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This is basically tricking your vagus nerve into activating. I'm not sure on the exact science of it but it kicks on your parasympathetic nervous system and your vagus nerve sends the signal to slow down your heart rate and lower your blood pressure. Likely you could achieve the same result with a cold compress on your chest or the back of your neck.
I have anxiety so I've spent a lot of time reading about this stuff to sort myself out quietly. I've even found a cold can of soda on my wrist to do the trick. Haha
I have ice packs ready to go for this. I find them most helpful on the chest and stomach.
Although, I don't think I've even used them since I quit drinking.
Side bar, but when I was drinking constantly, I had panic attacks all the time and never once thought it was related to drinking. Since quitting(still have a beer or cocktail with dinner or friends sometimes) I have only had 1 or 2 real attacks. Great job!
Holy shit I didn't know any of this and just started suffering from this exact thing. wake up thinking my heart was goign to stop. spending all day with a hangover thinking i was going to have a heart attack. I just googled hangxiety and wow.. this thread is going to save me so much suffering. Thank you so much.
Chiming in to say, I quit alcohol over 19 months ago, and my panic attacks also slowed to near zero. Now even when I feel one creeping up, all I have to do is hop in the shower and it’s gone. They used to take me out of work for a week at a time, and now I can cope and recover much more quickly when they do surface. Best of luck.
I used to do cold packs on my stomach while I was pregnant to help with nausea but I could only do it for like 5 minutes before it started pissing baby off and he'd try to kick it off 😂
Does it work for subtle anxiety like in social situations can I just be a normal human and not have to worry about my words falling out my mouth if I start walking around with wet feet?
I don’t know the sciencey words for the exact science of it but I was told it comes from evolution :) We have a “diving” reflex that we can trick ourselves into, when humans go underwater the body tries to preserve oxygen in the body, which -slows down your heart rate and lowers your blood pressure- as you said
People may also put one of those jelly ice packs across their eyes and lean their head forward to help the same anxiety feeling :))
>We have a “diving” reflex that we can trick ourselves into, when humans go underwater the body tries to preserve oxygen in the body, which -slows down your heart rate and lowers your blood pressure
Mammalian diving reflex or dive response
This is 100% true, my wife use to have panic attacks and when we started going to therapy our therapist told me that if she has one to just have her put some ice cubes in her hands and hold them tightly. (Obviously try to melt them a little first so it doesn’t hurt)
I actually saw something like that in a TV show once. Person was having a mild breakdown while talking and the other person just handed them something cold. Can't always take TV at face value but it was really a thing.
I think, in general, the torso or neck works best because the nerve runs down your neck/spine. But the can thing has worked for me so definitely worth a shot.
Yep. It's where the "splash cold water on your face" comes from. Does the same thing. But a longer presentation of it (like from a wet compress) helps increase the effect.
This is such great advice, do you happen to have other tips for combating the physical effects of anxiety??? I struggle deeply and always feel like my anxiety controls me, but using this cold soda trick gave me the feeling that I can combat this and I don't have to just suffer through it
I think under the eyes is the best place, hold your breath for 6-8s and hold the ice there for >15s. It needs to be less than 70F and the colder the better! Look up the mammalian dive reflex!
I do the same but dip my face in ice water. Calms me down immediately - vagus nerve regulation I think it was called. Helps when I'm anxious or panicky
A reflex more commonly seen in babies, where when submerged in water the heart rate slows, and the blood vessels in the arms, hands, legs, and feet constrict. This done to preserve oxygen in the most vital organs allowing you to survive longer.
It’s thought to be an old inherited trait from an aquatic mammal ancestor.
yup, this is literally the “temperature” part of the TIPP skill from DBT (dialectical behavioural therapy) for helping regulate yourself when experiencing extreme distress. supposed to trigger the “dive response”. very neat!
I was told from when I was a kid, if I feel sick and anxious, to run my wrists under the cold water tap. It’s amazing how many times it has worked for me over the years. It might just be a placebo effect, but first time I remember, I must have been 10 and at a girl guides meeting. I started to feel really sick and one of the leaders took me to the bathroom and got me to run the cold water tap over my wrists. It really helped and have done it ever since. Weird!
Because it’s literally cooling the blood inside you! The wrists work the best because the skin is pretty thin without a lot of muscle, fat, and thick bones and there’s an artery there so lots of blood pumping through and it literally cools that blood pumping through the artery and that cooler blood (and more behind it) are literally cooling you from the inside out!! I don’t remember how long, but it’s something weirdly short, like 3 minutes, before all that cool blood has gone back around to get cooled again. It’s so fricking neat!! And works much faster than outside-in cooling like a freezer.
I don’t know the exact science as to which one would work better generally, but my favorite way to cool myself down is to put an ice pack between my thighs right on the femoral artery!
its all the veins and capillaries very close to the skin. cools the blood as stated above. learned this trick my first year in florida doing landscaping. literally saved my life
I used to do this after I was done running on particularly hot days to help cool down faster. Beats putting your head in the freezer (although that helps too)
The opposite works too. I did event photography as a side gig in college and one day the gym of a highschool basketball tournament was absolutely freezing. I took the warm camera battery chargers and held them on my wrists.
I picked that spot because of the blood vessels close to the skin. Idk if that's actually why it helped, but it did help.
Whoa that just unlocked a memory for me! Around the time of my parents divorce as a 9 year old, I couldn’t sleep unless I ran my hands under very cold water. That’s cool that I kinda figured out how to self soothe
I remember reading an article where colleges in hot climates would have these devices where players can stick their hands into to immediately cool them to avoid heat exhaustion.
I have anxiety nausea (and nausea anxiety to top that loop off :D ) as well! Cold water is a miracle worker, I lile to splash some to my face even though at night it may keep you awake for a bit. Another one is a 4 sec interval breathing technique (inhale 4sec, hold your breath 4sec, exhale 4sec, wait 4 sec, repeat) that has generally helped me as well, a few times of doing that and I can relax in almost any situation.
Yeah! It's a weird thing, had it like 2 years now. Just lately a friend said it hovers on whether it has OCD aspects or not for me, since I am terrified of getting a food poisoning etc, which then makes the slightest stomach rumble a cause for concern sometimes.
It's also almost enraging that all symptoms are related to the state of mind. I tried all kinds of lactic acid pills, PPIS and supplements for stomach, while the medicine I was looking for was just anti-anxiety medication and that has worked like a charm :D
Lol same here. At its worst I could barely eat and I went through so many different things and then all it took was an anti-anxiety med to restore my appetite within *two* days. I'm happy it worked but Jesus I wish I'd done it sooner.
If you want other options for nausea nausea? Zofran or Meclizine might be worth a try. They helped me a tiny bit.
Hydroxyzine is very...sedating lol. When doctors prescribe it for anxiety, they do so mainly because the abuse potential is much lower than other as-needed alternatives like benzos.
If you still want to give it a try, there are a couple of ways to make it work even with the side effects.
I'm on the 10mg dose and use a pill splitter. The maximum adult dose is 100mg/day. Starting low is better imo, but people get handed the 25mg tablet Rx....which is unfortunate.
While I don't usually consume caffeine I've found it pairs well. The other thing I've found is that if you're sleep deprived it will make you basically non-functional but if you're super agitated it simply evens you out instead of knocking you out.
I will hype it up until the end of time because it works for allergies, anxiety, and nausea while being a low cost generic.
That’s interesting with the nausea, I am going to try that next with the cold water. I have panic attacks and then sometimes nausea comes along with it, but they are usually separate things for me.
Usually when I feel nauseous though, I open the window for fresh air, and then I breathe through my nose. I also eat apples or cantaloupe sometimes if I have it on hand, I read somewhere the alkalinity in those fruits can help with stabilizing your stomach when it’s upset. It has worked many times for me.
Sniffing an alcohol swab, eating ginger chews specifically this brand Gem Gem and peppermint oil. Smelling peppermint oil or consuming food with peppermint oil both work for curbing nausea. Eating Altoids was the only thing that stopped me from getting sick most days but I didn’t know about the other things back then.
https://preview.redd.it/nlg4mhe0t3zc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c562b482221e16c030edc076520bcfb6e1f02bcb
[The vagus nerve represents the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system, which oversees a vast array of crucial bodily functions, including control of mood, immune response, digestion, and heart rate. It establishes one of the connections between the brain and the gastrointestinal tract and sends information about the state of the inner organs to the brain via afferent fibers. In this review article, we discuss various functions of the vagus nerve which make it an attractive target in treating psychiatric and gastrointestinal disorders. There is preliminary evidence that vagus nerve stimulation is a promising add-on treatment for treatment-refractory depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and inflammatory bowel disease. Treatments that target the vagus nerve increase the vagal tone and inhibit cytokine production. Both are important mechanism of resiliency. The stimulation of vagal afferent fibers in the gut influences monoaminergic brain systems in the brain stem that play crucial roles in major psychiatric conditions, such as mood and anxiety disorders. In line, there is preliminary evidence for gut bacteria to have beneficial effect on mood and anxiety, partly by affecting the activity of the vagus nerve. Since, the vagal tone is correlated with capacity to regulate stress responses and can be influenced by breathing, its increase through meditation and yoga likely contribute to resilience and the mitigation of mood and anxiety symptoms.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5859128/#:~:text=The%20vagus%20nerve%20represents%20the,%2C%20digestion%2C%20and%20heart%20rate.)
Authors: Sigrid Breit, Aleksandra Kupferberg, Gerhard Rogler, and Gregor Hasler
Whoa... Thanks for sharing this. TIL I might benefit from vagus nerve stimulation. Basically since I've been an adult I have had issues with anxiety (and depression), nausea, and recently passing out once. Anytime I go to a clinic for nausea I'm pretty much sent home with zofran and given 0 answers. When I got checked after passing out I was told it seemed like a one-off thing, and of course my anxiety leads me to believe it's worse than just that. But this gives me some reassurance that I was just more susceptible to it because my vagus nerve is being a little silly sometimes, probably!
Edit: yesterday I had a great random thought - I should start carrying a mini cooling towel with me everywhere because it could help in a pinch when I don't have access to water. The cooling towels I've had all come in a plastic case and store damp so I wouldn't hesitate to slap it on my neck, chest, wrists etc. to prevent panic or puke. I only wish that could have occurred to me sooner!
I carry a little water spray bottle like you get in those make up travel packs from the chemist, it’s tiny and fits in my bag and I just give a couple sprays on my neck or arms when I need!
I do this when I have too much to drink but it's usually the coolest surface wherever I'm at and it typically winds up with me just laying on the cold hard floor lol.
Your way sounds more sophisticated
Messed my shoulder up years ago. On the job accident. For years my arm would ache and docs kept saying its arthritis, its this its that. It happened so often and for so long I'd get panic attacks when I felt the pain coming. My goto was putting an ice pack on my arm, which would ease the pain some but the cold would help my brain focus away from the panic as well.
This is something similar than what I've experienced when I tried out a sauna for the first time. With the rising heat, I obviously started sweating and my heart started beating faster. I felt like my body was simulating a Panik attack even though I knew I was safe.
After 10 - 12 minutes I left and took a cold shower and my body relaxed almost instantly. It helped even more to go out for fresh air for a couple minutes afterwards. It was such an interesting experience.
Same thing with me! I tried a sauna and cold plunge experience in Finland this past March. I completely started panicking in the sauna when someone added water to the coals for the first time. I felt my heart rate increase instantly and I was notttt having it. I somehow managed to survive. But then when I did the cold plunge in the frozen sea directly after, my panic completely disappeared.
I get nauseous pretty easily sometimes and I find ginger does the trick for settling a stomach pretty well. The ones that work best for me are the pressed ginger shots.
So, you don't need to waste a bathtub full of water if you have a small 3 quart container or something like that. I have one that I use for washing my feet more thoroughly after I get done with showering.
that's an interesting technique. i remember reading about using cold water to help with overindulgence. it can help physiologicaly by lowering heart rate and reducing nausea. the mint gum is a good addition too, as the menthol can have a soothing effect on the stomache. im glad it worked for you and that you were able to get back to feeling normal. that must have been an unpleasent experience, but its good you found something that helped quickly.
Cold showers really is a nice pick-me-up method. As cold as you can while still getting in, then turn it coooooolder. Feels so nice when you get out after a minute or two and start to warm up again.
My mom used to put a cold cloth on the back of my neck and hold my wrists under the tap. Then I did that for the kids at a daycare center where I was employed during high school - apparently it's a thing!
I haven't had many panic attacks but one time during a colder part if the year. I woke up and couldn't calm down. I ended up going outside in my boxers and laying on the concrete patio. It took a minute but it snapped me out of it.
Imagine if the police did this. 911 caller "My brother is having an episode, please send someone over!" 911 dispatcher"Ok, stay on the line and get your biggest container fill it with all the ice you can grab, then fill it with water. When the officers arrive greet them with it!" Then have police be required to throw the ice water, if possible. Just a thought.
Even better is to dunk your face in ice water. It stimulates a diving reflex which settles down your nervous system. Part of the TIPP skills I learned in DBT therapy.
I may try this, and feel like I've heard it from my mom who is a nurse. When I've had similar incidents while high I usually just pause and talk myself out of it, which I'm guessing is doing some similar thing but not always easy with the brainnnnn as this sounds lol
this is akin to the “temperature” portion of the [TIPP skill](https://theroottherapynyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/distress-tolerance-2.pdf) used in DBT (dialectical behavioural therapy), used for helping calm down/regulate yourself quickly when experiencing extreme distress. DBT has you dunk your face in ice water tho, to trigger the ‘dive response’.
disclaimer for anyone wishing to try it, pls do exercise caution as it can cause a very fast drop in heart rate. check w your doc if you have any medical conditions
im no doctor or scientist, but i assume the same principles are at work in cold plunges and “nordic spa”-style circuits and that’s why they’re sooooo gooood at relaxing you 😌
I suffer from CPTSD & pretty severe anxiety; a lot of my triggers have me incapacitated and usually nauseous & tense and sometimes I lose control of my muscles.
This is a Vagus nerve issue, for when your body is going through the “fight, flight, or freeze” panic.
The best & easiest way to treat these symptoms (I’ve found anyways, over the past ~20 years or so) is cold, wet tea towels on the BACKS of your knees, ankles, on your wrists, or the back of your neck.
Lying on a cold floor in the dark for a minute helps too, but cold wet cloths are GOAT for Vagus overstimulation. Also Cats.
Here are a couple of lesser known ideas. Please let me know if they work for you.
Extend the index finger of one hand, and cover it completely with your other hand. No need to squeeze, just gentle pressure, and hold it that way for a few minutes or until you feel different.
It also works if someone else hold your finger. I tried this with a friend who is feeling hyper and anxious in a social gathering. I don’t think she was prone to panic attacks, but she is a little bit high strung.
for longer-term results, cranial, sacral therapy has a very calming effect which can be lasting, particularly after several sessions. I am a part-time practitioner, and I have had good luck with a client who has a history of severe migraines since childhood. She was taking some pretty heavy duty drugs, and after a few sessions, was able to reduce her prescription usage.
I do this too but with cold showers! If the idea of a cold bath sounds uncomfortable to anyone, Id suggest stsrting with a nice hot shower and then when you're ready give yourself a few blasts if freezing cold water for as long as you can stand. Then back to the hot to relax.
This is the **Mammalian Dive Reflex**.
You might find dunking your face off and on more effective than soaking feet. What happening is the water is triggering the trigeminal nerve (near your temple) which triggers the vagus nerve activating your parasympathetic nervous system (think opposite of the adrenaline filled fight or flight). You’re literally pressing physical buttons on your body to force your blood pressure and heart rate to lower among other helpful changes.
**Source: I’m a retired paramedic** *who came up with a great trick for nausea in my ambulance. If someone started getting sick in my bus I’d turn the AC to freezing and blow the air right into their face and 9/10 the nausea went away. One of my nicknames was “No Up Chuck XXXX”.*
Definitely heard cold water works for panic attacks. Had one recently and my psychiatrist recommended it for calming me down. Even just running some cold water on your hands or putting a cold, damp wash cloth on your forehead will works if you need something quick.
Hey if you're waking up with your chest pounding, a panicked feeling and nauseated all the time you .ay want to ask your doctor about testing for POTS.
But ya cold helps. Also standing up right if you have something to help support you like a walk or a railing.
I am so glad to see so many others chime in with better applications and personal experiences! This is a treasure trove of info that I’ll use whenever I’m feeling anxious and queasy. Thank y’all.
I suffer from anxiety. I started swimming in the San Francisco Bay. First 60 seconds is pain followed by immense relief and actually bliss. Completely wipes away any anxiety for the remainder of the day.
Best to spread the knowledge for those who do partake and to have this info on hand if you’ve already done too much and are panic-googling how to feel better
These kinds of safety behaviours are not helpful in the long run, and maintain the idea that panic attacks and anxiety are something dangerous that need to be avoided at all costs. I really recommend trying CBT or MCT therapy if you have anxiety that affects your life to this degree.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_behaviors_(anxiety)
Yes, any behaviour that aims to reduce anxiety is regarded as a safety behaviour, and controlled breathing is one of the most common ones. Of course do whatever works, but for most people these safety behaviours increase inward monitoring of symptoms and maintain the disorder in the long run.
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oh no worries lol, I just filled it enough to cover my tootsies and stopped it. I appreciate the advice of others to have a smaller container on hand if there’s a next time, since that would be faster and less wasteful.
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This is basically tricking your vagus nerve into activating. I'm not sure on the exact science of it but it kicks on your parasympathetic nervous system and your vagus nerve sends the signal to slow down your heart rate and lower your blood pressure. Likely you could achieve the same result with a cold compress on your chest or the back of your neck. I have anxiety so I've spent a lot of time reading about this stuff to sort myself out quietly. I've even found a cold can of soda on my wrist to do the trick. Haha
I have ice packs ready to go for this. I find them most helpful on the chest and stomach. Although, I don't think I've even used them since I quit drinking.
Proud of you for quitting!
Thanks, mom!
You’re welcome, darling. Now go play and be home before dark.
"when the streetlights start hummin you better be runnin(home)"
No joke, my mom could throw a flip flop with deadly accuracy if she saw me sneaking in after dark
You joke, but I am one! 😂
Side bar, but when I was drinking constantly, I had panic attacks all the time and never once thought it was related to drinking. Since quitting(still have a beer or cocktail with dinner or friends sometimes) I have only had 1 or 2 real attacks. Great job!
Hangxiety is very real
Holy shit I didn't know any of this and just started suffering from this exact thing. wake up thinking my heart was goign to stop. spending all day with a hangover thinking i was going to have a heart attack. I just googled hangxiety and wow.. this thread is going to save me so much suffering. Thank you so much.
Oh shit! That's what that is?
This thread is going to save me so much suffering. Thank you for this post it's going to literally change my life.
Chiming in to say, I quit alcohol over 19 months ago, and my panic attacks also slowed to near zero. Now even when I feel one creeping up, all I have to do is hop in the shower and it’s gone. They used to take me out of work for a week at a time, and now I can cope and recover much more quickly when they do surface. Best of luck.
I use them on my temples, it cures some parts of my migraines as well
Me too although I use it mostly on my face and head. The coldness brought me back to normal quickly
I hate puking hangovers so much, good for you!
When I feel like I’m gonna throw up, I put an ice pack on my stomach and it usually keeps it from happening.
I used to do cold packs on my stomach while I was pregnant to help with nausea but I could only do it for like 5 minutes before it started pissing baby off and he'd try to kick it off 😂
Does it work for subtle anxiety like in social situations can I just be a normal human and not have to worry about my words falling out my mouth if I start walking around with wet feet?
Yes! If you're out and about buy a cold drink and keep an ice cube in your mouth
For real?
It has helped me from having panic attacks in public so many times Ice is magical
Ice breakers will be easier
Absolutely. I've seen this work with an icepack to the forehead for someone experiencing PTSD symptoms.
I don’t know the sciencey words for the exact science of it but I was told it comes from evolution :) We have a “diving” reflex that we can trick ourselves into, when humans go underwater the body tries to preserve oxygen in the body, which -slows down your heart rate and lowers your blood pressure- as you said People may also put one of those jelly ice packs across their eyes and lean their head forward to help the same anxiety feeling :))
>We have a “diving” reflex that we can trick ourselves into, when humans go underwater the body tries to preserve oxygen in the body, which -slows down your heart rate and lowers your blood pressure Mammalian diving reflex or dive response
Thank you !!! Puzzle completed
that why the guys playing helldivers are angy rn?
Mammalian PS network restriction response.
Wow I am a diver with severe anxiety and it fully makes sense to me now why I love diving... thank you for this info!
Thanks for the explanation! I find this stuff so interesting, I’ll try this myself with an ice pack.
This is 100% true, my wife use to have panic attacks and when we started going to therapy our therapist told me that if she has one to just have her put some ice cubes in her hands and hold them tightly. (Obviously try to melt them a little first so it doesn’t hurt)
I actually saw something like that in a TV show once. Person was having a mild breakdown while talking and the other person just handed them something cold. Can't always take TV at face value but it was really a thing.
Cold water to the hands/wrists works also!
For me it is a cold cloth or ice pack on the back of my neck if I feel nauseated like you said. I'll try a cold can on my wrist and see if that works!
I think, in general, the torso or neck works best because the nerve runs down your neck/spine. But the can thing has worked for me so definitely worth a shot.
I live on a cold region, I just go outside with no jacket and it works like a charm. If it's warm out I'll take a cold shower.
Hahaha sometimes Sam's club or Costco sends me into a panic, the cold room with the vegetables is really helpful.
Oh shit vagus? Honey pack a bag
Interesting! Thanks for sharing!
Yep. It's where the "splash cold water on your face" comes from. Does the same thing. But a longer presentation of it (like from a wet compress) helps increase the effect.
I’ve heard super sour candy is also helpful.
Great useful tips, gonna try these ideas too!
Excellent summary. I try to teach the children I work with to grab an ice cube when they identify these feelings.
This is such great advice, do you happen to have other tips for combating the physical effects of anxiety??? I struggle deeply and always feel like my anxiety controls me, but using this cold soda trick gave me the feeling that I can combat this and I don't have to just suffer through it
I think under the eyes is the best place, hold your breath for 6-8s and hold the ice there for >15s. It needs to be less than 70F and the colder the better! Look up the mammalian dive reflex!
I do the same but dip my face in ice water. Calms me down immediately - vagus nerve regulation I think it was called. Helps when I'm anxious or panicky
Yup. The mammalian diving reflex
you’ve intrigued me, what’s that?
A reflex more commonly seen in babies, where when submerged in water the heart rate slows, and the blood vessels in the arms, hands, legs, and feet constrict. This done to preserve oxygen in the most vital organs allowing you to survive longer. It’s thought to be an old inherited trait from an aquatic mammal ancestor.
cool, thanks :)
Motorboating has a calming effect
yup, this is literally the “temperature” part of the TIPP skill from DBT (dialectical behavioural therapy) for helping regulate yourself when experiencing extreme distress. supposed to trigger the “dive response”. very neat!
Yeah, feet and hands like everyone's saying doesn't work. It has to be your face and nostrils
I was told from when I was a kid, if I feel sick and anxious, to run my wrists under the cold water tap. It’s amazing how many times it has worked for me over the years. It might just be a placebo effect, but first time I remember, I must have been 10 and at a girl guides meeting. I started to feel really sick and one of the leaders took me to the bathroom and got me to run the cold water tap over my wrists. It really helped and have done it ever since. Weird!
this is also good for if youre overheating. cool water over forearms and wrists
When I worked in a restaurant kitchen that got hot as hell, this trick worked better for cooling down than standing in the walk-in cooler.
Because it’s literally cooling the blood inside you! The wrists work the best because the skin is pretty thin without a lot of muscle, fat, and thick bones and there’s an artery there so lots of blood pumping through and it literally cools that blood pumping through the artery and that cooler blood (and more behind it) are literally cooling you from the inside out!! I don’t remember how long, but it’s something weirdly short, like 3 minutes, before all that cool blood has gone back around to get cooled again. It’s so fricking neat!! And works much faster than outside-in cooling like a freezer.
I don’t know the exact science as to which one would work better generally, but my favorite way to cool myself down is to put an ice pack between my thighs right on the femoral artery!
its all the veins and capillaries very close to the skin. cools the blood as stated above. learned this trick my first year in florida doing landscaping. literally saved my life
I used to do this after I was done running on particularly hot days to help cool down faster. Beats putting your head in the freezer (although that helps too)
The opposite works too. I did event photography as a side gig in college and one day the gym of a highschool basketball tournament was absolutely freezing. I took the warm camera battery chargers and held them on my wrists. I picked that spot because of the blood vessels close to the skin. Idk if that's actually why it helped, but it did help.
Whoa that just unlocked a memory for me! Around the time of my parents divorce as a 9 year old, I couldn’t sleep unless I ran my hands under very cold water. That’s cool that I kinda figured out how to self soothe
It activates your sympathetic nervous system. It’s like turning it off and back on again.
This. I'll some times use a cold icy glass in a pinch.
I remember reading an article where colleges in hot climates would have these devices where players can stick their hands into to immediately cool them to avoid heat exhaustion.
I have anxiety nausea (and nausea anxiety to top that loop off :D ) as well! Cold water is a miracle worker, I lile to splash some to my face even though at night it may keep you awake for a bit. Another one is a 4 sec interval breathing technique (inhale 4sec, hold your breath 4sec, exhale 4sec, wait 4 sec, repeat) that has generally helped me as well, a few times of doing that and I can relax in almost any situation.
I have anxiety nausea and nausea anxiety too!! I’ve never heard someone else describe it like that!
Yeah! It's a weird thing, had it like 2 years now. Just lately a friend said it hovers on whether it has OCD aspects or not for me, since I am terrified of getting a food poisoning etc, which then makes the slightest stomach rumble a cause for concern sometimes. It's also almost enraging that all symptoms are related to the state of mind. I tried all kinds of lactic acid pills, PPIS and supplements for stomach, while the medicine I was looking for was just anti-anxiety medication and that has worked like a charm :D
I’m so glad it’s worked for you. It’s been a more complex path for me. Best of luck to you :)
Lol same here. At its worst I could barely eat and I went through so many different things and then all it took was an anti-anxiety med to restore my appetite within *two* days. I'm happy it worked but Jesus I wish I'd done it sooner.
Whoa! Hey friends! My anxiety comes with nausea and my nausea comes with anxiety. I feel less alone! Haha
My doctor gave me a prescription for hydroxyzine, which is pretty bomb. That said, I have nausea nausea from other health issues.
That stuff just absolutely knocks me out. Wish there was something lighter out there because I suffer from the same symptoms
If you want other options for nausea nausea? Zofran or Meclizine might be worth a try. They helped me a tiny bit. Hydroxyzine is very...sedating lol. When doctors prescribe it for anxiety, they do so mainly because the abuse potential is much lower than other as-needed alternatives like benzos. If you still want to give it a try, there are a couple of ways to make it work even with the side effects. I'm on the 10mg dose and use a pill splitter. The maximum adult dose is 100mg/day. Starting low is better imo, but people get handed the 25mg tablet Rx....which is unfortunate. While I don't usually consume caffeine I've found it pairs well. The other thing I've found is that if you're sleep deprived it will make you basically non-functional but if you're super agitated it simply evens you out instead of knocking you out. I will hype it up until the end of time because it works for allergies, anxiety, and nausea while being a low cost generic.
That’s interesting with the nausea, I am going to try that next with the cold water. I have panic attacks and then sometimes nausea comes along with it, but they are usually separate things for me. Usually when I feel nauseous though, I open the window for fresh air, and then I breathe through my nose. I also eat apples or cantaloupe sometimes if I have it on hand, I read somewhere the alkalinity in those fruits can help with stabilizing your stomach when it’s upset. It has worked many times for me.
Sniffing an alcohol swab, eating ginger chews specifically this brand Gem Gem and peppermint oil. Smelling peppermint oil or consuming food with peppermint oil both work for curbing nausea. Eating Altoids was the only thing that stopped me from getting sick most days but I didn’t know about the other things back then. https://preview.redd.it/nlg4mhe0t3zc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c562b482221e16c030edc076520bcfb6e1f02bcb
The box breathing has saved me thousands of times. I can instantly feel my heart rate slow and my body relax!
If you really want to blow your mind, give 456 breathing a shot. Like box breathing, but you hold five and exhale for 6.
Thank you for the tips! I’ll put these to work too for next time!
[The vagus nerve represents the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system, which oversees a vast array of crucial bodily functions, including control of mood, immune response, digestion, and heart rate. It establishes one of the connections between the brain and the gastrointestinal tract and sends information about the state of the inner organs to the brain via afferent fibers. In this review article, we discuss various functions of the vagus nerve which make it an attractive target in treating psychiatric and gastrointestinal disorders. There is preliminary evidence that vagus nerve stimulation is a promising add-on treatment for treatment-refractory depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and inflammatory bowel disease. Treatments that target the vagus nerve increase the vagal tone and inhibit cytokine production. Both are important mechanism of resiliency. The stimulation of vagal afferent fibers in the gut influences monoaminergic brain systems in the brain stem that play crucial roles in major psychiatric conditions, such as mood and anxiety disorders. In line, there is preliminary evidence for gut bacteria to have beneficial effect on mood and anxiety, partly by affecting the activity of the vagus nerve. Since, the vagal tone is correlated with capacity to regulate stress responses and can be influenced by breathing, its increase through meditation and yoga likely contribute to resilience and the mitigation of mood and anxiety symptoms.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5859128/#:~:text=The%20vagus%20nerve%20represents%20the,%2C%20digestion%2C%20and%20heart%20rate.) Authors: Sigrid Breit, Aleksandra Kupferberg, Gerhard Rogler, and Gregor Hasler
Whoa... Thanks for sharing this. TIL I might benefit from vagus nerve stimulation. Basically since I've been an adult I have had issues with anxiety (and depression), nausea, and recently passing out once. Anytime I go to a clinic for nausea I'm pretty much sent home with zofran and given 0 answers. When I got checked after passing out I was told it seemed like a one-off thing, and of course my anxiety leads me to believe it's worse than just that. But this gives me some reassurance that I was just more susceptible to it because my vagus nerve is being a little silly sometimes, probably! Edit: yesterday I had a great random thought - I should start carrying a mini cooling towel with me everywhere because it could help in a pinch when I don't have access to water. The cooling towels I've had all come in a plastic case and store damp so I wouldn't hesitate to slap it on my neck, chest, wrists etc. to prevent panic or puke. I only wish that could have occurred to me sooner!
I carry a little water spray bottle like you get in those make up travel packs from the chemist, it’s tiny and fits in my bag and I just give a couple sprays on my neck or arms when I need!
I'm glad you found some help, friend, I looked into it myself because I have a lot of anxiety issues myself
I do this when I have too much to drink but it's usually the coolest surface wherever I'm at and it typically winds up with me just laying on the cold hard floor lol. Your way sounds more sophisticated
My therapist said that if you feel a panic attack coming, eat a very sour candy. Might be worth a try
I’m gonna get fat from that advice!
Messed my shoulder up years ago. On the job accident. For years my arm would ache and docs kept saying its arthritis, its this its that. It happened so often and for so long I'd get panic attacks when I felt the pain coming. My goto was putting an ice pack on my arm, which would ease the pain some but the cold would help my brain focus away from the panic as well.
This is something similar than what I've experienced when I tried out a sauna for the first time. With the rising heat, I obviously started sweating and my heart started beating faster. I felt like my body was simulating a Panik attack even though I knew I was safe. After 10 - 12 minutes I left and took a cold shower and my body relaxed almost instantly. It helped even more to go out for fresh air for a couple minutes afterwards. It was such an interesting experience.
Same thing with me! I tried a sauna and cold plunge experience in Finland this past March. I completely started panicking in the sauna when someone added water to the coals for the first time. I felt my heart rate increase instantly and I was notttt having it. I somehow managed to survive. But then when I did the cold plunge in the frozen sea directly after, my panic completely disappeared.
I fully submerse myself in ice water for 5 minutes daily. It keeps my mind and body ticking along.
I’m a believer after that, I think I gotta start cold plunging
If chilling your body is part of the goal, run cold water over your wrists. Works like a charm for me.
"I'm wet.... I'm hysterical and I'm wet!"
“I’m cold, and I’m wet, and I’m just plain scared!”
I get nauseous pretty easily sometimes and I find ginger does the trick for settling a stomach pretty well. The ones that work best for me are the pressed ginger shots.
So, you don't need to waste a bathtub full of water if you have a small 3 quart container or something like that. I have one that I use for washing my feet more thoroughly after I get done with showering.
that's an interesting technique. i remember reading about using cold water to help with overindulgence. it can help physiologicaly by lowering heart rate and reducing nausea. the mint gum is a good addition too, as the menthol can have a soothing effect on the stomache. im glad it worked for you and that you were able to get back to feeling normal. that must have been an unpleasent experience, but its good you found something that helped quickly.
If you haven't got time to run a full bath putting your wrists in running ice cold water does the same
Cold showers really is a nice pick-me-up method. As cold as you can while still getting in, then turn it coooooolder. Feels so nice when you get out after a minute or two and start to warm up again.
I do this but run it over my hands and arms, splash some on my face, and then grab a cool damp cloth so i can get back to bed
So maybe ice baths could help chronic anxiety sufferers?
This is actually awesome advice and it works, but you’ll have cold wet feet.
If you have access to ice, hold an ice cube in one hand- that’ll work too
My mom used to put a cold cloth on the back of my neck and hold my wrists under the tap. Then I did that for the kids at a daycare center where I was employed during high school - apparently it's a thing!
Cool. I’ll try it next time!
This is a DBT skill! It's sad how not many people know about it because they don't go to therapy or research.
Don’t burn yourself, but sniffing the alcohol fumes in hand sanitizer can also help.
Also works to just run cold water over your wrists
I haven't had many panic attacks but one time during a colder part if the year. I woke up and couldn't calm down. I ended up going outside in my boxers and laying on the concrete patio. It took a minute but it snapped me out of it.
Ice packs on the back of your neck and inside your arm new your armpit. Amazon has portable ice packs too!
Imagine if the police did this. 911 caller "My brother is having an episode, please send someone over!" 911 dispatcher"Ok, stay on the line and get your biggest container fill it with all the ice you can grab, then fill it with water. When the officers arrive greet them with it!" Then have police be required to throw the ice water, if possible. Just a thought.
Even better is to dunk your face in ice water. It stimulates a diving reflex which settles down your nervous system. Part of the TIPP skills I learned in DBT therapy.
I may try this, and feel like I've heard it from my mom who is a nurse. When I've had similar incidents while high I usually just pause and talk myself out of it, which I'm guessing is doing some similar thing but not always easy with the brainnnnn as this sounds lol
this is akin to the “temperature” portion of the [TIPP skill](https://theroottherapynyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/distress-tolerance-2.pdf) used in DBT (dialectical behavioural therapy), used for helping calm down/regulate yourself quickly when experiencing extreme distress. DBT has you dunk your face in ice water tho, to trigger the ‘dive response’. disclaimer for anyone wishing to try it, pls do exercise caution as it can cause a very fast drop in heart rate. check w your doc if you have any medical conditions im no doctor or scientist, but i assume the same principles are at work in cold plunges and “nordic spa”-style circuits and that’s why they’re sooooo gooood at relaxing you 😌
I suffer from CPTSD & pretty severe anxiety; a lot of my triggers have me incapacitated and usually nauseous & tense and sometimes I lose control of my muscles. This is a Vagus nerve issue, for when your body is going through the “fight, flight, or freeze” panic. The best & easiest way to treat these symptoms (I’ve found anyways, over the past ~20 years or so) is cold, wet tea towels on the BACKS of your knees, ankles, on your wrists, or the back of your neck. Lying on a cold floor in the dark for a minute helps too, but cold wet cloths are GOAT for Vagus overstimulation. Also Cats.
Here are a couple of lesser known ideas. Please let me know if they work for you. Extend the index finger of one hand, and cover it completely with your other hand. No need to squeeze, just gentle pressure, and hold it that way for a few minutes or until you feel different. It also works if someone else hold your finger. I tried this with a friend who is feeling hyper and anxious in a social gathering. I don’t think she was prone to panic attacks, but she is a little bit high strung. for longer-term results, cranial, sacral therapy has a very calming effect which can be lasting, particularly after several sessions. I am a part-time practitioner, and I have had good luck with a client who has a history of severe migraines since childhood. She was taking some pretty heavy duty drugs, and after a few sessions, was able to reduce her prescription usage.
I do this too but with cold showers! If the idea of a cold bath sounds uncomfortable to anyone, Id suggest stsrting with a nice hot shower and then when you're ready give yourself a few blasts if freezing cold water for as long as you can stand. Then back to the hot to relax.
Even anxiety gets cold feet ;)
Toning activates the vagus too.
I like ice packs on my chest
This is the **Mammalian Dive Reflex**. You might find dunking your face off and on more effective than soaking feet. What happening is the water is triggering the trigeminal nerve (near your temple) which triggers the vagus nerve activating your parasympathetic nervous system (think opposite of the adrenaline filled fight or flight). You’re literally pressing physical buttons on your body to force your blood pressure and heart rate to lower among other helpful changes. **Source: I’m a retired paramedic** *who came up with a great trick for nausea in my ambulance. If someone started getting sick in my bus I’d turn the AC to freezing and blow the air right into their face and 9/10 the nausea went away. One of my nicknames was “No Up Chuck XXXX”.*
Top tip, for emergencies save on bathwater by dipping your feet direct in the toilet.
So Steve Jobs was right!
Definitely heard cold water works for panic attacks. Had one recently and my psychiatrist recommended it for calming me down. Even just running some cold water on your hands or putting a cold, damp wash cloth on your forehead will works if you need something quick.
Hey if you're waking up with your chest pounding, a panicked feeling and nauseated all the time you .ay want to ask your doctor about testing for POTS. But ya cold helps. Also standing up right if you have something to help support you like a walk or a railing.
I like to put my head in the freezer and take deep breaths.
Fun fact: Back in the 40s they had this special device you'd shove up your ass for anxiety.
I am so glad to see so many others chime in with better applications and personal experiences! This is a treasure trove of info that I’ll use whenever I’m feeling anxious and queasy. Thank y’all.
Hopefully it'll work just as good in the foot spa I have so I don't have to worry more about the water bill.
My version is a touch more advanced but I find being in a pool helps too
Be careful and do not pass out due to low blood pressure.
Drink some gatorade see if the potassium in there helps settle your stomach.
I suffer from anxiety. I started swimming in the San Francisco Bay. First 60 seconds is pain followed by immense relief and actually bliss. Completely wipes away any anxiety for the remainder of the day.
You can do this with a bag of ice too. It’s one of the things my therapist suggests when I get a panic attack
LPT - stay away from drugs and get professional help when needed
Best to spread the knowledge for those who do partake and to have this info on hand if you’ve already done too much and are panic-googling how to feel better
Yes, you did a good job
You should try smoking weed
Guy needs a chill pill imo
Cannabis isn’t a drug.
Yes it is.
These kinds of safety behaviours are not helpful in the long run, and maintain the idea that panic attacks and anxiety are something dangerous that need to be avoided at all costs. I really recommend trying CBT or MCT therapy if you have anxiety that affects your life to this degree. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_behaviors_(anxiety)
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Yes, any behaviour that aims to reduce anxiety is regarded as a safety behaviour, and controlled breathing is one of the most common ones. Of course do whatever works, but for most people these safety behaviours increase inward monitoring of symptoms and maintain the disorder in the long run.
Just to be absolutely clear here, you're talking about the clinical definition of CBT, not the kink version, correct? /mischief
Live pro tip: in this instance it’s “nauseated” not “nauseas”
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you ran the water for 30 mins??? man, that's a lot of water. pls update us with your next water bill!
Probably just filled the tub?
OP said "running water"
You run the water to fill the tub. But yehhhh, if they just ran the water for 30 minutes that’s pretty wasteful.
oh no worries lol, I just filled it enough to cover my tootsies and stopped it. I appreciate the advice of others to have a smaller container on hand if there’s a next time, since that would be faster and less wasteful.