How are those of you with anxiety, coping with the recent terror incidents?

[Allbutone85]

Any advice? I'm struggling... really struggling. Please please help.

I know everyone is worried but this is so all consuming. I feel sick to the pit of my stomach at times on a normal day, this is just too much to bare.

I feel like I'm on the edge of throwing up 90% of the time. The other 10% I feel like I want to grab my children and run to a cave in the middle of nowhere where the terrorists and our cunt of a prime minister can't touch them.

No advice as im pretty sure I am going to break under the fear soon.

Sorry x

No advice as i feel the same, just a hand hold

Are you in London

I feel the same too. I've always said I'd not let things like this stop me from doing things but now I've been changing plans. I live just outside of London but pass through 'hot spots' frequently. I feel like I'm being sent over the edge with worry and sadness. And I feel really unsafe. I feel as if nothing's going to be okay ever again. Everything feels tainted now. Sorry to sound melodramatic but it's how I feel.
But OP - you're not alone in how you feel. I'm up- watching the news (I can't stop)- and am here to hand-hold.

I find this difficult. I manage by keeping in touch with my friends on WhatsApp, seeing my friends whenever I can, relentless humour, yoga, swimming, camomile tea, diazepam, sleep, drawing and painting, trying to eat as best I can, and avoiding situations in which I do not feel safe.

I am watching re-runs of Friends at the moment, which seems to be helping.

I do find it difficult, but I am still here.

MN helps.

My anxietys been under control lately but I've woke up with that pit in my stomach wondering what the fuck I'm going to read.

I'm very rural though, Manchester was the first attack that affected me indirectly (sisters friend hurt) I imagine living in London or any city centre at the moment is a different ball game.

I'm in Manchester my anxiety has been horrendous the last 2 weeks every time I hear a siren it makes me feel sick, I couldn't watch the news of the attack in London I had to switch off.

I've just been trying to carry on and drinking lots of wine, which is obviously not much of a solution.

Anxiousarnold not an ideal solution, no, but a tried and tested one.

I felt sick when I heard, now I've got all my anxiety symptoms back. I'm trying to focus on all the people who are helping but I really just want to sit and hug my children.

I have depression at the moment, a little anxiety but mainly depression. I also come from London so most of my family are there but I live near Manchester. I just want to cry all the time now.

I find myself making excuses not to go out at the moment. I live in a small town so unlikely for anything to happen here but it's holiday season here at the moment and the crowds are so nerve wracking. I used to be so confident and carefree but since having children I'm becoming a shell of my former self.

Weirdly as an anxiety sufferer I'm not worried at all. I don't feel anything one way or the other. (Well I'm worried that I'm not worried, that maybe I'm depressed, or I've just normalised this to the extent of "oh, another attack" like I would "oh, another car crash".)

But I think I spend so much time terrified that I'm allergic to stuff, or that things aren't clean enough to touch, that somehow the actual thought of me or someone I know being purposefully killed doesn't feel real to me.

I do prepare a bit though - we have a few extra tins of food stacked up in case there's an incident that closes down transport or shops for a few days. Torches, candles, first aid kits, all that sort of stuff, and a few "get out" bags. We've talked about how we'd meet up if all communications broke down. I think that all helps?

And this is a weird one, when I'm really panicky, I watch FailArmy videos on YouTube. It makes life feel less terrifying and normal somehow, the way that people survive or come out unscathed from stupid stuff all the time.

I'm not in London, I live an hour away so still feels close to home. My husband is a soldier and I live in a military community which makes me feel more of a target in some respects. I just fear for my children. I'd prefer to not leave the house these days. Doesn't help that my DH is going to be away for 7 of the next 9 months what an awful world we live in at the moment.

I can't imagine having DH in dangerous situations for so long, that must be incredibly difficult. How do you usually deal with it when he's away? Can you increase your medication?

One way of thinking about it is that you could actually be a bit safer than others with the military community around you to protect you and organise practical help in times of troubles.

If there were a massive issue in the UK we're pretty darn isolated ourselves and have few people to turn to (hence a few more baked beans in the house!)

I normally deal well with my husband being away but my anxiety has really intensified over recent months. I'm not on medication although I have been to the doctors and have their support. I'm doing mindfulness at the moment which is massively helping but at times like this, I feel as though I'm back to square one being the only adult of the house really adds to the pressure I feel to protect my family too. I'm Scottish and I feel as though I'd feel much more safe if I could be back up there.

@Allbutone85 I'm Scottish too and just want to run home. I won't (and can't- work, DDs school, most of our friends are here; our whole life is here) but it's honestly what I feel like doing. I feel very very at sea

I am coping by having a really specific strategy when it came to the news of the Manchester attack - I have blocked out all news, stopped listening to radio in the car, switch off t.v. before the news comes on, now listening to the radio again but switch off at the news, I've downloaded a parental block app for my phone to stop me going on the guardian and bbc websites, physically avoided looking at newspaper front pages in shops. I am usually a news junkie and love politics so was enjoying all that news before the attack.
This hasn't been 100 percent effective (I have still been tempted to glance at newspapers etc) but I have blocked out most of it and not doing my usual situation of reading and watching everything in sight.

Saying that, I feel like I want to stay within my village (greater Manchester) and don't know how people can go to concerts, events etc as normal.
Strangely it has made me less anxious about car crashes - I am viewing car crashes as accidents whereas these attacks are deliberate murders so a car crash doesnt seem like my worst nightmare anymore!

I'm certainly feeling worse. So anxious and sick. Dp surprised me with tickets to a concert tonight and honestly i'm struggling. I feel like security inside might be shit hot but walking to and from the arena feels a bit vulnerable.

Emma i have been using the same strategy as you and trying to avoid the news.
for all. This is really shit :(

My sister has severe anxiety and she copes by avoiding media. However, I know that's not an option for many as she doesn't work and has no DCs, so effectively she can just hole up.
My oldest DC has a lot of anxiety around terrorism and we're trying to help him develop strategies: mindfulness, relaxation, audiobooks, drawing his feelings. It's hard though, he's not quite ten yet.

Mine's not good today - panicky feelings over things that wouldn't usually bother me much, I'm full of what if's and my mind's in overdrive.
It's exhausting. I've been doing breathing exercises which help temporarily and then come back.
Don't know if it's linked to the fact that the past couple of days I've been reading all about that terrible tower fire as that's when it seemed to flare up.
Need to stay away from the news and social media a bit I think, it's not doing me any favours!

I'm the exact same strength

I've started doing mindfulness, the doctor recommended it, via an app called Headspace. I've just subscribed to it so I'm hoping it will help. I think I need to avoid the media & social media too, I just get too consumed by what's going on in the world. Hope you're okay "strength". It's comforting to know we're not alone and there are others who are going through the same.

Hope you're okay "strength".

Thank you, hope you are too. I'm sure I will be but it doesn't feel like it today, felt jittery and short of breath for half of it.
I'll take a look at that app, thanks, not heard of that. Sounds good as mindfulness does usually help.
I find colouring focuses the mind, or something really mundane like washing up
Failed today though so hopefully today will be a better day!

hopefully today will be a better day!

Tomorrow, even. FFS.

I've just been trying to carry on and drinking lots of wine, which is obviously not much of a solution.

I usually love a glass of wine, but I have recently noticed that it definitely affects how I feel the next morning anxiety wise so I've been staying away from it.
This past fortnight I've started having a few glasses again and I've noticed anxiety creeping back again.