I’ve left it too late :(

[hopelesswondering]

I had my first baby back in April, I was diagnosed with post natal anxiety which I really think I the pandemic is to blame.

I started CBT and it really helped.
April - August I barely left the house.
I went for a few walks but that’s all I could manage to do.

Mid August I started to do outdoor meet-ups with friends and at the end of August I went for a coffee indoors with my husband and baby.

I haven’t yet been inside anyone’s house and I haven’t had anyone in mine.
In aw just starting to get used to the idea of it happening and now cases have started to rise.😔

I really wanted to sign up to a local baby class and I started to really feel brave, I emailed the course leader and we got a place, but now cases are going up and I’m too afraid to go.

It’s taken months of therapy to get my anxiety under control. I should’ve gone out and done all of these things whilst cases were low. But I just couldn’t.
And now, when my anxiety is under control, the cases are going up and I just feel like we’re heading to another lockdown.

I’m 33, overweight and i have asthma.

I’m staring to feel so anxious again 😔

@Inkpaperstars

I’m not on any meds and have avoided them because of breastfeeding, but maybe it’s worth a chat with my GP.

You ask why we are are allowed to do things now, that we weren't allowed to do in May. Well in May there were Covid cases in hospitals due to the high wave of infections in March and April. At the moment, hospitals aren't seeing those numbers.
In May, the economy had been put on hold for a few months. Now, with more knowledge about the virus, the government and businesses want everything to stay open with social distancing measures in place.
Does that make sense?
Your messages reveal that you miss having control over your life. You feel all decisions and control have been taken away from you.
You could explore that it therapy or with self-help books.
We all feel a little like that, but some people are better at making their own risk assessments. You can only look after yourself now. Forget about what would have been normal a year ago. Keep getting out for exercise. Try your best to lose weight so that you don't have the added stress about being an overweight patient with Covid. 16:8 intermittent fasting might be of interest to you. You can't do anything about asthma, but if you can lower your other risk factor and take vitamin D and eat nutritious food, then you have done your best. You are young and female, that goes I'm your favour with Covid. Keep reminding yourself of that.

Thank you! I’m just really struggling to rationalise why we’re allowed to leave our homes now, but we weren’t at the beginning of the year.

I've left my home everyday op and gone into work, I've shopped and socialised once bars and restaurants were open. It's ok out there 👍

I think it is worth a chat about meds, yes. You might not need them as you have managed to improve without them, but on the other hand they might really help to back up your efforts,