Poll of the Day > how exactly does meditation work? thinking about giving it a try.

(+) Yeah! (+)

i take anti-depressants, anti-psychotics, and anxiety medication and still cant shake anxiety and almost all day consuming paranoia thoughts. therapist relieving tips don't help either.

i've heard somethings about meditation but don't know much about going on about it, i think i understand basics like closing your eyes and trying to blank out thoughts, but not sure if there are other methods to it that make it a recommendation.

also, if anyone has any ideas for anxiety/paranoia besides other than meditation is welcome as well.

Have you tried deep breathing exercises?

VampireCoyote posted...

Have you tried deep breathing exercises?

@VampireCoyote

there is one she recommends that i do on and off, and even if i'm doing it for up to 10 minutes i still feel the waves of anxiety. its when you inhale for 4 seconds, hold it in for 4 seconds, and exhale through your mouth for 6.

i'm also open to this as well.

i have asperger's so obsessive thoughts, anxiety, and depression are usually always high. i keep thinking cause of all the internet mistakes i made as a kid, just simply not knowing that one day all my accounts will be stolen. i cant 2 step verify anything as i don't have my own cell phone.

i wash my hands constantly to keep anything off of them when gaming to not break or fill the buttons with gunk.

its draining lol...

Im sorry youre going through that. I went through a rough patch recently with paranoia and anxiety and I found that reading books and listening to classical music like Beethoven really settles my nerves.

I rely on to ease my anxiety

although occasionally it seems to make it worse

VampireCoyote posted...

I rely on to ease my anxiety

although occasionally it seems to make it worse

oh god no. i've done it a few times and it makes my paranoia go to the max intense. for some reason it makes me throw up as well, just a really horrible feeling.

i think as much as i like coffee, that i should really lighten up on it. sometimes i wonder if its causing my medications not to work properly. sometimes i feel great with it, other times i feel like i'm freaking out. probably be better to drop it since i have intense anxiety issues already.

I can never get my mind to settle. Always thinking about what I need to do next, friends/family, games to play etc. my mind never stops :(

Meditation from a Jew: Positive expectation of good from above. Putting aside nerves to think what is beyond oneself is being taken care of. At least that is how I can regulate my breathing when overthinking may poison my thoughts to get up and fix problems marathon.

Breathe deep and slow, and work on emptying your mind. Sometimes relaxing music or ambient nature sounds help if you can't quite empty it on your own. Everyone has techniques that work for them.

Breathe deep and slow, and work on emptying your mind. Sometimes relaxing music or ambient nature sounds help if you can't quite empty it on your own. Everyone has techniques that work for them.

You basically pick a meditation object (the breath is pretty convenient but you can meditate on anything) and you focus your attention on it. Your mind will inevitably wander but you return to the object of your attention. You can build focus and become more skillful at paying attention to the present moment. Religious people can use it in prayer to feel more closely connected to God without waivering attention

RedSox342 posted...

You basically pick a meditation object (the breath is pretty convenient but you can meditate on anything) and you focus your attention on it. Your mind will inevitably wander but you return to the object of your attention. You can build focus and become more skillful at paying attention to the present moment. Religious people can use it in prayer to feel more closely connected to God without waivering attention

Yes this. It's the basic starter way. Sit, close your eyes, and breathe through your nose. Focus on how it feels to have air move through your nose. Just keep thinking about it. WHEN your mind wanders, and it will, it's important not to feel mad at yourself for failing to focus. Just stop and focus on your breathing again.
Do this as long or as short as you want. Sometimes you will feel your nose get dry because your breathing harder, that's ok. And it's not something you have to do for a long time.
Ideally, you will start to enjoy and even look forward to your meditation time. If you think of meditation as something you have to do or that your forcing yourself to do it, it won't work.

There are a lot of other ways to meditate as well. Walking is one. Just do it in a safe place where you won't walk into traffic. I personally find walking much easier to clear my head and just focus on single things. Wind in my hair, the sound of my feet, the slope of the hill.

I've been doing it for 4 years now. And honestly I still go all monkey brain way too easily. But it's also relaxing when I get it right.

Since work from home is now a thing. Often if I am stuck on a coding problem. I will go to bed, lay down, close my eyes and meditate for a minute. Just to clear my head of the issue so I can come at it from a different angle.