Getting really scared.

[grasshopping]

Hello,
Please bare with me - I have extreme, medicated anxiety and I'm feeling completely overwhelmed.

Over the last week or so, more and more people I know are testing positive for covid. It's becoming really overwhelming and I'm so scared it's beginning to cause me horrible, worsening anxiety. (I am already medicated for extreme anxiety and OCD)

I am getting so scared. How can the world be going back to normal in less than 3 hours, yet cases seem to be soaring and will undoubtedly soar even more so once things begin to open up, and masks and social distancing rules are for the most part, scrapped / discretionary?!

I am also so worried about how covid can affect those that are double jabbed.. as everyone I know that has it currently, is double jabbed!!

Has anybody that is double jabbed had covid? My partner and I are both overweight, quite largely, and I am so scared that although we are double jabbed, this could still be fatal for us if caught let alone passing it onto others.

I am so sorry if this sounds rambly. I really suffer with my mental health at the best of times but covid has just about pushed me over the edge and I don't know where to turn.

I don’t have any advice. But l have severe anxiety, been doubled jabbed and terrified too.

There’s lots about lockdown impacting on mental health but nothing about opening up doing the same.

Don’t be scared. Life is full of things we cannot control. Even if you get it, the odds are overwhelmingly in your favour.

But that’s the point. People like me and the OP can’t not be scared. That’s what anxiety is. Fear.

Yes I understand that, but there really is no other response I can offer is there?

Being jabbed means that if you get it it is likely to be a mild illness, but you know that. What can people say to help you feel better.
We can't tell you Covid will go away. We can tell you that things are much better than if we had no vaccines.

My sister and bil, both double jabbed, are just now recovering from covid. My niece and her husband, single jabbed, the same.

Nieces bridesmaid two years ago, lost her partner last week, I don't know their vaccinations status.

I don't think it's your medical anxiety itself that's making you anxious, I think it's the times we are living in.

I'm sorry, I don't say the above to make you feel worse, simply to say that sometimes anxiety is warranted

Would it help if you started a fitness regime? It’s an aspect of your life that you can take control of and the endorphins afterwards can be mood lifting. It may also help with some weight loss and your overall health which may provide some reassurance.

The vaccine was never to stop people catching it though, just to stop them getting so sick.

The only thing you can do is be careful, wash your hands before eating or touching your face.
It might be a good opportunity to work on improving your health and lose a little weight though if you're worried.

Thanks everyone. I know it's a really rough situation globally but also awful for those like me suffering from anxiety. I am actually beginning slimming world this coming week which I'm really looking forward to. Like PP's have said, I'm hoping it will give me something positive to focus on and also combat my weight at the same time.

There isn't really a miracle cure, or something that someone can say to make the situation better - I completely understand that. I can't really describe how I feel? Just like I'm sinking into a deep hole and I'm struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's great for the economy of course, that we are opening back up again and I know for so many people it's going to be a huge relief. I suppose perhaps I've got so used to the way in which we have been forced to live during covid that it seems strange to me now? X

Speak to your gp about your worsening anxiety. Do you have coping strategies you can use? I would highly recommend mindfulness exercises.

Statistically, it's far more likely that you and your husband's lives will be shortened by your obesity than covid. . Is that something you can tackle? Again, your gp might be able to help.

There are also anxiety talk forums online that may be of use to you?

Apologies if I'm stating the obvious. I'm sorry you're feeling so frightened. It sounds as though you need someone to hug you and tell you you're going to be ok.

Sorry cross post: wishing you well at Slimming World. x

All the positive cases i know of where people have been singly or doubly jabbed have been asymptomatic or much like a bad cold and feeling out of sorts for a couple of days. I know that's only anecdotal but I hope it's slightly reassuring.

You can also still wear a mask and limit your contacts if that's what you're comfortable doing.

@SmileyClare thank you for your kind words, that means so much.
I completely agree - the obesity should be the more worrying factor but I think the fact that so many people I know now have covid, it feels so close to home!
I will certainly speak to my GP, and see if there is anything they can suggest to keep my anxiety on track. I think it's just a strange and worrying time for lots of people so I don't want to cause them any extra hassle.

If you don't mind, can you let me know if the anxiety chat forums, please? I will certainly take a look.
❤️

Firstly freedom Day is optional. You can continue to choose who you take a risk with and who you avoid. Wear your mask, wash your hands and go places off peak.

Secondly vaccines (double jabs) are doing their jobs perfectly. And that is keep you out of hospital. If you are clear and certain you won't and up in hospital, can you not just accept feeling shit and watching box sets and snoozing with your paracetamol for a few days? Because that's what your vaccine will give you. Not a promise of being asymptomatic.

You need to start looking after yourself and you may find the anxiety lessens. More physical exercise will help with anxiety as you are literally forcing it out of your body. You will stronger in your mind too.

Covid has been around for 18 months. And I am assuming you have had health anxiety longer than that? I am sure you know that being over weight brings on massive health issues. Especially now with Covid.

If you loose weight some of those issues will be solved. So it's less to worry about.

Therapy, exercise, mindfulness, being kind to yourself and laughter

@WildSwimming101 thank you, yes I've suffered with anxiety for around 11 years now, worse at the moment though for sure.
I will definitely give slimming world my best shot, I've got so much to look forward to in my future and hoping that loosing weight will also keep me less vulnerable to covid, too.

I"m double jabbed, very overweight and am just recovering from Covid. I felt like I had a really bad head cold, couldn't stop sneezing and was really fatigued. The worst was over in 3 or 4 days. Am still fatigued but all other symptoms have gone. Good luck at Slimming World

I've suffered with anxiety myself, not health, just general. So I know how hard it is to get through it and out the other side. It takes over and is very hard to get a hold on.

You have to start somewhere though. And slimming world sounds like a great start. It will be nice to meet new people ( a lot of them will feel similarly to you) and it will be a fantastic start to your weight loss.
If you stick to the plan it works. And you always loose loads your first week.

Sorry if I've missed it somewhere, but do you have therapy?

I can't say it enough, exercise!! It really helps in moments of heart racing and hands shaking. Literally shake it off

@footballfootball I'm so sorry to hear that you've had covid, but glad to hear that you're on the mend now. It's reassuring to hear that you are feeling okay other than head cold symptoms. I think with my anxiety I just overthink a lot, for example BIL has had a head cold and sickness for the past week and a bit now, feels better thankfully and hasn't been sick for 3 days so we saw them today momentarily to drop off some gifts for my nephews birthday.. but worried that with the news strains, these could well be symptoms. I don't know if he tested himself for covid but hoping he did.

Almost everyone who's been double-jabbed has been mildly ill or asymptomatic when they catch covid.

I believe the statistic right now in America, where most things are open and maskless, is that about 99% of people in the hospital with covid right now are those who have refused the vaccine. The other 1% are people who are significantly immunocompromised and/or quite aged.

There's increasing evidence as well that vaccines help to prevent long Covid.

Which means that if you get ill, it will probably feel like a bad cold and will be over in a week or so.

(Of course this isn't guaranteed, and if you're anxious, you can continue to take sensible precautions of mask-wearing, avoiding crowded indoor spaces, etc. This will bring your risk even further down. But speaking as a Brit living in America, it's amazing how quickly the anxiety eased. The first few weeks are by far the hardest, and then it calms down.)

That first sentence should be "if they catch covid," not "when."

@WildSwimming101 sorry to hear that you suffer with anxiety, too! Mine isn't specifically health related, actually just general but I've found myself struggling more since covid.
I am really looking forward to grabbing my weightloss with both hands and controlling it - it gives me something to focus on!
I love swimming so would really like to get into that again, I think it's just the fear of crowded places that makes me nervous too!

Oh also, Covid is sweeping through where I live at the moment (for the first time since it all began) and everyone I know who has it has been double jabbed but hardly Ill at all! Just feeling tired and run down. But otherwise OK. Feeling well enough to drink in the paddling pool

@WildSwimming101 that's great to hear, and really reassuring! Thank you for that 🥰☺️

I have to say I'm anxiety free now. Apart from normal anxiety which does happen once in a while obviously! Therapy really helped. Xx

Hi there, there are few good books on health anxiety on Amazon that you could get to help you out. My advice is also to get busy with some work/hobby/exercise/binge watch Netflix/learn something new on YouTube . Try to get yourself into something or even obsessing about something positive would really help you to stop you thinking and worrying and getting anxious.
You need to keep your mind busy with something else so that the negative thoughts would slowly fade and the link and chain for negative thoughts would be broken.
Find something nice to obsess about 🥰
You are stronger than you think x