Anxiety?

[dillydollydarling]

My OH is convinced that I have anxiety issues (he also suffers with anxiety along with bipolar).

I'm a worrier. Always have been. But I guess I do worry about things too much. I mainly only worry about people/things I love (i.e. OH and our cats). For example, last week our cat had kittens. When I've had to go out the house for any length of time I've had to set up my iPad as a baby monitor so that I can check up on them. This made me worry even more when I couldnt see 2 of the kittens on the monitor for about an hour (they were curled up asleep together just off screen when I got home). Last night MIL came over to see the kittens. OH lifted the basket that they're in onto the bed so that she could see them and mum cat was perfectly happy with this. When OH put the basket back into the spot the kittens have been, mum cat looked a bit confused and couldn't work out how to get them out of the basket. This sent me off in tears as I was so worried that she was upset and OH just thought I was being stupid.

Basically I'm in a constant state of low level worrying. I can still go to work and get on with life (even if a bit stressed by it). I do chew the inside of my lip and make it really sore without even realising. My concern is that I'm 22 weeks pregnant with my first child. I'm dreading how I'll be with the worrying about a baby. Would the doctors be likely to do anything even though it doesn't massively affect my day to day living?

(sorry for the massive post )

Hi dilly Hard to get a full picture of someone from a post, so I'll speak from my own experience.

It's normal to worry, and some people, like me, are just natural worriers. That's just a part of my personailty, and who I am. However, the question to ask yourself - and try to take a really close look at yourself - is whether your worry and anxiety is actually getting in the way of you living your life. For example, everyone gets nervous about job interviews, but if you're so anxious about them that you never apply for a new job, then your anxiety is holding you back. Lots of people are nervous about flying, but if you spend a whole holiday preoccupied with worry about the return flight, then your anxiety is preventing you from being able to enjoy life. You talk about worry over your cats. So, for example, would your concern for your cats make you not want you go out and leave them for a day?

i have on-and-off problems with anxiety, but they did ramp up after i had DS1. (Now well under control thanks to a course of cognitive behavioural therapy, which is great.) i would definitely mention your concerns to your midwife. Postnatal depression can be really devastating, and can hit the strongest person, so doctors are midwives are really hot on mental health in pregnant women, and they'll be happy to address your concerns even if you just have an inkling that you may be heading for difficulties. Much better to raise the issue before it becomes a real problem, so please please don't be frightened to talk to someone about it.

Hope this has helped a bit? Take care of yourself. xxx

I am a shocking worrier too so id like to reassure you are not alone. I found CBT helped me to reset my worrying when its getting out of control and I get it down to levels where I can still enjoy life. Recently its been increasing again so im employing some of the tactics again. When my worrying is bad it stops me from thinking clearly and focusing on things. I worry all the time about the what ifs and then I turn it into a semi catastrophic event in my head. At the moment im worrying whether my partners bargain flat was such a good buy as it has woodworm, whether my brother is happy in his new job, if my routinre mammogram is ok and if it isnt will they let me know, I worry if my mum is ok all the time...and so on. Im really trying to live in the moment as this level of worry is disruptive.