Anxiety is starting to get out of hand again, advice please?

[Flowerydems]

I've recently started having panic attacks again after a long spell of slowly getting over some severe anxiety during my first pregnancy.
It's different this time though, we recently moved into a house that was infested with beetles and I've now begun taking panic attacks if things aren't cleaned within an inch of its life cause I can't handle starting to find them again. It's really taking it's toll on my marriage aswell which isn't helping. I've not found a bug in a while but I can't go into cupboards for fear of finding one. I'm wondering if pushing myself to do it despite the clamminess etc would be the answer.

I've also started freaking out about germs since my two boys recently got sick, I panic about them getting things as well as passing it on so I've taken to disinfecting handles and bleaching everything to the point where my hands are actually red raw with it today..

What's really worrying me is I'm not able to sleep, and I can feel the thoughts going round and round and I can't seem to stop them despite the fact with 2 under 2 I'm absolutely shattered but I feel I should be cleaning and it's lazy not to be doing it and I'm not doing good enough. DH found a bug today at the front door which although I know it would have been coming in from outdoors I can't seem to get it out of my head that I have to clean... Now. And make sure there's no more even though I'm terrified of finding more if that makes sense.

Hopefully someone might have some tips to try and get a handle on this, I don't really like my doctor and don't know if I'd be ready for to go down the medication route but just any advice would be great. x

Hi, sorry you've been having a bad time of it lately. Have you ever had talking therapies?? No other advice sorry but here if you need to vent.
Talking therapies are great for anxiety I'm a fellow gad sufferer and it has helped me a little however I have just started taking medication. Hope u feel better soon. My anxiety also started in pregnancy and my lg is 1 now n I still suffer.

Hey, thanks for responding. I've not tried them, I'll maybe make a doctors appt and see what he says though. How are you finding the medication if you don't mine me asking. My DS is now 2 but I've had another since who's 10 months. The anxiety wasn't so bad during my pregnancy with him but things just seem to have escalated the past couple of months and I can feel myself letting thoughts get out of control but can't seem to get a secure grip of myself to stop it if that makes sense. xx

Yeah do that and see what the doctor suggests. There are a few option available re talking therapies on NHS. I have done them since August but my anxiety was still not under control decided to give the meds a try and I am beginning to feel more like my old self been on then 2-3weeks and havnt had a panic attack for atleast 2 week touch wood. I still occasionally get thoughts but I don't overthink them I shrug them off. I used to constantly think somthing was going to happen to me when I was out with dd, and now I'm starting to enjoy going out with her and shopping. Feel like the old me. Have I got support of ur dh?

Yeah I'll call and make an appt tomorrow, it's getting a bit out of hand. DS2 threw up on the floor the other night and I lost it when I was cleaning the carpet, kept telling DH it wasn't clean enough and couldn't sleep cause although I'd scrubbed for half an hour I didn't believe I'd done a good enough job. Yeah DH is supportive, maybe a bit too much though cause he doesn't really get how I'm feeling he thinks the best thing to do is say that cleaning this much is normal cause he doesn't want to hurt my feelings. He's awknowledged it's getting out of hand, he thought I was going to have a breakdown about the sick on the carpet. I can't be like that over something so little as that, these things happen with toddlers.