Hi Paradoxesch
Thank you for the courage to reach out for help in your struggles with anxiety. Though what you have shared is surprisingly common, it is never pleasant.
I commend you for being proactive in addressing anxiety. You have been already practising breathing, so well done! As requested, here are a few more tips which I believe will help you tolerate anxiety and eventually not be too affected by it.
a)Start the practice of being more mindful just 3-5 mins at a time. Be curious, observant, more present and aware. Slowly this will build your mindfulness muscle. I believe you will notice more of your surroundings and your internal sensations, thoughts and feelings. it will be good to start mindfulness practice when you are not feeling anxious.
b)The next time you feel anxiety creeping up on you, practise dropping anchor and grounding yourself. With greater mindfulness, you would have developed the ability to detect sensations of anxiety developing in your body. For many of us, anxiety starts off with a sensation of a dry mouth or a tingling sensation. Grounding helps you stay present in the current moment and not get carried away by thoughts. Many people drop anchor by pressing their feet firmly on the ground and feeling the sensations arising as the feet touch the floor.
c)Reflect on what triggers your anxiety. By slowing down and being more aware, you can detect your body sensations when you first start feeling anxious. Know that triggers are just triggers. By slowing down, you can notice and observe the sensations with curiosity . You can then choose not to act on those triggers and this may help.
d)By working with a counsellor you can build up your coping tool box. Learn that thoughts are just thoughts. Observe them without judgement and with curiosity.
e)Ride them out. Let the thoughts chatter in your mind much like a radio in the background. Accept they are there but carry on what you are doing with full attention. Slowly, the negative thoughts will reduce their grip on you.
f)Progressive muscle relaxation is another way to release physical tension as it involves tensing and then releasing various muscle groups in your body.
g)Do urge surfing. Ride out intense urges like the need to go to the washroom frequently without acting on them.
h)Practise self-care exercises regularly to build balance and increase joy in your life.
i)Build your support system of well meaning friends and families.
I hope you can try out some of the above recommendations. I believe with practice, optimism and building the mindfulness muscle, you will be less affected by anxiety. You got this!