Golf anxiety

[Jbarbour]

how do you deal?

The Michael Phelps thread inspired this topic.

I have an anxiety issue that I have been dealing with since I was in college. I suffer from "anxiety disorder" and have previously had bouts with anxiety attacks. This has tremendously affected my golf game in a very negative fashion.

Just a little background:

About 10 years ago, for no reason at all, I had a severe panic/anxiety attack. I was simply sitting on the couch watching football and it came out of nowhere. It was one of the worst experiences of my life. For those of you who have never experienced this, it is truly a terrifying event as you have no clue as to what is going on with you, your mind and your body. After this initial attack, they began to occur regularly on an almost daily basis for years. I have since learned to deal with them, and for some reason, the really "severe" attacks went away about 5 years ago as sudden as they came.

Fast forward to today:

I still have lingering anxiety that is present daily. It is something I have learned to live with. Whether I am truly nervous or not, my heart beats quite a bit faster than most everyone else and my body releases abnormal amounts of adrenaline into my system for no reason at all sporadically, 24 hours a day. I actually take "anti-anxiety" medication on an as-needed basis to help control this and have had to do so for years now.

For me, this is a tremendous negative factor on my golf game. Some days I have no issues with my anxiety and can go out and play extremely well. In fact I shot a 73 a month or so ago. Other times though, I get so worked up that I am physically shaking and you'd think after looking at my swing that I had never swung a golf club before in my life. It is truly the most frustrating thing I have ever had to deal with. It gets to the point some days where I have to take a double-dose of my "on an as-needed basis only" anxiety medication just to get things in order.

Everyone gets nervous now and then on the course, but most everyone is able to control it. My issue is that simple nervousness with me is exagerated 100% due to my anxiety issues that are uncontrollable.

My question is this: What do you do to handle nervousness and stress on the course? Do you have any practices or routines you go through to calm your nerves? More so, is there anyone else out there dealing with a similar sitution such as my own?

[MARK918]

Hello there. I have been dealing with the same issue for about the last 12 years or so. I had a really bad panic attack as well and then it kinda stayed with me. I was dealing with it until I just got so sick of it that I went and saw my docter. I understand you take as needed meds but that is not going to help. I am on a drug called Laxopro. It takes 6 weeks to get into your system. When it comes to these type of drugs you need to take them everyday. I told my doctor sometimes I will take a extra 5 mg if I am feeling a little nervous but he said that will do nothing. It is more of a mental thing. I have been on the meds for the past year and a half and I have only need one panic attack in that time. My anxiety has pretty much gone away as well. To be honest though I have never had a problem on meds or not while playing sports including golf.

[mfbris]

I myself had an issue of panic attacks about 10 years or more ago.

After the initial one they started to become more often in occurrence. It finally became an issue that I really could not function normally from day to day.

I finally broke down and went to the doctor and he referred my to a psychiatrist, I reluctantly went.

I was put on medication, don't remember what kind, for about a year.

I had been panic attack free, over ten years, until this last winter. I believe work related stress along with a really cold winter and boredom brought this on.

This time I did not hesitate to get help. Was again put on medication for about four months and now I feel fine.

I would recommend seeing another doctor because panic or anxiety attacks are controllable and in most cases curable with the right kind of treatment.

Once you get that under control a three footer for par will not be that big of a deal.

[Peoples Golf]

i think what you guys really need rather than a anti depresant like lexapro is a sedative like, valium or zanax. however what helps me is a couple of drinks. But what really helps me while golfing is just to relax and not "stress" over shots, whats the worst thing that can help. you will not hit a green? or take an extra stoke? its hard not to think about shots too much.

[finalist]

You should read Bob Rotella's (sic) book Golf is not a Game of Perfect

 

He talks about why nervousness is good and fear is bad etc. I don't know, might help you some??

[Tanner25]

No disorders that I know of. But, I used to get the first tee jitters. I would grip the club tightly

and swing as fast as I could just to get the moment over with. But, then I realized it was just

a game and the worst thing that could happen was a high score. So, " I accepted the outcome " no matter what happened and I was fine ever since.

[tmitchell27]

I agree with MARK918. My wife is a doctor and I have actually had some issues with anxiety after my best friend was killed, etc. Taking an anti-anxiety medication doesn't really work on an as needed basis. The drugs used for anti-anxiety/depression need to build up in your sytem and can actually take 2-3 weeks to actually begin working to where you will see a noticable difference. My advice would be to consult your doctor and maybe he/she can prescribe a daily medication for you to help you keep it under control a little better. Good luck.

[Jbarbour]

i think what you guys really need rather than a anti depresant like lexapro is a sedative like, valium or zanax. however what helps me is a couple of drinks. But what really helps me while golfing is just to relax and not "stress" over shots, whats the worst thing that can help. you will not hit a green? or take an extra stoke? its hard not to think about shots too much.

 

 

But that's the thing. In my mind I am really not nervous about anything, but my body is. It's hard to explain, but my heart beats very fast and my body randomly releases adrenaline no matter what I am doing; golfing, watching TV or sleeping. I can't control it and that's the problem. Again, it's hard to put into words, but it's not necessarily about me being nervous.

 

I am prescribed Xanax and that is the only thing that works. One of those and a beer or two and I am as calm as a buddhist monk. I wouldn't be, in any way, interested in getting into a drug that has to be taken daily like Lexapro or anything similar.

 

 

I agree with MARK918. My wife is a doctor and I have actually had some issues with anxiety after my best friend was killed, etc. Taking an anti-anxiety medication doesn't really work on an as needed basis. The drugs used for anti-anxiety/depression need to build up in your sytem and can actually take 2-3 weeks to actually begin working to where you will see a noticable difference. My advice would be to consult your doctor and maybe he/she can prescribe a daily medication for you to help you keep it under control a little better. Good luck.

 

 

Thanks for the advice, but as I stated above, I don't take a daily medication such as an anti-depressant or anything similar. I take Xanax which is meant to be taken on an as-needed basis as it is a benzodiazepine which is a controlled substance. It works instantly and is the only thing that really handles the issue.

 

I really didn't want this to steer this into a drug recommendation thread, though I do appreciate the info. I was basically asking what, if any, issues with anxiety some of you may have and how you deal with it on the course.

[petenice15]

I hate to say this, but you are looking to put a band aid on a bullet hole. The fact of the matter is if you can't come to grips with the fact that there is some kind of underlying issue, you will never get better. There is nothing wrong with taking a medication everyday if it is going to help. It doesn't make you less of a man if you realize that in the long run a medication like Lexapro will help you.

 

Just try to be open minded and maybe you will be able to resolve what's going on once and for all.

[zberk]

I went through panic attacks about 8 years ago. I thought I was going to have a heart attack or something. It's just an overwhelming out-of-control feeling of impending doom. I didn't go on meds. I saw a psychologist and tried hypnotism and had good results. For me, the panic came on whenever I couldn't control a situation and I had a few major things going on when these attacks began.

 

When I get the sensations of anxiety, I remind myself that I shouldn't worry about those things I can't control and that historically things usually work out for the best. I have the tools and strength to get through.

 

As far as golf... Every now and then I feel anxious as I want to do well and be competitive, but it tends to turn to anger/frustration if things start going badly. Then they typically get worse.

 

I try to remind myself that I'm golfing to have fun more than anything else and the last thing I tell myself before taking the club away is "no tension", then I release all swing thoughts, feel the relaxation, and go for it. As others have noted and is visible in the Olympics, relaxation is key to good performance.

 

It was ironic that I could play a gig in front of hundreds or thousands of people and the anxiety is different; it's positive and I attain the relaxation to have fun. Even if I made a few clams in my performance, I could let it go and still have fun. Now when I'd play golf with a couple people, I'd get so tense all I could do was snap hook or slice off the planet and get pissed like everything was riding on me hitting well. So I'm trying to find a way to turn my anxiety with golf into more positive energy...

 

As Finalist mentioned, "Golf is Not a Game of Perfect" is a good read for perspective on putting the last shot behind and focusing on one shot at a time...

 

Anyway, good luck! You can get through it. You always do... :)

[Serenity05]

http://clearkeygolf.com/

 

Read it and give it a try :) Its helped me a ton :good:

[eddie3392]

Being a long time sufferer of Anxiety i can tell you that LEXAPRO has been a miracle for most of the people who suffer from anxiety. It does take a few weeks to get into your system but before you know it the anxiety is controlled. If you suffer attacks on a regular basis then you will not be able to controll the attacks on as needed basis, they will only keep coming on stronger. You really should give a daily medicine a try, i did not want to be on a daily medicine for it either but life is so much better now.

 

Anxiety is something that will be there with you forever! Once someone experiences the full blown version of the Attacks your body knows what that feels like and your mind knows what happened the last time and you start to freak out. While others who experience small attacks don't know what a full out attack can do to them so they are not afraid of the attacks. The best thing you can do is get on a daily medicine for a year and let the stress of your life calm down. Just my .02

[philln]

People suffering from anxiety, panic, stress and depression should consult a specialist and only then should use the medicine, as there can be various reasons behind the disorder. Medicines used to cure such disorders are habit forming and should be used for small duration. As per my personal experience, I have used Xanax and it helped me in getting over my panic and anxiety disorder. You can have all necessary information about this on http://www.xanax-effects.com Along with medicine, the concerned person should take a break from his/her regular schedule, go out and take good sleep.

[stryper]

http://clearkeygolf.com/

 

Read it and give it a try :) Its helped me a ton :)

Thanks for the reminder...I'd stumbled on that site before, but really didn't pay much attention. Since my game recently has been in the crapper, I went through most of the articles this morning and found lots of good advice. Mostly though, it was stuff I was already doing when I was going good.

 

Nice to have things back in context. :fishing1:

[tm22721]

I don't have panic attacks but overall nervousness on a course even when playing solo. So I am trying to migrate to hitting instead of swinging. Hitting is also better for those without a lot of flexibility or who have a beefier upper chest physique that prevents a full swing.

[turbo4door]

BREATHE!

 

I've got it too, but for some reason not on the course.

 

Try clenching your fists as hard and tight as you can for as long as you can, and then open them up and feel the doubts and worries exit your body, just before you tee off. Think positively about where you ball will go, envision what you want your shot/swing to look like to those who are watching, and focus on the target, not your worries.

 

Anxiety is the worst feeling ever. I found myself in the ER, shaking uncontrollably, and unable to eat/drink anything and my heart feeling like it was going to jump out of my chest......while I was on VACATION!

Fear of the unknown is what starts me off. Was a place I had never been and was in the middle of nowhere. Scary stuff being in that situation. They gave me some meds that night but I only took what was given to me in the hospital, saw my doctor after and he gave me nirivam to use should I need it. I have yet to take one after focusing on my breathing and telling myself that its beyond my control anyway and whats going to happen will happen whether I worry about it or not.

[MrJones]

I sometimes have small anxiety attacks but unlike what a lot of people are describing I know what triggers mine.

 

Whenever I'm in a large crowd of people I start getting nervous to the point of shaking. Eventually I get that same feeling that most get when you're in a confrontation and feel like you're about to fight. I'll start feeling light headed and eventually I get a little hostile and just have to get out of there or at least get my back to a wall.

 

It happens to me if I'm in a big club full of people, especially when it's dark with all the strobes going. I seem to be fine if it's a well lit place like just a big social gathering. I just try and avoid those type of situations.

[LUMA]

I wanted to bump this thread. I started having anxiety years back and it has gotten better but I have come to the conclusion that this is the main reason for my terrible golf. I played incredible the last few times and hadn't had any anxiety for awhile. All the sudden it started up a bit a couple days ago and the last two rounds and practice today was horrific. Every club is messed up. I was literally shakng I was so aggravated on the range today.

When I have anxiety, I am totally disconnected and my mood is horrid. I'm officially blaming my horrible blowup weeks on anxiety because with how well I was playing last week, it ain't my swing. Reeeeeeeeeally sucks!!! I'm better than this!! Stop ruining my golf game!!!

[pmcuk]

I'm a performance psychologist for performing artists. I've been dealing with performance anxiety for 25 years. I use a variety of strategies in combination with one-to-one sessions. I've been able to help a large number of performing artists, but I've never had a golfer as a client. In terms of drugs, musicians commonly take beta blockers. Banned in competitive sport, and prescription only (there are serious contra-indications like asthma). Most prefer to talk it through, though.

I'll email the OP with some information.

My book for performers is here, if it's of interest. Amongst other things it covers the Zone, preparation/practising and managing adrenalin in performance:

http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Performing-Confidence-musicians-singers/dp/140815420X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397431321&sr=1-1&keywords=Secrets+of+Performing+Confidence

[Tanner25]

[quote name='pmcuk' timestamp='1397431489' post='9083225']
I'm a performance psychologist for performing artists. I've been dealing with performance anxiety for 25 years. I use a variety of strategies in combination with one-to-one sessions. I've been able to help a large number of performing artists, but I've never had a golfer as a client. In terms of drugs, musicians commonly take beta blockers. Banned in competitive sport, and prescription only (there are serious contra-indications like asthma). Most prefer to talk it through, though.

I'll email the OP with some information.

My book for performers is here, if it's of interest. Amongst other things it covers the Zone, preparation/practising and managing adrenalin in performance:

[url="http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Performing-Confidence-musicians-singers/dp/140815420X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397431321&sr=1-1&keywords=Secrets+of+Performing+Confidence"]http://www.amazon.co...ming Confidence[/url]
[/quote]

PMCUK,

Wow, I was reading this thread and thought of a friend of mine who has performance anxiety which resulted in him running off stage and vomiting. Naturally, it's been a long road
trying to overcome this in future performance. He is better of late. But. it's still there and now creeps into other parts of his life such as a plane ride, or a crowded room. It has become
more fear of thowing up rather than performance anxiety. If anything once he performs, it's a distraction and he gets over it.

Tanner

[pmcuk]

[quote name='Tanner25' timestamp='1397433520' post='9083539']

PMCUK,

Wow, I was reading this thread and thought of a friend of mine who has performance anxiety which resulted in him running off stage and vomiting. Naturally, it's been a long road
trying to overcome this in future performance. He is better of late. But. it's still there and now creeps into other parts of his life such as a plane ride, or a crowded room. It has become
more fear of thowing up rather than performance anxiety. If anything once he performs, it's a distraction and he gets over it.

Tanner
[/quote]

It's not uncommon to find "single fears" in performers, which can be throwing up over the band, dropping your instrument, passing out and a few other things. They're usually learned responses to past events where this actually happened. In most cases they don't recur, it's just the fear that "it could happen again any time". If you deconstruct the original scenario where such "catastrophes" happen, you'll almost invariably find a cluster of stressors e.g. you were feeling off colour, something happened in the venue, you were late and rushing and so on. Typically you find three to five stressors, sometimes more. So:
1. Something was bound to go wrong - every now and then circumstances combine to produce bad events
2. It won't happen again the same way because that exact cluster of stressors isn't going to recur in exactly the same way.

I do a lot with learned responses to bad events - I take very detailed notes and it's usually self evident that something was destined to go wrong. Usually we end up laughing about it. You bring back the old fear in a relaxed state, deconstruct it and try to put it in perspective and neutralise it. You have to deal with the sneaky feeling of "how do I know it won't happen again".

Our survival as humans depends on our having a very quick reaction to threatening events - that's the good news and the bad news. It takes focussed work to reduce this aversion reaction once it sets in, but it can be reduced in a kind of saw-tooth way. Up and down recovery but steady progress.

[vaterman]

Your physical description sounds like something I experience once in a while. On one of my trips to USA I found a product in one of the vitamin stores you have. It was called Cal-Max. It was a powder mix of Calcium and Magnesium that you would steer in Water. That product helped a lot and my muscles started to relax much better.

A friend I have who has studied a lot about our body and the role of vitamins and minerals for our physical well being told me that lack of Calcium and magnesium can tense up out muscles. To me I would describe it as a nervous feeling in the body for no apparent reason.

It helped a lot.

[TravAz]

To OP, I would do a comprehensive blood panel, something like www.wellnessfx.com or similar, and as comprehensive as I could afford. As the poster above mentioned, you could have a diet or environmental induced deficiency, and typical modern doctors are just about writing prescriptions.

[Exactice808]

Sorry Didnt read through the whole thread yet but responding to your first post OP.

A little background,

I was diagnosed with PTSD (Military Vet), Panic Disorder and Anxiety Disorder. Spent 3 years at the VA and got a grip of everything. its has been 4 years since I had a bad attack. Then 6 months ago. It hit me like a ton of bricks again, put me in the ER and I was heavily sedated. Anyways I am back to the rebuilding stage. Learning how to control the panic attacks and the anxiety attacks.

When playing golf its no different when you get nervous, the body doesnt know the difference if its in Iraq on patrol or in Hawaii on a putting green. All it knows is the body is hot and its getting nervous. Panic Attacks are our "Fight or Flight" mechanisms in extreme danger, being out of whack *pun intended*. Its misguided and you need to learn how to get it operating normally again.

1) Panic and Anxiety Attacks are mental. I have done the gamete of test, EKG's, Stress test, blood work....Healthy as an OX, Panic attacks will not kill you. It feels like it but you have to tell yourself it will not and truly believe it even though you feel "Uncomfortable"

2) Breathing, Breathing, Breathing. Learn proper breathing techniques. Deep breaths are like a mechanism that pressurizes your nervous system telling it to relax.

3) Panic attacks are a little child that is throwing a tantrum. YOU NEED TO TALK TO IT. You cant ignore it. You have to face them and reprogram the mind to let it know that it is misguided and that it should work when there is a true danger and not when you are standing over a critical 3 foot putt.


On the course, I get nervous all the time and then my anxiety/panic kicks in, I immediately go in to my breathing drill. Then remind myself that I am on a golf course and not doing a patrol through a village. It took some time and practice but finally, when I begin breathing and talking, my body just shifts on its own and begins to calm down. Its pretty amazing how quickly the conscious and unconscious mind reacts when it realizes everything is ok.

Again this will take some time and practice. But you have to do it and seriously you need to talk to your unconscious mind, You have to face it.

Good Luck, I totally feel you and understand. Panic and Anxiety is like a paper cut, its a pain in the @$$ it hurts but it will heal eventually, you just gotta believe it!

[Exactice808]

Finally read through the thread.... My other thoughts

I know exactly what you mean, you are sitting there on the couch watching tv and bam the shakes, sweating, feels like an 800lbs elephant sitting on your chest, you cant breath, it feels like it came out of no where. Again Panic is your fight or flight mechanism misguided by your "unconscious" mind, a trigger of some sort set it off. Sometimes you know what the trigger is, other times you have no idea.

When the attack comes on you have to breath that is the first and foremost thing like others stated and I stated above. Breath like how you would breath when you are sleeping slow and deep, imagine that is the time you are most relaxed, so emulate it to get to that state during the attack.

Now this is the thing about medication (Im no doctor, just from my experiences and research over the years). Xanax is great for a quick response to an attack, I used to use it when a bad attack came on prior to me learning how to naturally deal with it, but as someone stated its a band aid, its not getting to the root problem. The root problem again is your unconscious over-reacting. You dont want to us Xanax as a crutch. You want to be able to deal with the attacks on its own.

Lexapro, Prozac, Abilify etc are more to help those that are dealing with anxiety and depression caused by the anxiety/panic attacks. So if you do not deal with constant anxiety or depression then a regimented med doesn't necessarily need to be your first look. But I would say consult with your Doctor.

Again, your body doesnt know the difference of being in a car crash, standing in front of a crowd giving a speech, a 3ft birdie to win the pot. All it knows is, its nervous, scared, adrenaline is pumping, your heart is beating faster. How you deal with it is all the same, calming yourself down and rationalizing your situation that you are not in Physical Danger.

[pmcuk]

[quote name='Exactice808' timestamp='1397516036' post='9091385']
Again, your body doesnt know the difference of being in a car crash, standing in front of a crowd giving a speech, a 3ft birdie to win the pot. All it knows is, its nervous, scared, adrenaline is pumping, your heart is beating faster. How you deal with it is all the same, calming yourself down and rationalizing your situation that you are not in Physical Danger.
[/quote]

Yes - that's how I see it. The fight or flight reaction comes from our primitive brain, and simply responds to what the brain sees as a confrontation in the environment. It can be something actual in the environment like an audience or tasking off in a plane or standing at tee 1, where it's more "phobic" or it can be the idea of confrontation based on past events which are triggered by thoughts in some way.

I've recently brought in stuff on happiness when seeing clients with these kind of anxieties, and it seems it can help. Research on happiness suggests that you have to want to be happy, it doesn't just happen. You can design happiness into your life. For instance when you get up in the morning ask yourself "why can't I be happy today - is there a law against it?" Actually want a happy day and try to make it happen. What helps here is to start to know what actually puts you in a happy mood.

I used to do a class exercise with young rock musicians where I'd go round asking them what would make them happy. After several versions of "success" (Youtube video, record deal, big tour etc) I'd eventually come to somebody - usually female - who would say something like "having a hot shower, eating a chocolate bar, choosing a really good video and curling up on the sofa with my boyfriend". It's clear that many of us are out of touch with happiness, or confuse it with success.

I'm still exploring this, but it looks promising.

I can't help reflecting that this is a very male dominated forum, and most of the posts are about "success", "achievement", "importance" and so on. You rarely read anything on happiness or containing the word "happy". We live in a very achievement oriented society, and subliminally we take in so much stuff about success and reaching goals - partly because all the advertising we take in is designed to push products by suggesting they promote success in different ways. We would have to radically re-design out whole social environment away from goals and towards process to even begin to understand how happiness can improve our lives. Since it's difficult to be both anxious and happy at the same time, happiness does in principle counteract anxiety. Just as relaxation and breathing counteracts physical tension.



.

[RBImGuy]

Yoga, theraphy, Intu-flow or similiar programs.
if you need drugs to fix anxiety your in trouble.

[Tanner25]

[quote name='Exactice808' timestamp='1397516036' post='9091385']
Finally read through the thread.... My other thoughts

I know exactly what you mean, you are sitting there on the couch watching tv and bam the shakes, sweating, feels like an 800lbs elephant sitting on your chest, you cant breath, it feels like it came out of no where. Again Panic is your fight or flight mechanism misguided by your "unconscious" mind, a trigger of some sort set it off. Sometimes you know what the trigger is, other times you have no idea.

When the attack comes on you have to breath that is the first and foremost thing like others stated and I stated above. Breath like how you would breath when you are sleeping slow and deep, imagine that is the time you are most relaxed, so emulate it to get to that state during the attack.

Now this is the thing about medication (Im no doctor, just from my experiences and research over the years). Xanax is great for a quick response to an attack, I used to use it when a bad attack came on prior to me learning how to naturally deal with it, but as someone stated its a band aid, its not getting to the root problem. The root problem again is your unconscious over-reacting. You dont want to us Xanax as a crutch. You want to be able to deal with the attacks on its own.

Lexapro, Prozac, Abilify etc are more to help those that are dealing with anxiety and depression caused by the anxiety/panic attacks. So if you do not deal with constant anxiety or depression then a regimented med doesn't necessarily need to be your first look. But I would say consult with your Doctor.

Again, your body doesnt know the difference of being in a car crash, standing in front of a crowd giving a speech, a 3ft birdie to win the pot. All it knows is, its nervous, scared, adrenaline is pumping, your heart is beating faster. How you deal with it is all the same, calming yourself down and rationalizing your situation that you are not in Physical Danger.
[/quote]

Exactice808,

Thanks, for the description. It helps me better understand what my friend is going through. Thanks, for serving too.

Tanner

[Craig foster]

To help with anxiety I usually have a glass of very dry dry brandy . Helps with everything

Regards Craig Foster III

[bain]

I have always got extremely nervous in sporting events and have never been able to control it!