Does anyone else live with low level anxiety when they are having downtime?

[ssd]

Instead of relaxing, my stomach churns, my brain doesn't stop and I feel on edge.

Hate it.

Yes

Yes. I find it almost impossible to relax on my days off.

Me too. I think it's because I almost never stop. I'm so busy, single mum, 3 kids, millions of activities, f/t job & no family nearby. So when I stop occasionally my whole body is like 'huh?' and just freaks out I think 🤦🏻‍♀️

I keep trying to incorporate a bit more down time into my day to overcome this but it's not great.

Yep! I'm trying to cope by using a quote I read on here "don't suffer it twice" (my mind always goes to horrible things that could happen, so I'm saying that to myself to try to stop the worry)

Yes yes yes! I hate it and I actually plan on some downtime otherwise I won't let myself. My phone is a huge distraction. Trying to do things without it to make me relax

Even having a nice walk with Dh today beside the sea, instead of enjoying the moment, I'm criticising myself, thinking we should have lots of friends, the kids should cook at home and iron, I should stop comparing myself to my sister who has a wonderful life.... Blah blah blah

And I imagine what I'd do without Dh and how alone I'd be.

It's horrible.

I hear you.

Yes, I'm at my worst. Not always but mostly. I tho think the phone has a lot to do with it. I've set screen time limits (just yesterday!) as I've realised this.

Yes. I blame peri menopause but actually it could just be the way I am!!! I’ve hated Sundays since I was a child and thought the feelings would improve when I ‘grew up’ and was in control of how I spent the day. But they didn’t.

Downtime is when my mind stops thinking enough to let the anxiety in. Holidays can be a nightmare if I totally relax as I totally unravel, so for a couple of days while I work my way through the worst of it I have to wear the mask so no one suspects and then cry in the shower

Yes I do. I feel as if I should always be doing something useful using up my time productively.

Yep I really don't want my DS to pick up on it as he gets older

Yes absolutely. I'd been really busy in the run up to our family holiday this year and was shocked when we were at a beautiful place, everyone dedans relaxed and I started having major panic attacks. I thought it was a full on heart attack at first.

Remembering to meditate helps, as does exercise and fresh air, eating healthily is good... all things which go out of the window when work is flat out. Glad it's not just me.

I'm the same. I can't relax and I imagine the worst

Yes, I spend my very limited downtime thinking I must be a terrible failure because I have downtime. I don't seem able to wind down at all. Hamster on a wheel doesn't touch it.