Anxious this christmas

[Atkinson1910]

Hi all. I'm new to this site.

Well I want to look forward to christmas but i have issues with depression and anxiety and they are there all year round and not just for Christmas. I feel sick when i think about christmas day, yet there is only myself, husband and my youngest son (25 years) to cater for. I watch TV with the images of everyone happy and cosy at christmas yet I want to scream. Does anyone else feel like this and how do you get through it? All word of advice will be gladly accepted and appreciated.

Hi @Atkinson1910. Just wanted to say that I'm really sorry to hear this. It sounds like you're going through a tough situation I promise you'll get through it .

Some suggestions that may be helpful:

• Keeping a 'mood diary': a diary where you write down what activities you're doing and how you feel when doing each activity, as well as rating the intensity of each feeling out of 10 (e.g. lying in bed, resigned 5; had dinner, calm 4 etc.)

• Making a list of activities or things that you enjoy doing or that you used to enjoy doing before feeling depressed, and seeing if you feel able to incorporate any of those activities into your daily, weekly or monthly routine

• Making an appointment with your GP about anxiety and depression

• Looking into counselling or therapy to treat the depression and anxiety

• Finding it if your GP could do referrals for you to NHS Talking Therapies

• Taking Rescue Remedy might also be helpful for the anxiety

• Aiming for a mix of pleasurable, necessary and routine activities throughout each day and/or week

• Writing about how you feel in a diary and/or talking about it with others

• Physical activity, especially in the fresh air, may be helpful (although I completely understand it's more difficult to do in winter).

Do let us know how you get on

Your Christmas is your Christmas.

Whether you're feeding the 5000 or it's just the three of you eating til you burst and snoring in front of the Queen's Speech, do it your way.

The pressure to have a 'good' Christmas is not helped by all the fictional families, with beautiful children, sober relatives in snazzy Christmas jumpers and a kitchen which can help 'mum' produce a massive spread out of Iceland's freezers, Sainsbury's fridges or Marks and Spencer's Food Halls.

Stop comparing with fiction.

Breathe.

How are you feeling today OP?

Hi OP

I've recently been to chat to my doctor and chat about anxiety and he's been fantastic so do try and see someone to talk things through if you feel able. At MIL's for the weekend which is usually stressful enough but I've been utilising the following to try and stay calm.

A nurse I saw recommended an app called Calm. There's something I use on quite a lot called the breathe bubble. It's just a really simple way to control your breathing for as long as you need it and I even do it without the app now I know the rhythm. I find it just helps ground me a little and gives me something to focus on even when I'm sat in a room full of people. Hope that helps a tiny bit.

Hi all

Well I managed to get through it, day by day. I put on a brave face but inside I was screaming. I am going to go to the drs one day next week and have a word about this stress and anxiety which doesnt go away. Thank you for reading and for all of your helpful advice, I will let you know how i get on.