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wonderhamster
07-13-2016, 05:34 AM
Just to address a few things I noticed, skimming through the responses ... about my personal experience with some of the things I mentioned (though I know she's banned, I want people to understand how I use what I use, etc., in case it helps them):

1) Meditation, for me, is not a spiritual thing. It's about breathing and mindfulness and it helps when I used the guided ones because someone is talking me through it, telling me what to, visualize, and concentrate on, which helps take my mind away from what triggered my anxiety in the first place. I have tried to meditate just on my own but my brain goes every which way it doesn't work. Is it possible I could practice and 'train' my brain? Maybe, but I don't have the patience for it just yet, haha. ;)

2) Please don't try to change any of your own dosages of prescription meds without a visit/consult/conversation with your doctor or medical professional.

3) I'm intrigued by homeopathic remedies. My sister has gotten into essential oils lately; she diffuses them in her household and she feels she has noticed a difference in her and her husband's levels of anxiety (they recently just suffered the traumatic loss of a family member). I take 5-HTP, which is a supplement and I feel like it's made me happier mood-wise (though this is a depression/bipolar related thing for me, not anxiety-specific ... but really, it's all just a huge mess of tangled thread in my brain, LOL).

4) Do you have a routine? I wonder if you do the same things in the same steps every day or every time you're going to cam, if this will be less likely to trigger your fight-or-flight response, and your anxiety. Choose a great music playlist or Pandora station, shower, makeup, hair ... whatever you do before camming, maybe make it the same thing? Take your medicine within enough time while you're doing it before you start camming so hopefully it's kicked in by then? I haven't tested this hypothesis, but I wonder if your body knows what's going on, what's happening, if it'd be less apt to freak out once you're sitting in front of the cam.

5) I saw someone else refer to Pomodoro in another thread. It's like working for 25 minutes and then taking a 5 minute break, I think? She said she had an app. Maybe look into this to see if it helps? Regulating your time, scheduling, leaving little up in the air could help to cut back on the unknown and the fear, maybe.

Big hugs! Anxiety sucks ass!

Yes, anxiety does suck ass. Yes it does.

Adding my $.02 to what you've mentioned:

1) Meditation is somewhat "spiritual" for me, I guess, since I'm a practicing Buddhist. Though Buddhism is more a way of life or philosophy rather than a religion, TBH. But that's getting off-topic. You're absolutely right in that meditation doesn't have to be a spiritual practice at all, whether it's guided or not it just serves to help your mind cope with the constant bombardment we deal with everyday. Personally, it's saved my sanity. 10/10 would recommend to anyone, especially those who suffer with anxiety.

2) 1000% yup. This.

3) 5-HTP is the shit. Just saying. I'm a big fan of natural remedies but as someone else mentioned on here please please be mindful of interactions with any kind of medication you may be taking. For example I love Kava Kava for anxiety relief, though you definitely don't want to mix it with alcohol or any kind of benzodiazepine. I'm also a big fan of Kratom, which has been (for me personally) a miracle herb. But that too comes with its own side effects so do plenty of research and talk to a medical professional before trying anything yourself.

4) Yep, having a routine has helped immensely in a lot of ways. My routine is wake up, do some light stretching/exercise, shower, brew some tea, meditate then log in. It's second nature now. If I begin to feel anxious, I log off/hit the break button and do some breathing exercises or distract myself with good music or cute animal videos.

5) I always break up my day in smaller chunks, that way I don't get overwhelmed with dread at the thought of having to sit in front of a screen for several hours on end. Not everyone is able to do this as easily (schedule conflicts, etc) but if you can, try it. For example I work a 2-3 hour morning shift then another 2-3 hour shift in the evening/night. Some days I can power through longer and others I take breaks as necessary and don't give myself (too much) of a hard time if I need to log off early. Self-care is super important, so do what works best for you. We're all doing the best we can with what we've got.

All the hugs to you ladies.

avalon_rose
07-13-2016, 08:11 AM
I've never heard of Kava Kava before, Ms. Hamster! Thanks ... going to look into it and see what it's about. :D

Codered01
07-13-2016, 08:39 AM
I used to take xanax several times a month in addition to my mood stabilizer (lamictal) for anxiety and bipolar disorder. I seriously thought I might just die the first day I cammed (yesterday) so I smoked a bowl first and it really helped without making me feel alcohol-buzzed or clumsy. Since I have gotten my medical card, I have almost completely cut out the benzos other than MAYBE one or two days a month. I also have two close guy friends who I cam with as practice, just for fun, just doing that alone helped me with confidence on my first day. I'm sure I did way too much too quick on my first day, lol, lesson learned, but part of me just wanted to rip the bandaid off, get it over with, and then try again the next day. I actually had fun with the first broadcast, as most of the guys were very very friendly and some long time mods offered friendly advice and encouragement.

I'm camming again tonight, and I'm definitely nervous again, but I think it will get better over time. I feel like camming is seriously cathartic for me! I have always been very shy and anti-social, and since I divorced a few years ago I've really been trying to work on that. It was weird for me to hear comments like "sexy little milf, I love those stretch marks!" hahaha, but it was also kind of fun knowing not everyone is looking for a perfect body to watch. Overall, I think I will need to remind myself not to focus on negative comments, and just have fun with it.

sexysusie
07-13-2016, 12:41 PM
Codered there are no camming 'mods'. Those are skeezy guys gearing up to take advantage of you. Kick em to the curb!

Funny you ladies should mention meditation because I've just started the 'miracle morning' which is meditation, exercise, visualisation, gratitude, affirmations, and writing every morning. I've been getting up earlier and doing more. I even use the pomadoro now for an hour'so worth of Chores every day. It's a work in progress but so far so good it really helps my anxiety x

darlingdarling
07-13-2016, 01:27 PM
I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder. Needless to say, it's pretty damn fun. /sarcasm

In addition to medication (Lexapro everyday, Ativan as needed), drinking lots of water, limiting caffeine (coffee will make me feel panicky really quickly, so I stick to tea), exercise, and a healthy diet, I'll share a few resources that have really helped me to cope with things, both in daily life and camming.

Firstly, this book: "When Panic Attacks" by David Burns, M.D. https://www.amazon.com/When-Panic-Attacks-Drug-Free-Anxiety/dp/076792083X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468441418&sr=8-1&keywords=when+panic+attacks
This book is centered around Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and explores the reasons that people suffering from Panic Disorder feel the way they do. It's explains both why, and how to cope with it. It really helped me.

Second, this book: "At Last, a Life" by Paul David https://www.amazon.com/At-Last-Life-Paul-David-ebook/dp/B007MEMDOS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468441549&sr=8-1&keywords=at+last+a+life
This book was not written by a medical professional, but it was written by someone who has recovered from panic disorder and anxiety. I found this book extremely relatable, because no one can truly understand the feelings unless they've had them. This book is full of anecdotes, advice, and is just generally amazing. It has helped me immensely.

LadyCoco
07-13-2016, 01:34 PM
Codered there are no camming 'mods'. Those are skeezy guys gearing up to take advantage of you. Kick em to the curb!

Funny you ladies should mention meditation because I've just started the 'miracle morning' which is meditation, exercise, visualisation, gratitude, affirmations, and writing every morning. I've been getting up earlier and doing more. I even use the pomadoro now for an hour'so worth of Chores every day. It's a work in progress but so far so good it really helps my anxiety x

This is a great idea. After reading this thread and the mental health thread -- at least I think that's what it was called -- I realized that I do have camming anxiety. I also have PSO anxiety. I just have social anxiety in general. I've been feeling depressed and ugly all week. I compare myself to other cam girls and PSOs even though I know I shouldn't. I love camming. I love socializing but I have this fear deep inside that I can't provide anything to anyone and that I will fail. It's why I've been holding back and focusing on my vanilla work more.

I've also been failing when it comes to journaling and meditating. I should try this in the morning before I go on. I'm making little changes to make myself feel good and to start working on camming part-time again. My vanilla job makes me money but not like it used to. And I have to worry about the stupidest little rules all the time. With camming, I don't have to worry about making mistakes and being in fear of losing my job. I just log on and off. There's certain sites I want to work on but I have to plan my shows to the T and that makes me nervous. But I know deep down that I can do this.

sexysusie
07-13-2016, 06:16 PM
You'd be surprised how many of us camgirls have anxiety and social issues. Think about what might motivate us to work alone, from home, other than the money ;) someone made an insightful comment recently on one of the (many) threads we see here about lack of 'motivation'; they said to think of it like acting on the stage or doing stand up comedy - like these jobs camming is a role where we have to be constantly 'on'. It's very draining and mentally taxing contrary to what most outsiders think.

So you're not failing at being a camgirl if you have anxiety about going online, performing for customers, or managing your business. You're just adjusting and adapting to a constantly changing, challenging environment. If you can get a handle on it through managing your mindset and fueling your body and mind with positivity boosting foods, supplements, practises etc, then camming can be extremely rewarding.

Not many other jobs where you can say you use such varied skills as sales, psychology, marketing, customer service, performance art, social media, public speaking, time management (and the list goes on....). It's a big ask for anybody x

JaneBurgess
07-13-2016, 08:34 PM
I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder. Needless to say, it's pretty damn fun. /sarcasm

In addition to medication (Lexapro everyday, Ativan as needed), drinking lots of water, limiting caffeine (coffee will make me feel panicky really quickly, so I stick to tea), exercise, and a healthy diet, I'll share a few resources that have really helped me to cope with things, both in daily life and camming.

Firstly, this book: "When Panic Attacks" by David Burns, M.D. https://www.amazon.com/When-Panic-Attacks-Drug-Free-Anxiety/dp/076792083X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468441418&sr=8-1&keywords=when+panic+attacks
This book is centered around Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and explores the reasons that people suffering from Panic Disorder feel the way they do. It's explains both why, and how to cope with it. It really helped me.

Second, this book: "At Last, a Life" by Paul David https://www.amazon.com/At-Last-Life-Paul-David-ebook/dp/B007MEMDOS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468441549&sr=8-1&keywords=at+last+a+life
This book was not written by a medical professional, but it was written by someone who has recovered from panic disorder and anxiety. I found this book extremely relatable, because no one can truly understand the feelings unless they've had them. This book is full of anecdotes, advice, and is just generally amazing. It has helped me immensely.


I read "When Panic Attacks" and its a great book. Ill have to check out the other one

gorgeousbbw
07-14-2016, 12:26 AM
omg thank you ladies so much. the advice you have given me and stories you shared have helped me so much . I really appreciate you all so much. I have been doing what i can and just forcing myself to get on no matter how i feel. i am going to check out the books that were suggested as well. started therapy too so things can only get better. thank you all so much.

Camwhoreextraordinaire
07-14-2016, 03:29 AM
Second the Kava Kava as a natural option when I couldnt take Xanax. I have generalized anxiety and have been to point where I would barely leave my house now I go to support groups and take the lowest benzodiazepines dosage daily as well exercise and healthy eating when I get time.
The choice of a job from home comes from being anxious but sometimes this job tend to enable my avoidance tendencies and I have to really kick myself to get out with services such of grocery delivery which I get because the grocery store still a scary place for me. Too many unpredictable variables and very high chance of someone talking to me as well going to the checkout and have to face the cashier. I am pretty sure many here feel the same...lol


Yes, anxiety does suck ass. Yes it does.

Adding my $.02 to what you've mentioned:

1) Meditation is somewhat "spiritual" for me, I guess, since I'm a practicing Buddhist. Though Buddhism is more a way of life or philosophy rather than a religion, TBH. But that's getting off-topic. You're absolutely right in that meditation doesn't have to be a spiritual practice at all, whether it's guided or not it just serves to help your mind cope with the constant bombardment we deal with everyday. Personally, it's saved my sanity. 10/10 would recommend to anyone, especially those who suffer with anxiety.

2) 1000% yup. This.

3) 5-HTP is the shit. Just saying. I'm a big fan of natural remedies but as someone else mentioned on here please please be mindful of interactions with any kind of medication you may be taking. For example I love Kava Kava for anxiety relief, though you definitely don't want to mix it with alcohol or any kind of benzodiazepine. I'm also a big fan of Kratom, which has been (for me personally) a miracle herb. But that too comes with its own side effects so do plenty of research and talk to a medical professional before trying anything yourself.

4) Yep, having a routine has helped immensely in a lot of ways. My routine is wake up, do some light stretching/exercise, shower, brew some tea, meditate then log in. It's second nature now. If I begin to feel anxious, I log off/hit the break button and do some breathing exercises or distract myself with good music or cute animal videos.

5) I always break up my day in smaller chunks, that way I don't get overwhelmed with dread at the thought of having to sit in front of a screen for several hours on end. Not everyone is able to do this as easily (schedule conflicts, etc) but if you can, try it. For example I work a 2-3 hour morning shift then another 2-3 hour shift in the evening/night. Some days I can power through longer and others I take breaks as necessary and don't give myself (too much) of a hard time if I need to log off early. Self-care is super important, so do what works best for you. We're all doing the best we can with what we've got.

All the hugs to you ladies.

hyori
08-24-2016, 04:42 PM
Just thought I would add these free audio CBT downloads created by Dr. Monica Frank. I've been feeling a lot of anxiety the last couple of weeks and these have been such a lifesaver. I'm pretty much back to normal now because of them...they are amazing and work almost instantly to calm you down during a mild/medium anxiety attack. I have also included the link to the one for a severe panic attack.

Rational Thinking Audio (changes your mind pattern)
https://www.excelatlife.com/mp3/rational.mp3

How to Manage Panic and Anxiety
https://www.excelatlife.com/mp3_articles/panic.mp3

Learn to Tolerate Anxiety
https://www.excelatlife.com/mp3/tolerating_anxiety.mp3

Severe Panic Attack Audio
https://www.excelatlife.com/mp3/panic.


List of All the Audio for Anxiety/Panic
https://www.excelatlife.com/downloads/cognitive_self-talk/panic.htm

In-Depth Article on 50 Tools for Panic and Anxiety
https://www.excelatlife.com/articles/anxiety50/page16.htm


List of apps for your phone
https://www.excelatlife.com/apps.htm

gorgeousbbw
08-24-2016, 04:50 PM
Thank you so much Hyori, i am looking forward to trying them out. thank you!

avalon_rose
08-25-2016, 01:49 AM
Thanks, Hyori! I love CBT and guided meditations - looking forward to checking these out! :)

CandiceS
08-25-2016, 10:42 AM
I have depression and anxiety so you can imagine how hard it is for me to keep this job consistent.
Some days trolls will tell me something nasty and that will be enough to shit on my day haha.
But I guess medication helps if that's the case...at least has been helping for me, along with something called "rescue remedy"
It's natural and they ship everywhere. I really do recommend it xxx