Anxiety cannot enjoy anything..handhold please!

[redtulip19]

Hi I've been on sertraline for a few months and it's definitely helped but the last few days/weeks I feel like I've had a set back.
I don't normally enjoy Christmas anyway but I'm really trying this year for families sake. Massive health anxiety triggers over last few days and I find myself feeling sick to my stomach over
It, of fear of me or dd gettin Ill , is this anxiety? I know these thoughts are not rational but I'm up at 4am googling things! I know we can all get ill but I'm gonna lose my head soon handhold would be great
I really want to enjoy my Xmas 😞

Have you had any mindfulness exercises along with the sertraline? It sounds like a really normal spike in anxiety at a time of year where it is perfectly typical.

I find some breathing exercises help, as well as a brisk walk (cant go slowly in this weather anyway), is there anything specific you are worried about? Writing it down can help.

Are you getting any CBT?

Been there a few times. I found deep breathing in a quiet space really helps. Bit of a daft tip but if I feel myself getting super anxious, I grab a straw. Deep breath in then blow out slowly through the straw. Helps regulate your breath and calms you. Also legs up the wall pose (yoga). Anxiety is such a horrible feeling but if you can get a little exercise, that’s also fab. Try to get out of your head and focus on your body if that makes sense.

Oh, poor you. That feeling of impending doom is quite dreadful, but it is ONLY A FEELING. It's not nec true. I try to access my logical part of my brain and adopt my father's aphorism of " All things are possible but not all things are probable".
I have demons to deal with Christmas so handheld from me. X

I get this too. Practise mindfulness, getting rid of intrusive thoughts. Or work a thought through to its worst conclusion:

So the dc gets a sick bug
They pass it to everyone in the family
We’re all ill over Christmas

Then after a couple of day we’re better.
The end.

There will be another Christmas next year.

Also think about how likely something is. How often have you all been ill? Why should this year be different?

Or think about other who are worse off. That tends to focus my mind.

Try to get enough exercise and fresh air too.

Oh OP it’s dreadful when you get that sense of impending doom.

It doesn’t do to analyse your feelings too much but instead have a toolkit if little things you do when you feel like this: take a walk outside, listen to headspace, do some yoga, clean the house, call a friend.

Whilst it feels terrifying the chances of something happening are small.

Thanks all for the handhold
It means a lot
Yea people around me don't understand how it completely affects your life and I get really bad tummy problems from it too.
I have had CBT in the past for years but I didn't find it helpful long term. How is everyone doin this Xmas eve? Xx

Handhold from me, it's so scary to feel like this, isn't it? I agree with the pp who said that it's good just to try to distance yourself from the fears a bit - read, go for a walk, do some yoga, whatever works for you - and later you're amazed to discover that you got through it and nothing was as bad as it seemed it would be!

Big sympathy for the tummy problems too. I've just started Sertraline and I'm feeling awfully sick from it, on top of morning sickness and generally feeling like my tummy's tied in knots with anxiety. I had a really upset stomach this morning and (tmi alert) was running to the loo every 10 minutes. About to start a 2 hour car trip to FIL for Christmas and I'm petrified that it's going to come back while we're en route!

I could have written your post OP. I had an unpleasant confrontation with a neighbour a few days ago, and my anxiety, which had been much improved, spiked like crazy. I am also on Sertraline.
I know it sounds a bit woo, but I remember a quote about how anxiety means you are living in an (imagined) future rather than the now. It’s true even though it’s hard to remember when you’re wracked with irrational fears!