Coping with stress and anxiety without ADs?

[AllMuddledUp]

Hi, I just wondered if anyone has any advice about things I can do to manage the high level of stress and anxiety I have at the moment.

I have just been back to the doctors and we decided to try some CBT without restarting any ADs (I have taken citalopram, fluoxetine, and duloxetine over the past 4 years, at decent doses, which all either stopped being effective over time or never were effective in the first place). I have some online CBT to try at home while I wait for referral. Dr thinks I am coping fairly well without ADs as haven't taken anything useful for around a year now.

I am just coming out of a depressive slump, but the thing I find so hard is the anxiety/stress. For instance, today should be a fairly easy day. It is just me and my DC for a change, the only things I have to do are a bit of knitting, go to shop, and do some housework BUT I woke up feeling incredibly anxious about the day ahead, felt like crying when DH set off for work and just feel like my nerves are jangling all the time iykwim? I wake up feeling like I don't want the day to begin. Also silly things that wouldn't bother a normal person can have me in bits (eg not finishing something in time due to myself and DC catching a bug, having to return something I bought on eBay as it wasnt fit for purpose and I hate confrontation, this has me in tears).

I am doing a lot of babysitting as my new job, and strangely though it has its stressful times I can handle it well. It is at the start of the day (before I get up) and the evening time when I feel the worst. Times when I'm busy I don't have time to feel bad!

So (sorry, massive ramble) is there anything I can actually do when I am having these moments of panic/ high anxiety? Anything that has worked for anyone else I am willing to try.

Thanks for reading.

Had a brilliant time yesterday just wanted to let you all know! I didn't say anything too stupid and seemed to get on with most of the people. Of course the weather turned on us, but we still made the best of and it was really enjoyable.

Brilliant. I had a feeling you'd have a great time. Really chuffed for you. :o

I signed up to the geocaching website and there are loads of caches near us! I was quite shocked actually, was expecting the nearest one to be miles away but there's one not 10 mins from our house! Will be exploring next week if we can fathom the coordinates.

I've had a letter through from IAPT so should be able to arrange an initial appointment soon (if I can get hold of them on the phone). What they do sounds really good, CBT can be done over the phone, they can help me to access online content, they do a stress control course too... It seems really positive.

Only thing now is that I'm having problems with not so DSis. Whereas before I would have just taken it and let her awful behaviour go, I'm actually feeling very angry and have told her so. I will be keeping my distance now. In a way I think this is a good thing, think I'm growing some boundaries!

The nearest cache to me is four minutes walk away, a film canister with a magnet duct taped to it stuck behind a piece of Armco on a busy road.

Well done. Your last paragraph shows just how far you've come in sixteen days with the support of Mumsnet. Imagine what you can achieve with professional support.

Do keep us informed of your progress. :)

Thank you, I will do.

I will be tested tomorrow night and Sunday night as DH on nights but I've got some techniques now so hopefully I won't be MNing at 3am!

Well, I got through 2 nights alone and am ridiculously proud!

1st night I was very anxious and woke at 3am, but instead of getting up I tried a new distraction technique- trying to name a fruit for each letter of the alphabet- and managed to get back to sleep. That's because it's very dull it's a good sedative!

Last night I fell asleep about 11.30, and when I woke up I was a bit confused because it was light outside. It was 6am! No 3am waking for the first time in weeks! I know it's daft but I'm so happy .

Yay for distraction techniques! No wonder you're proud of yourself, you've come through something you were dreading with flying colours. Well done for not panicking but dealing with the situation in a calm and intelligent way on the first night. And wow for sleeping through. :o

It sort of proves my point about exercising the mind. It certainly seems to be working for you at least. This is a step in the right direction, and I'm happy for you too. Keep up the good work.

Think back to where you were just under three weeks ago and now look at what you've achieved. Would you have been able to believe how much more confident you sound?