.

At this time, it would be helpful to give ourselves a little extra love and attention, to acknowledge our sadness and unhappiness, and to consider a range of ways to make adjustments.

Perhaps it would be helpful to try to see things in a different light.

We may find that we adjust from feeling anxious and having insomnia to no longer feeling anxious and having insomnia. It's also worth noting that our weight often changes.

It is possible that, with proper conditioning, the weight may return to normal after stopping the medication.

Perhaps the key is not to dwell on our current challenges, but to embrace a more positive outlook.

If we could find it in our hearts to accept ourselves, regardless of whether we are fat or thin,

Then, we may be more likely to achieve the results we want.

It may be helpful to remember that changes based on liking yourself are more likely to happen.

2. Perhaps it would be helpful to consider some additional ways to cope with the current situation.

I'm not sure how long you've been taking medication.

Could I ask how effective it is?

Some doctors may suggest taking medication during acute anxiety attacks.

We can discuss with your doctor the possibility of changing or reducing the dosage. It is not always necessary to rely on medication to relieve symptoms.

Psychological therapy can be an effective approach for addressing anxiety.

Some anxiety-reduction exercises may be helpful in improving coping strategies for anxiety.

It may be helpful to consider that we can improve anxiety symptoms by adjusting our perceptions.

It is worth noting that anxiety can also have some positive effects.

While it is an uncomfortable experience,

It may be helpful to consider that complete elimination of anxiety is not necessary.

Instead, we come to understand that excessive anxiety is meaningless.

It is not uncommon to experience anxiety about anxiety itself.

It can be helpful to think of anxiety in the same way. If we focus on our anxiety too much, it can become more intense. This is because our attention is fueling the problem.

It may be helpful to try not to dwell on the things that make us anxious, but rather to acknowledge our anxiety without overthinking it. In time, this approach can help to ease our anxiety.

Some people liken anxiety to a ball. When we focus on it, it can feel like bouncing a ball, and anxiety can become more intense.

If we ignore it, anxiety will no longer trouble us.

While we may understand the principles, it can be challenging to put them into practice.

It may be helpful to consider cultivating equanimity, living in the present, and not dwelling on things that haven't happened yet.

It may be helpful to avoid directly confronting anxiety, as this can sometimes lead to increased feelings of distress.

Perhaps we could consider a similar approach when it comes to our own weight gain. Rather than fighting it, we could accept our current weight and then take steps to address it in a proactive manner. This could help us to feel more at ease with our bodies and reduce the negative impact anxiety has on us.

It might also be helpful to remember that we can't always control everything, and that sometimes we just need to let things happen naturally. Try to do what you need to do every day, and try to live with your anxiety. Over time, it will probably become less of an obstacle for you.

It may also be helpful to consider seeking out methods that align with our individual needs and preferences.

It may be helpful to consider that moderate exercise, meditation, and spending half an hour in the sun every day could potentially contribute to the alleviation of anxiety.

If it might be of interest to you, you may wish to consider reading "Emotional First Aid: A Seven-Day Self-Healing Method to Resolve Anxiety, Depression, and Insomnia" by Li Hongfu.

If you feel so inclined, please feel free to share these.

I wish you the best.

Hello.

From your description, it is clear that you were diagnosed with an anxiety disorder last year. The side effects of the medication have made you even more worried. Have you sought help from a professional counselor in addition to using medication to cope with your anxiety disorder?

First, we will gain a deeper understanding of anxiety.

Anxiety is a feeling of worry and incompetence about "things that have not yet happened or been determined." It is a future-oriented emotion, and its core emotion is fear.

Let's take a closer look at anxiety. We see a process: anxiety – fear – fear of not being able to do it well – punishment if you don't do it well or if you don't finish it.

You must work hard to explore and think about what makes you feel fear and worry and how you can deal with it to reduce and eliminate your anxiety.

From the above analysis, you will see that medication alone cannot reduce the physical symptoms caused by psychological stress. It is also ineffective at solving the root cause of continuous anxiety.

You should try psychological counseling as the main method, supplemented by medication, to deal with your anxiety symptoms. This will be more helpful and effective for you.

I'd also like to introduce some self-help methods for your reference.

1. Meditate. Focus on your breathing and catch your thoughts. This will help you become more aware of your physical and mental state. When you are mindful, you can relax and identify and sort out your thoughts. This will help you gain control over and transform the thoughts that terrify you.

2. Record every "small success" to boost your self-assurance and confidence. It's time to face facts: feeling anxious is because we tend to evaluate ourselves from a negative perspective. But you can change the way you look at yourself. You will regain a sense of control over yourself every time you do a good job, and gradually reduce anxiety.

Best wishes!

It's important to remember that almost all drugs have some predictable side effects. These can include things like weight gain, decreased sex drive, and decreased appetite. At the moment, it seems that you're suffering from anxiety and insomnia. This can make your recent state feel somewhat unstable.

You may also have a lot of worries, and your thoughts and emotions seem to be constantly racing around. You understand that you have gained weight while taking anti-anxiety medication, and this may be a side effect of the medication, perhaps something your psychiatrist has already warned you about. But don't worry! This is something that can be easily fixed.

If you have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder and insomnia, it is absolutely essential that you follow your doctor's advice and take medication. Although you have experienced a rapid weight gain, you can definitely try to communicate with your doctor to see if there are any medications with fewer side effects.

Now you are very worried about your body, and you feel other unacceptable feelings again. This is also a place where you can seek appropriate psychological counseling. You can also go and talk to someone, so that you can vent these feelings inside and think things over.

The good news is that weight gain can also be compensated for in other ways! You can increase your exercise time, maintain a good lifestyle in the future, and slowly stabilize your emotions while constantly improving. After that, you can slowly reduce the medication according to your doctor's advice. I wish you the best!

ZQ?