Anxiety support, Hand hold or chit chat come say hi #2

[Fairydust26]

Hi everyone this is part 2 as the original thread is full up! But as the title says this thread is support for all that are struggling and could do with a handhold and a chit chat so come and say hello😊.

Unfortunately i had to cancel the visit.i just couldn't do it.. but I felt better for taking control of the situation.

I also have cancelled plans. Been having panic attacks and motion sickness. Went to my parents for Easter Saturday, prepared for the journey with lots of snacks then argued with my sister about diet and chocolate. So yesterday felt really migrany and crap, got loads of anxiety around chocolate which I'm mildly allergic too so trying to stick to coffee and sugar. Really annoying because I don't drink or smoke but still I get told off for not eating right. I hate upsetting my sister as she struggles with her weight and was upset she'd forgotten to post me a letter and left her chocolate eggs at home. I didn't want more chocolate in the house. I'm not visiting my grandma in hospital today, too far away... I'm taking a break from mumsnet not very helpful. The meds are helping slowly, but I had a panic attack at work on Friday.

@Lyra2018 can I ask your advice please, have I read it right your on queitiapine? Have you found it has helped with your anxiety. I'm really struggling getting out and about on my own or without a panic attack

Yes, definitely but it's addictive for me. So talk to your doctor. I'm concidering a lockable medicine cabinet. It is a mood stabiliser, seditive and antidepressant. Biggest risk is an increase in self harm and suicide thoughts for young people. I couldn't leave my bed when I dropped back down on dose,same time my grandma went into hospital. Only after I read about the risk on mind.. My biggest anxiety is psychoactive medication...

My rescue dog helps me get out more. 😊

I'm on 150mg for 2 weeks Wednesday, iv really struggled with side effects.
What makes you anxious about pyschoactive medication? What is pyschoactive medication? I'm glad your dog helps you get out more. Do you find anything else helps with your anxiety?

Psychoactive means anything which affects your brain. I had a bad experience with being on olanzapine longer than nessersary then setraline I had a bad reaction, severe insomnia. Im a radiographer so know too much about how the brain works and do too much research. I'm only on 25mg as I'm pregnant which increases anxiety. So fortunately I don't have any side effects. Just dizzy and headakes but everything gives me headakes at the moment.. It's generally improved symptoms. I'd recommend looking on NHS website, mind website and the Royal college of radiologists. I think I have quite an addictive personality, but have never been that into alcohol.

Also I am dyslexic and have lots of aspergers in my family. It means I have difficulty processing the world compared to my high intelligence and was shy and occasionally mute as a child. Fortunately I was brought up around the time of computers and my parents both were into their computers so dyslexia wasn't so much of an issue is it was for older generations.

Hi everyone

Just looking for a bit of advice really. I lost my dad a couple of months ago and had some anxiety around some of the details of his death. Assumed that was normal and would fade in time. However my one year old daughter has been in and out of hospital every other weekend since then and I’m struggling.
I just don’t know how to help myself. The third time she was admitted I had what I thought was a heart attack but was clearly some sort of panic/anxiety attack. My husband helped me breathe through it but since them I’ve had them on a lesser scale pretty much every morning. I’ve read some self help stuff which has helped but this weekend DD has been ill again and I’m already feeling panicky about leaving her tomorrow. I actually feel sick.

Both my mum and husband say I need to see my GP but honestly the thought of it just makes me worse. I don’t even know what I’d say or where to start. I know I should take time off work as my mind is not there but then the thought of having to tell my boss puts me off

Sorry this is so long. I just don’t know what to do for the best.

Hi, I alone didn't want to see the gp for ages. I did in the end. Was very nervous and wrote lots of notes but it was definitely worth it. I didn't want medication but there are alternatives the gp can refer you to (cbt, counciling etc) or just talk you through the health concerns you might have related to anxiety.

Also if you go to your gp first you can discuss reduced hours or sick leave and it will probably be easier to talk to your boss with a doctors note.

Thank you Lyra. I know you’re right, I need to take that first step but i feel like the doctor will just think I’m being silly. I’ve lost my dad, of course I’m a bit sad. I don’t inow how to convey how bad the anxiety gets at times without sounding like a drama queen.

Really depends on your gp, but I know what you mean. Some take the time and listen better than others. I've found a really good Muslim gp, who is a really good listener. He didn't rush me then said the best thing to me which was that he's impressed with how well I'm doing and how far I'd come. Every other professional I either like they dismiss or overreact to my concerns. Just don't overthink it, allthough I know thats easier said than done. Maybe write down a list of symptoms?

Clarabell100 I agree about writing it down I know it can be very daunting it took my years to pluck up the courage to speak to my gp. Just be honest about how your feeling I’m sure your gp must see people daily who feel just the same as we all do on this thread and must I add you’re defiantly not a drama queen!.

Hi, do you mind if I pop in here?

I feel a bit of a fraud, though, reading other people's stories. I haven't had anything major cause this. I think I'm just a bit rubbish at coping with life?

A supervisor at work suggested last week suggested I needed to 'see a counsellor' as my issues are apparently worse than anyone she's seen for a while (to paraphrase).

My job is stressful. I've done it for 10 years, during which time the stress has increased monumentally, and I've had children. And now I can't cope any more.

I've been using the Overcoming app since last week to track my stress and negative thoughts. And I'm a lot more anxious than I thought. I don't usually let on though, because people will think I'm mad! It's just when I'm at work that the stress pushes me over the edge. (And I cry, and expressing emotion scares people)

As I said, there's been no terrible event that's triggered it. I think I've always tended towards low self esteem & anxiety, and it's work stress that's made me unable to cope with it any more. The problem is, I'm the main earner in our family. And default parent. I can't take time off of either of these!

So I've self referred to the local MH provider. I've booked a GP appointment (earliest is in May) and have been using this app on the advice of the local MH pages.

But can I confess here too?
I'm really sorry to intrude where people have genuine problems.

Welcome badcopbadcop. You've got more to be stressed about than me, as the main breadwinner. I do feel really guilty as, apart from a hospital admission as a teenager I've had a really good upbringing and lucky life without trauma. Sounds like your doing all the right things.

I've just been told I can't work now until I have another occupational health review so have nothing planned for today. May sound like bliss to most people but I've spent the past 3 days relaxing and I'm no good at it. Might drive into town later, or just play with my dog. I create mess at home when I try to tidy and am driving my husband crazy. He's out to see friends today. I hate being alone, allthough I've got a lovely dog. I've really got nothing to complain about... Except if I'd known in advance I could have travelled up north with my parents and sister on Easter Monday. But, I was supposed to be working on Tuesday.

Hi all. I can identify with the feelings of nothing major to cause stress and anxiety, I have a pretty easy life compared to many. I think I've had some degree of anxiety all my adult life, but it's only recently that I have properly acknowledged it rather than just thinking of myself as a worrier. Anxiety and depression can affect anyone no matter what their circumstances are.

Clara, you have been through a lot, I hope your DD's condition has improved since you posted. A friend prodded me into going to the Dr last year and it did help, she was very sympathetic and referred me to CBT.

Welcome BadCopBadCop of course not everyone is welcome I hope you find some comfort posting here😊.

How’s everyone doing?

I had a call from my mental health midwife yesterday. Gave her a quick update as she's been on leave and she said social care decided they don't need to be involved as I have enough support. That's been a great relief as the threat of social services at the same time as moving house was causing a lot of friction in my relationship with my husband. He kept saying I should not be getting mental health support as he's good enough. He's been great at organising the house buy while working in a school so now is exhausted and stressed and sleeping this Morning. I've closed the door so I can as I normally 'accidentally' wake him up. I'll try and do some cleaning and tidying today as he is a bit OCD about it and I'm the messy one. Under stress I just become more disorganised. My nesting instinct is to gather all my belongings and scatter them around my space, drives him crazy but I need mess to relax. Everything out and within reaching distance at night... I like to be clean but messy.

Is it ok to join you all? I have a long history of anxiety and depression (including severe postnatal depression twice). This time round it's taken me by surprise though and I'm very wobbly. (All triggered by life ishoos - redundancy, caring roles, difficulty finding work, fear...) Finally went to the GP today and basically fell apart. My anxiety is through the roof and has been building up for several months. Been given citalopram (I declined sertraline as the last time I was on it I ballooned in weight) and GP told me to self-refer to local counselling. Ugh. Any advice on handling anxiety would be gratefully received. I did manage to drag myself out for the c25k week 1 run (!) as I was feeling so sick and terrified and disgusting I was desperate. It kind-of worked. For a while.

Hi elf, your probably more experienced than me with anxiety and depression. I put on weight on olanzapine but as soon as I came off it felt great and also did the couch2five K ate well and lost weight (I'm not bragging I had spare time and little responsibility). About a year later when I got pregnant I had a simularly difficult gp appointment after being unable to work. I went on setraline which I couldn't handle for more than a few days so had a bit of time off work then returned and now I'm on this new drug I can't pronounce q something which is working well. It's got some sedative in which I need, as well as being an antidepressant and mood stabiliser. Drugs seem very much trial and error and are now one of my biggest anxieties. I great thing I found to aim for when doing the c25k is after you've improved your fitness and confidence you can go on the parkruns. I was always near the back but still found it fun. It depends on your area. Also, I got quite into a website called the running bug years ago when I did a 10k. I quite enjoyed logging my runs and getting online support. That's I think one of the main reasons I got antenatal depression, I didn't feel well enough to run then I lost my fitness so now get out of breath walking. Also, I work with radiation so I had to make changes at work and it's more boring. Sorry for the monologue. I've found for me I love getting out I'm nature, doing some art and spending time with friends and family. Cheesy as that sounds. I've been recommended to keep a mood diary but I never really stuck to that. I'm really miserable now that I'm probably mildly allergic to chocolate, and yet when I'm stressed I still find myself scoffing it down. Didn't help that my mum and sister (and others) said I should just stop eating it...

Sorry for the monologue...

Now though I'm looking at buggies with suspension for getting back into running. 😁

I'm really new to all this (and I'm not even sure I 'qualify') but I've been using the 'Overcoming' app this week and found the Negative Thoughts part in the Diary and Worksheets section has been really helpful.

I've also downloaded Pacifica but I'm not so sure about that one. Though it is pretty!

I've had a week off work, another one yet to go. I had quite a lot of anxiety about travelling and staying away. (Logging my feelings meant I noticed it more than I normally would, which I'm not sure if a good thing or not, but offloading it onto the app certainly helped to diffuse it). But now that I'm home I'm feeling fine. Which kind of reaffirms my suspicion that it's work stress that tips me over the edge. (Rather than my anxiety causing me problems at work - subtle, but important). Wait, am I thinking about that correctly?

Went for a bike ride with the kids this afternoon, after doing next week's meal planning and the online shop, and I feel so good right now. I need to do more exercise. It's just finding time!

Welcome UnwiseOldElf hugs for you, speaking to your gp about how you’ve been feeling is a brave thing to do and takes a lot of courage so be proud of yourself for that. If your into reading the Dr Claire Weekes books are great for anxiety and depression I mentioned it on the pervious thread how I found it a great comfort and my go to book when I’m really struggling.