faced with too much time alone I get anxious, is anyone similar?

[ssd]

does anyone else feel like this?

I really dont mind my own company, I can doodle a day away alone no problem

but I've got to be in the right frame of mind

I've got no extended family, just dh and the teens

when I'm off work I try to keep busy but sometimes when I run out of thing to do I get really anxious, I'm really aware I have no family there to fall back on or even call up for a chat

I do have friends, but they all have their own lifes and families and most of them have sisters/mums/MIL's they see, so they are often busy

I've felt this anxiety ever since I was about 11, I can remember it at high school, when I felt anxious I felt sick and just wanted to go home to my mum (my parents are dead now)

dont know whats wrong with me or how to fix it, I've had this on and off for so long its part of me...in my school report aged 7 the teacher wrote "ssd gets very anxious sometimes", I think I was born this way

has anyone else ever felt like this and did you do anything to make it better?

bump, or is it just me?

No it's not just you. I've always been anxious but I especially cannot cope when at a loose end, I'll end up in tears about things that have happened to me and things I fear might happen.

I keep busy so do sewing as a hobby, I find that really helps. I've also done a mindfulness course which gave me a few strategies for stopping it. Finally I keep as fit as I can as I find physical exercise helps me sleep better, which in turn reduces the strength of my anxiety. It's always there in the background though and is definitely something I have to control.

I understand what you're saying.

I keep myself busy to keep my anxiety at bay, and am a bit obsessive about my colour-coded google calendar, but it works, because if I see too much white space on it I'll timetable something in. The colour coding is maybe a tad OTT but it means I make sure I keep things even. I got myself season ticket/memberships to a few things (museum, zoo, yoga studio, cinema pass) so there's no cost excuse to not go/do things as it's just using my membership. I also volunteer (on top of full time work) which is a weekly commitment of a few hours so fills up some time as well as gives me structured social contact, and as sense of acheivement/fulfilment etc. I'll even schedule in 'night in' so I have actually planned to spend the time basically doing nothing at home, rather than doing nothing out of lack of other options. Although when it's a 'planned' night in I tend to make more effort for myself - nice food, maybe a glass of wine, consciously choose something I want to watch/read, proper bath before bed - rather than just slumping on the sofa eating and watching crap until I pass out. Housework/allotment time is also scheduled so things are kept on top of (theoretically!) as when they are out of control it impacts hugely on my state of mind.

If my anxiety gets out of control and, for one reason or another, I am unable to either stick to my schedule or even devise it in the first place, or can't face going out, I have a list of things ready for mindful distraction - lego kits, sewing projects, colouring in, ingredients for baking, yoga equipment at home and printouts of sequences for various purposes, guided meditations that I know work for me in different situations. Like a mental health first aid kit. Literally written down/ready to go (colouring pens kept in a drawer with the books etc) so it's as easy as possible for me to use when I'm struggling.

I cope better when I am organised, eat better, exercise etc and the scheduling helps with all that. I take medication and have been through CBT, although self-guided mindfulness has probably been the most helpful 'therapy'. I feel like I manage anxiety reasonably well now, it's more mood fluctuations that I wish I was better at dealing with or controlling.

that sounds a great system to have.

I am the same and have a weekend looming alone. I write down everything I want to do and the time so every hour is filled!

Struggling a lot today

feel for you gttob.

I wish I could relax a bit more and just enjoy the time, instead of wishing it away and being anxious, I know life is short and should be enjoyed ad a lot of folk would love more time to themselves, I just feel my head is in a wrong place to enjoy it.

Writing that all down the other day actually helped me to see how far I've come from when my anxiety was at its worst. It's a slow process though, and I still struggle.

DP is working night shifts this weekend so I'm alone. Working today, then have a manicure booked after work and going to the cinema this evening. Tomorrow my diary says allotment in the morning, go and support a friends charity Christmas fair in the afternoon, yoga class early evening. I hope I can stick to it all. Not feeling very relaxed at all right now.

that's the problem isn't it, relaxing when you're feeling anxious

I got through it. Busy every hour.

I have to double the time next year, easy for others awful for me. It's not even arranged and I'm worrying 24/7 about it.

Anxious money that's you feel you have come on.

Sad I can't relax am considering citalopram again.

No, the less people around me, the more comfortable I feel. Always.
But I do get very anxious about a lot of stuff.

glad you got through it, couldnt have been easy

what is citalopram?