mat.j.collins

I've been thinking more about this question since my last comment. I remembered another technique that you might be interested. It is called Emotional Brain Training (EBT: www.ebt.org). It is a system of practices and groups that is designed to enhance emotional awareness, emotional intelligence, and healthy expression of emotions and needs. It is still in development and based on recent research in neuroscience (neuroplasticity). I think you might be interested because it isn't psychotherapy and it is a strong practical approach to improve mood, relationships, behavior and health.

It seems that you came out of the previous spiral. What happened then?

There are various things you could try, and as I am sure you are aware, anxiety, depression, bi-polar disorder, etc. do not always respond the same to all treatments. I hear you are averse to medical treatment, but first and foremost, I definitely recommend seeking some form of professional support. If for no other reason than to have an environment to express how you're feeling authentically, with no fear of stigma or emotionally overburdening friends.

From my experience, and what I practice now to maintain balance and support my overall daily productivity, I have had great results with mindfulness and yoga. The combination of 15 minutes of meditation ~4-5x and 3-4 yoga classes per week has supported my own health and wellbeing tremendously. It may or may not be what works for you, but I trust that you can find the right combination of activities and/or treatments that allows you to retain equanimity.

Sounds overwhelming. Can you be more specific with what is going on? In particular, start with one thing. What's most causing you to feel like you're lost?

At this point, I can only give advice based on the little bit of info you provided in your question.

Cognitive behavioral therapy along with medication (depending on the level of your anxiety) are two highly effective treatments for anxiety. Medication can allow one to attain enough mental relaxation for therapy to be even more effective. In addition, the treatment pages under Generalize Anxiety Disorder can provide additional tips.

It also sounds like your physical environment, "clutter," is causing or perpetuating your anxiety. Starting slowly with manageable steps to clear out clutter can provide great relief. It's not always easy. Be prepared to feel resistant to getting rid of things or to feel overwhelmed by the size of the job ahead of you. You can get through it with persistence and celebrating small victories. A skilled therapist can also be very supportive in this process.

Please feel free to respond back with further details. I will be sure to follow this thread to serve as a reference for your ability to get through this. Don't be afraid to reach out!

I took an eight week training in Mindfulness about 8 months ago. It wasn't necessarily the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) method, but I assume very similar. I have practiced mindfulness for 15 minutes a day approximately 2-5x per week since completing course. It definitely makes a difference in my clarity and attention, which in turn supports me in managing stressful situations with more ease and grace. I plan to continue practicing, and continue progressing towards practicing mindfulness daily.

Interesting question. Can you provide more info? When did you realize that you were losing these senses? Do you have any ideas regarding the cause for your loss of smell/taste?

I've heard cigarettes can cause desensitized taste buds (basically making food taste more and more bland), but am unaware of other reasons. I would be interested to learn more about your particular story.

I had my first professional massage session a few weeks ago. It was pretty incredible to say the least. It was a therapeutic session, but we weren't working on any one specific thing. The masseuse found several spots where I never realized there was tension. The most surprising was in my thighs, where my quads were super tight. She also released a bunch of tension in my shoulder, which doesn't have full range of motion probably because I played baseball all throughout my childhood and adolescence. There is also a lot of tension at the top of my neck. Overall, this was one of the most beneficial things I've done for my body. I recommend it and will definitely be going back in the future.

Hi Barbara, Gabapentin is a medication that is sometimes prescribed for neuropathic back pain (it's more commonly prescribed for epilepsy in adults). It's effectiveness depends on the origin of your husband's back pain. It would only be effective if your husbands back pain is rooted in the nerves. Toradol is an anti-inflammatory pain killer used after surgeries to control inflammation, pain, and fever. Your husband's doctor can help explain the cause of his back pain, and prescribe gabapentin or another appropriate pain killer depending on the source of the pain.

One thing to keep in mind regarding pain killers is that they are cosmetic drugs. In other words, they help numb the pain or stop inflammation that's causing the pain, but they do not heal or "cure" the root cause of the pain. (Crude example: If you have a broken arm, you can take all the pain killers you want to relieve the pain and discomfort, but they will not heal the bone. A doctor has to set the fracture and put it in a cast to allow time for the bone to heal itself.) The point I'm trying to make is that your husband might benefit from a different pain killer for the discomfort of his back pain, but he might also benefit from exercise, stretching, massage, a chiropractor, or acupuncture. Again, the doctor should be a good source for approaching your husband's back pain in these areas. With his assessment of the source of your husband's back pain, you can begin exploring treatments that will also heal whatever is going on to cause the pain.