Managing anxiety when you HAVE to keep going

[AnnZiety]

I've finally faced up to the fact my anxiety is really overwhelming me again but it's a terrible time for it, there's certain things I have to stay on top of for the next week or so otherwise putting them right later is going to be 100x harder.

I really need to help DD over the next 3 days revise as she has a major exam on Monday and hasn't got as far as she wants for it as she's been ill.
I really need to catch up with work over the next week, the line of work I'm in means there'll be people really struggling if I don't get back on top of it.
I need to get the house sorted, I know it should wait but it's making it harder for DD to revise and it's affecting my mental health so I'd feel so much better if it was tackled.

Has anyone got any tips how to somehow summon magic reserves and keep going even when the anxiety is taking over and trying to overwhelm you?

I'm sorry to say this but in my experience when you get to this point if you push yourself your body/Mind either makes you pay big time or stop functioning completely and force you to stop.

I've been in a similar situation from a work perspective recently and have had to go off sick because I have ceased to function and can no longer do the job. I would prioritise. If in order to support DD you need to leave the house and go off sick then do it. No job is worth making yourself ill for.

I'm currently pregnant and at that stage. I've been on anti-psychotics before and I know I could easily be represcriped them to help numb my emotions and get on with life. However, I didn't realise they could be addictive when I was prescribed them before and now I'm pregnant, when I'm tired I've started arguing with loved ones about how I need to go back onto them and when I've had a good sleep I stick to my resolve. I'm only able to do that due to my amazing support system. So anti-psychotics could help you function in the short run but in the long run they could probably cause more anxiety. I'm developing coping strategies but it's not easy. I'd recommend going to your gp, asking about online cbt. I'm doing a course on general anxiety disorder and think it's slowly happening but, nothing worth having is ever a quick fix. Love and hugs.

Also, your daughter probably does not need a tidy house, just a tidy room or she can go to the library to study. Also, tidying would be a healthy break for her revision.

Beta blockers. Marvellous things.

Plan a treat for your daughter after her exam. Something positive and relaxing for you both.

Oh, I've Heard beta blockers are good. Just physiological, don't effect your brain the crap I had. However, I probably couldn't take them due to being pregnant and they effect blood pressure. I'll ask my doctor.

How do beta blockers help?

They decrease heart activity.

They stop the physicall effects of anxiety. I.e the adrenaline that gets dumped into your system doesn’t know what to do with itself so you have this washing machine stomach, shaking and other effects that disable your life. Beta blockers stop all of that.

They’re not suitable for everyone but it’s worth asking your gp.

Try CBD oil from H and B.
It’s half price at the moment. Tastes a bit grim but does take the edge of anxiety.

Anxiety sufferer here - currently signed off work with no idea how I can face a return.

Have you got a RL friend who can hand hold you through this? Someone who can kick-start the house sorting with you (do you mean you are currently homeless?) - a friend whose mind is clear of anxiety is going to be able to cope with officialdom etc a lot easier than you.

DD must take priority. Work can swivel. It is the job of posh bosses to make sure work is covered. We all know this doesn’t happen, but it’s not your problem. DD is the main goal right now.

ihatethecold - I have been looking at CPD oil and the stuff at H&B is not “proper stuff” and doesn’t do anything for anxiety. Apparently it needs to be made from the cannabis leaves to be properly effective.

It’s helping me. 🤔

ihatethecold - that’s really good to hear. Can you explain how it’s helping and if you have any side effects?

It just seems to take the edge off of my anxiety that I seem to get in the mornings.
I had my grans funeral on Tuesday that I had to travel 150 miles for. I was worried about getting there on time because of the weather. Leaving my teens on their own all day etc.
Took some cbd oil and actually felt ok.

Sorry not to reply before, didn't realise I had replies . I managed to help DD through the exam and stop sliding back any more with work but now we're all full of colds, I feel awful and not got anything done to the house.

No, we're not homeless thankfully, sorry to give the impression, it's the mess in the house and all the clutter built up that makes it really hard to stay on top of it and keep it clean, makes me feel even more hopeless and disorganised and harder for DD to be organised, which is a fight at the best of times.

DH has quite severe depression and barely earns anything because he can only manage a few hours a week so we're very slowly running up more and more debt with no sign of him doing more hours any time soon, so I feel the burden to keep working and manage finances. I know that makes him sound like an arse but he's honestly not.

DD is in teen stage and although she's lovely she has to be pushed to do everything and it's energy I don't have.

I have literally no friends, my mental health makes me withdraw and not communicate much and no-one seems to want to bridge the gap iyswim. That sounds like a negative thought speaking but it's what I see happening at the moment.

Not sure what to do medication/supplement wise, my anxiety is pretty much all 'in my head', I rarely get visit symptoms, just my head feels messed up all the time, hard to concentrate, procrastinating, thinking 30 things ALL the time, working every eventuality out etc, that sort of thing. It means I can't rest or do anything, feel caught in a loop wearing myself out just thinking. I'm not anxious about anything particular, like cleanliness or worrying something will happen to me, it's more like I've got 50 people chattering in my head (not actually hearing voices tho!) but none of them can actually get a grip and DO much!

I was offered citalopram a couple of years back but didn't take it after I read it can make you clench your teeth (my teeth are in an awful state, have been since I was young).

I know I sound like I'm just throwing problems up but I feel like I'm on a treadmill running harder but slipping slowly further behind and can't see what to do. If I stop I'll fall off straight away and don't want that but if I keep going it's still happening but slower.

Thanks if you got to the end of that!

*bodily symptoms, don't know where visit came from

Ive been on Flouxitine and Mirtazapine in the past and found them very helpful. No teeth grinding either. To be honest antidepressants have saved my life. It's worth a try you can always stop again if you don't like them. (Just give them a decent chance as it can take a few weeks for any side effects to settle down)

Thing is OP, you’re basically just treading water atm. Slipping more into debt with no end in sight will force things to a head eventually. You can’t keep this level of momentum up or you’ll end up cracking if you don’t get some sort of support.

Is your husband getting treatment for his depression?

I know, it's just changing things that's so hard. I think I'll have to try the antidepressants, just scared they'll make be even less capable in the short term or numb me or something.

DH has had treatment for his depression, gone on for years since he was a child, but he's been kind of left for the last few years as he's supposedly more 'functional', he can go out, wash/dress/feed himself etc etc, but he struggles hugely with social stuff, dealing with people, so it restricts his work ability hugely and no-one seems to be fussed, he had a couple of months of counselling a year ago and he's on ad's himself but GP thinks that's enough, that he'll have to take his time working on abilities and could be years more. He's had his DLA finished and probably won't get pip as he's not bad enough now. He helps round house etc but struggles like me and isn't much help financially but I know he hates that he can't so I feel a bitch wishing he would.

There are jobs out there that don’t need much interaction which might help him. From key holder cleaning to delivering parcels/letters. You still need to do some,. but most of it is alone stuff. Could he maybe look into what he can do rather than shy away from what he can’t? There’s plenty of stuff out there that just needs one person.

In the meantime are you claiming everything you should be?

As for the house the best way to start is to declutter. It doesn’t have to be a huge amount at once, just a short sort and chuck each day will make a dent.