Small steps support thread?

[Soddingepiphany]

I was thinking of making some small changes to try to get on top of my anxiety and wondered if anyone wanted to join me? Just recently my anxiety has gone through the roof and I have given myself gastritis with all the stressing, the anxiety is starting to feel overwhelming so I NEED to be proactive, not something that will come easily when I just want to curl up in a ball and hide from the world!

My plan for this morning is to actually eat even though I feel sick. Then I will get dressed and take my toddler and dog for a walk. My longer term plan is to get on my cross trainer regularly, do some of that mindful colouring (I thought it was a faddy thing but it does help me stop thinking for a while), and to take it one day at a time!

If anyone wants to join me please do.

Sounds great! Whereabouts are you?

Southern California, in the countryside until Friday when we head to LA

Afternoon all. First session 9th may 😊 really struggling with feeling spaced and exhausted at the minute. It usually lifts but mid afternoon but is taking longer. Less anxiety though which is just odd. Mornings always worse but I think that's very common. I also feel a little disjointed with time today but probably cos I've been up since 4.30

Hi Small Steppers

Squirrel SoCal sounds lovely, I hope you manage to get into the sea. Glad that you are sleeping better.

Joto how are you doing today?

I have fallen off the self-care bandwagon due to life crapola. Must try to do something for myself tomorrow, in part because I have a tough day coming up on Sunday. Been struggling to sleep these past few days as well, a lot on my mind. Hoping for a better night tonight.

Good morning everyone, erin, any ideas what you'll do for yourself today?

Joto, how's the spaced out feeling? I know that's a horrible one even if it's nice to have a break from the anxiety.

Grumpy, how is it going in LA?

NotJanine, how are you?

I am about to get on with the housework, I'm going to blast some music, make sure I eat and basically try to shake the anxiety earlier today because I know if I'm not proactive it'll eventually get on top of me.

Morning all - spaced feeling was better yesterday but back again today. Ironically slept really well last night though 😊😊 I had a meno clinic appointment yesterday and have at last been prescribed HRT so hoping this will help a little. Supposed to be cleaning this morning too but at the moment can't be bothered. I don't know where my motivation has gone! Took dig for lovely walk and enjoyed the fresh air and views. I don't understand how I can feel crap yet still see the positive and beauty in stuff. Booking tickets for a festival in September too. It's so double edged 😟😟

Hi all hope you're bank holidays are going well xxx

Hi Joto, pretty quiet bank holiday here, I can feel myself speeding up and over thinking though! How's your bank holiday going? Xx

Pretty much the same. Nice day at sister's yesterday - today I felt awful til a couple of hours ago - weepy depressed negative and spaced and then it just lifted. Period due so may be part to blame. Lovely sunny evening though x

Hi Joto and Sodding 👋🏼

I'm grinding through so much life crapola at the moment and had to deal with some of that over the weekend. I managed to get to the swimming pool on Saturday and to the shops to buy myself a treat yesterday. Today I am meeting a friend which I am looking forward to. Emotions-wise I am on a bit of a rollercoaster. The dangerously awful thoughts (how many euphemisms are there for those types of thoughts?) seem to only last for a couple of hours at the most. I am getting used to riding them out.

Sometimes I find that the dangerously awful thoughts sort of attack me first thing in the morning when I wake up. Can anyone relate to this? If I can get myself washed, dressed, fed and caffeinated and do a couple of yoga poses that seems to be enough for the thoughts to subside but it is quite an endurance test early in the morning. It's not every day and the HCP involved in my care do know that I am struggling; doesn't make it easy though.

I've been having awful trouble with waking up - waking up too early and feeling dreadful. Like you erinaceus, I do feel better once I am up.

This weekend has been quite challenging. Have felt very lonely and low at times. I'm not dangerously low, but sometimes I feel like what's the point if it's just an effort to get through each day.

Is it ok if I join ladies? Had a panic/anxiety disorder for years that's been comparatively well managed but I've hit a wall at 30 weeks pregnant and I'm really struggling. Doc's happy for me to take low dose diazepam in short term but I really don't want to, and similarly I'm reluctant to increase the dose of the meds I'm taking day to day...

Not made it into work this week, and struggling to sleep and eat but today's small step is taking myself out on my own to see a friend....wish me luck!

Hi all sorry for the radio silence. The last week in LA has been great after the initial night of panicky feelings. Unfortunately I just got the red eye midnight flight to New York and only slept 15mins as the turbulence was so bad the whole way. I cried with relief when we landed. I'm a fearful flyer and although I'm 8wks pregnant the doctor gave me diazepam tablets (5mg each) before my trip but told me to avoid taking them if possible. I managed the 10hr flight to LA without anything but this last one was too much for me to cope with. I know that diazepam in 2nd/3rd tri is ok low dose as all the baby's cells are in the right places by then and the risk is only that baby gets dependent if you take it continuously but I did some research on first trimester exposure and studies on animals showed increased risk of birth defects such as cleft palate. I'm so worried and feel so guilty. I only took 1 5mg tablet. Wildone I understand your feelings - what other meds are you on?

100mg/day of sertraline. Was on 150mg/day but reduced my dose when we decided to try for a baby. Way things are going, I'll be increasing the dose as soon as baby arrives!

Can I join in too please?

Lifelong history of depression/anxiety, mostly covered it up well until last few years when the panic attacks started, but everything has crashed and burnt in last few months. :-(

Taking propanolol as needed, depends if trembling or not first thing - can relate totally to the low thoughts and getting going first thing each day . GP tomorrow. Really don't want ADs (super-sensitive to them when I've tried them before). Self-employed but no paid work, teenage son doing exams who's an Aspie (think I am too - going to broach that with GP), single parent, elderly parents with health issues, money issues, mortgage... like wading through treacle and fog. It's lonely.

Small step for me today is take a walk in the fresh air, be grateful for sunshine and concentrate on breathing when I feel the panic rising in my thighs. Anyone else get that?

Hi all, sorry I've been awol, it's been a hectic few days, I'm too tired to even be anxious right now!

Wildone, it must be so tricky being pregnant while dealing with anxiety, upping your dose once baby arrives will probably be really helpful.

Grumpy, don't feel guilty about one valium, you needed it and your doctor wouldn't of given it to you if there was a big risk.

Hi outofsorts, I've had bad reactions to AD's too so have never been able to take them, it sucks especially when you see how helpful they can be for other people! Do you think you feel the panic in your thighs like they tense because your body is preparing for fight or flight? Sometimes when my panic is bad I have an urge to literally run. How did your small steps go?

How is everyone coping with the mornings? That does seem to be something most of us struggle with.

Hello all,
May I join? Just been prescribed pregablin (sp?) for anxiety. Had this issue it most of my life so far (in my 40s). Affecting my work and behaviour so knew I had to go back to gp. Been on ADs in the past, but didn't like them. Only problem is now I can't stop eating! Wishing everyone well.

Mornings definitely the worst part of the day....anyone else open thier eyes and wait for the first wave of anxiety to hit?

Just now, I'm thinking I could maybe go into work for a few hours tomorrow, almost to get it over with and to stop anxiety about first day back festering over the weekend, but then I'm reluctant to make a decision either way till I know how I feel in the morning! And then you get into the horrible circle of doubt as to whether the anxiety first thing in the morning is a self fulfilling prophecy! Gahhhh 😡

I have great colleagues, who totally understand my problems, and I hate knowing that their picking up work for me 😕

Wildone - can relate to the waking too, the worries pop up and start me off. Did you make a decision on going into work for a while today?

42isthemeaning - with you too being 40s also. Hope the Pregablin helps.

Soddingepiphany - Hope you're less tired, though sounds like a distraction from the anxiety for a bit. Catch 22! The thigh stuff is like a hot prickly heat feeling, tension gets me in the head, neck, shoulders, upper back. Got referred for physio but they suggested acupuncture - first one tomorrow. I've had the urge to run a lot, more recently it was a glued to the spot feeling.

Achieved small steps yesterday. Have a 'To Do' list, everything looks daunting on it. Deep breath and pick one..Queen of procrastination otherwise!

Seen GP, prescription for Sertraline 50mg and back in 3 weeks. Will give them a go and see what happens. Self-referral to Wellbeing Service done and GP referring me for Aspergers. Also attending MIND group.

Does the weekend make a difference to how you all feel?

No work for me today. Currently on the sofa working up to getting dressed! So frustrating! I'm normally a fully functioning adult, but when the anxiety hits it just knocks me sideways!

Hi all - hope everyone is ok and being kind to themselves.

I'm trying to make an effort to get out of bed as soon as I wake up. The longer I stay there the more anxious I get. I also find weekends difficult as I can feel quite lonely and it gives me too much time for my mind to wander and ruminate.

I saw my therapist this week and she gave me some techniques and ideas. One thing that was really good was the idea of being able to imagine a safe place at the end of the sessions (and to also use outside of the sessions if needed). In counselling sessions I've had before they haven't done this, which has meant me leaving them feeling worse than when I arrived.

Also, as I was trying to imagine the safe place (with eyes shut) she slowly and gently tapped alternatively on the backs of my hands. It was amazing the effect this had, really relaxing. She said you can try and do it on yourself, although I had forgotten that until just now, so I haven't tried yet. She suggested crossing arms and tapping on opposite upper arms or on thighs.

She also mentioned that if I feel anxious I should try and ground myself and be aware that I'm not in any danger, that I am safe. This is to stop the mind believing that you are under attack and to react accordingly.

Good morning everyone, outofsorts, I always find the weekend easier because my Fiancé is here to watch our toddler and that means I can at least pee in peace! It's hard to take a minute to just breathe during the week!

Wildone, how did getting dressed go? It's amazing how much of an uphill battle simple things can be when anxiety is hitting.

NotJanine, your therapist sounds really good. My CBT therapist used to have me 'ground' myself before leaving particularly intense sessions and it was so helpful.

Posted too soon.

42isthemeaning, are the AD's helping with the anxiety? Is the bigger appetite an issue? If so maybe talk to your doctor again, they might be able to make changes for you.

Hope everyone has a nice Saturday xx

Morning all.

The pregablin is helping a bit but I think I need to increase the dose. I'm seeing a CPN next week to have a chat but I think I only have 1-2 sessions on nhs but that's pretty good compared to many places. My increased hunger could be hormone related. I've been reading a book The Worry Trick - it's quite helpful. Has anyone else read it?

Hi everyone

NotJanine - thanks for sharing the technique. I hope you're ok - weekend loneliness can be horrible.

Soddingepiphany - busy household! Hope you get some 'me' time.

42isthemeaning - good to hear meds are helping and you've CPN support. Book sounds good, not read it - I find it hard to sit and read mostly.

Wildone - hope you're doing ok

Had acupuncture this morning to start releasing the muscle tension that's built up with the anxiety. That and I swim once a week, should help.

Quite depressed/lonely, might be side effect of the meds I guess, took myself off for a sleep. Can't seem to get myself going at all now. It's all so hard.