Anyone else constantly talking themselves down from a panic attack?

[HollyBollyBooBoo]

I feel like I'm on the edge all of the time. The situation has made me realise how fragile life is. And if I went what shit options await my 9yo DD.

I'm all shaky and on the edge of tears the whole time.

I know I need to get a grip and there's always people worse off but logic seems to go out the window.

Have you rung your GP?

I think staying off all social media
Mumsnet
Facebook
Daily Mail
Would help massively.

I was just talking to DH about this. I'm sorry you feel so bad. I am not quite teary but I am edgy and am having to force myself to stay away from the news and social media.

I work in NHS suppport services so trying to only listen to the information I get through work as it somehow seems more reliable - not reassuring though.

I think the only thing you can do is try and keep busy. I know sticking to a routine always helps me when I am anxious, and also exercise. Can you and your DD do a You Tube work out together. Also maybe get her to do some yoga with you? Sorry - that all seems a bit flakey but it really does help.

Its so hard and such a weird time. I hope you have a good day

Not a panic attack exactly but I feel tearful quite a lot as the enormity of what is happening sinks in again and again. Tearful and anxious.

I think this is indicative off the state of anxiety and mental health in the nation. I don't know what's caused so many people to not cope but as a nation we need to work on resilience.

Make a list of things to do. Do them and tick off, it will make you feel more of control of something.

Clean, declutter, do the garden if you have one. Tick off the list.

Do some knitting if you can.

Yep. I was okay with just panciking in small doses at nught until last night when I realised how severelh at risk I was i have a cough which hopefully is nothing but aim in a constant panci I will be leaving my kids now 😥

I've found that the following have helped -

Deleting the Daily Mail app
Hiding the Coronavirus threads and AIBU
Limiting time on Facebook and hiding posts

Going for a walk each day. Breathe in some fresh air and look at how nature is changing and Spring is coming

Having some sort of routine. So I try to do some yoga (YouTube) each morning and have a long bath in the early evening

I can't focus enough to read but audiobooks are good.

Repeating to myself - this will pass, this will pass

It's difficult and I woke in the night with my heart pounding. But try and think positive thoughts. I know it's not easy

I know I need to get a grip and there's always people worse off

This is a pretty harsh and unhelpful way to talk to yourself. It's about what you're dealing with, not making comparisons. Try to be kind and compassionate towards yourself.

It's a frightening and uncertain time, so your feelings are natural. But there are ways to manage them, distract and soothe yourself.

Try to keep bringing yourself back to the present moment only rather than your fears and worries of what might happen. Focus on just what's going on now, how your feet feel beneath you, the sounds around you, your own breathing.

There is an app called Breathe that some people find helpful to calm their breathing.

Even if you have a full blown panic attack remember your body can only sustain such an intense state for a limited period of time so it will end, and when it does end you can rest and soothe yourself, focus on coming back to the present and then see if you can find distractions.

What do you do to comfort yourself when you're feeling tearful? I have a blanket I wrap myself in that helps a bit.

What distractions do you have? They can be as big or small as your concentration allows. I'm using a colour by numbers app a lot at the moment as I find it soothing and distracting when I feel overwhelmed.

I think lone parents face a particularly difficult time. ♥️

I’ve had several severe bouts of depression in the past and had been relieved to be on an even keel, exercising in classes and generally doing well.

Now I’ve completely sunk and can’t focus on anything. I cry all the time, am not sleeping and haven’t the motivation to do anything.

I keep getting sinking feelings when the reality hits (and DH has it)

I'm feeling a bit like this now. We're travelling around Australia (our flights home have been cancelled) and if the campsites and hostels are shut down I've no idea what we'll do next. DP was working but lost his contract and I quit my job to come here so we're also broke!

I have excellent mental health and I felt panicky for a few days/week or so, and I have had anxiety in my stomach every day on waking up. Personally, I think this is a perfectly natural response to a very serious situation. If you already have MH issues, then perhaps you need to take extra care of yourself, and speak to your GP if you can not improve things by yourself. They can definitely help you. Don't leave it until you really are struggling, address it now.

I found week two (We are on day 10 of isolation) much easier. Week one I was all over the place, but a certain acceptance takes place (at least in my experience) and I am no longer feeling so bad at all. There are stages to this experience that most people are feeling, and you need to work through them.

The shock, the panic, the stress is usually followed by a grim acceptance, as your body simply can not sustain that level of panic for long.

Others have outlined ideas, I would add to that if you have access to a garden spend much of your day outside. It definitely helps. Exercise and stretching, mediation as often as you need it.

I worried about my dc as well, so we came up with a plan of who would take care of them if the worst happened. Try and alleviate the things that worry you most.

Look after yourself op. We can do this.

My contract was terminated on 13 March so face several months on universal credit. I live alone, although I do have young adult children. I have already been in social isolation since 10 March because of non-Coronavirus illness. I am worried and miserable at the unfairness of my financial situation. I do have episodes of acute anxiety HOWEVER I know there is someone somewhere who would consider my situation to be more than manageable. I do have to give myself a good talking to along the lines of this will all pass, nothing lasts for ever, life is unfair. If I’m particularly wallowing in self pity, I will tell myself to get a grip. Falling apart will achieve the sum total of bugger all. Whilst I’m in social isolation I intend to really take a sabbatical from consumer living. No ‘to do’ lists. Just a daily practice of keeping my mind and body as well as is possible. The food chain has stabilised and those countries in lock down are NOT dealing with a crisis of food supply. I am massively relieved about this. Life will change. My friendships are already adjusting due to the crisis. I nurture contact with those who have a balanced approach. It is my way of sustaining my own resilience during this time of change and sudden adjustments.

Thanks all, really appreciate your support.

Had a chat with our mental health first aider from work and he's been great, feel a lot calmer right now and trying to nip the negative thoughts as soon as they enter my brain.

Tough times for all x

I have blocked the CV topic on MN and have left several groups on Facebook - there are too many people getting off on this crisis - almost enjoying the fear and spreading it.

Would also appreciate mumsnet not trendy fear spreading posts! People who wish to enjoy the fear can happily spend the whole day in the cv topic!

im finding mumsnet more panic inducing than facebook. A huge amount of people here are feeding each other worst case scenarios, and I ended up in a proper panic attack last week after spending some time here.
As long as we are following guidelines, we are not in control of this, and panic makes things worse, not better. Limit your exposure to sources which are making you freak out. Check the news at set times if you must, but try and listen to music, watch series rather than normal telly, and try and get some fresh air and sunlight daily, and then bunker down and go into semi-hibernation.
The whole world is the same, so noones missing out on anything thats going on.

I am the same. Keep sitting outside or by an open window.

Hi sorry to ask on here but can someone tell me how to hide the Corona threads.Thanks.

I woke up at 4am in a panic I've already been a bit tearful with all this going on but then as I laid in bed I thought about all the good things I have and the things I can look forward to when we come out the other side and decided that is what I must keep focusing on

We have to remember it's ok to be anxious and scared that's completely normal and we cant suppress it without further stress. Have a cry and then try and find some calm. I'm doing lots of colouring.

@PrincessHoneysuckle www.mumsnet.com/Talk/site_stuff/3383590-How-to-hide-topics

This will only hide the topic - but people are spreading fear on this issue all over Mumsnet.