Overwhelming anxiety - help please

[olivertwistwantsmore]

I have been very anxious recently and I just feel dready the whole time. I'm dreading Christmas. We're having all our family to stay with us - they live hundreds of miles away so can't just pop in for the day.

I'm terrified that someone will come down with a sick bug and we will all catch it and Christmas will be ruined and there will be sick everywhere.

Honestly it's all I can think about when I think of Xmas. I just wish I could cancel it all and wake up and it will all be over.

Help me. What can I do? I don't want to live like this. My heart is racing, I feel sick, I feel anxious, and it's constant. It's so stupid because it's not a real fear - it's not like something bad had really happened - but it's constant thoughts of what might happen.
How can I deal with it?

Hi! Thought I’d reach out as I’ve come on here tonight for anxiety support myself.

Firstly I’m so sorry your experiencing this too. It is the absolute worst thing, to feel in constant fear of irrational things. I have been thinking about Christmas to, and worry I will spoil everyone else’s Christmas as I’ll be anxious and have a panic attack and so on. I’m also due back to work tommorow after 3 months off and thinking about how I’ll have a panic attack there. It’s so exhausting and I to, just want it to stop and be back to my normal self again.

How long have you had anxiety and are you taking any medication or getting any other support.

Please try and remember these are just thoughts. Try and observe them without jumping on them and attaching emotion to them. They are just like any other thought, it’s how we respond to them that causes us the fear. Can you put a plan in for Christmas that feels more manageable for you and have it as a ‘back up’. Remember you don’t have to always please other people at the cost of your health. I’m sure your family love and support you and won’t be bothered if you need to take breaks.

Christmas is making me feel anxious too. I hate knowing it’s irrational but not being able to stop it. For me it’s feeling forced to have fun and be at parties you don’t want want to be at. I feel like I am going to ruin everybody’s Christmas by being there.
I’ve only got St. John’s Wort tablets and lavender oil to help me. What help have you got? Do you have a supportive friend you can confide in?

Have you spoken to your GP or asked for some help from local mental health services? Loads of people access them for anxiety so it’s not a big deal and you don’t have to suffer.

I’m not fully better but much better than I was 11 weeks ago. I’m taking medication and speak to friends, be kind to myself, listen to podcasts and meditations, try to not let it consume me and if it is, I just am ok to not be ok- other times I’m strong enough to feel the fear and do it anyway.

I had very bad anxiety in 2017 and recovered then so believe I will again. I went back to work today after 3 months off, it was a massive deal, I was shaking and just wanted to leave, was full of fear- but managed the three hours and feel so much better for it now.

Small manageable steps- that’s why I suggest breaking Christmas down into something for achievable x

Also when I’ve been very frightened and panicky, I have called the Samaritans (in the early days) and used the shout text service when I felt in crisis with the anxiety. I also write thoughts down and reason with them/ explain to myself how they are irrational xx