This corona virus is sending me over the edge

[brainfogg]

I know no one can tell me it will be ok but I haven’t had anxiety this out of control in about a year. It’s been managed fairly well with meds and I haven’t had any OCD symptoms in ages but it’s all coming back.

I’m washing my hands obsessively, using lots of hand gel, checking the news every 20 mins, not sleeping, last night when DH got back from shopping I wiped every single item with antibacterial spray. Never don’t that before.

My heart is racing constantly, I’m not getting on with things I need to do, I’m debating ordering masks but read they don’t do much. So then I’m thinking get my immune system stronger but what if it mutates into a virus that causes that overreaction of the immune system? Cykotine storm I think. So maybe I’m better not strengthening it too much.

I have a part time job that involves looking after children and am thinking I shouldn’t go because I’m scared I’ll pass it to them or them to me but we need the money.

Sorry for the very long post. I’m in turmoil and I hate that because it’s so selfish of me, there’s people truly suffering and I genuinely want them not to be. I find this world very hard to cope with.

"I am on Mirtazapine, I have a couple of months supply but just read there has been a shortage of them, so thats another worry for me, what about my meds??"

I didn't know there's a shortage of Mirtazapine. I'm on them too and have only got a weeks supply but have obviously ordered a repeat prescription online.

I have woken up with a feeling of impending doom. I suffer from depression and anxiety and can't see how we're going to survive this. I worry that I'll never see my daughter again, she lives alone and my husband and I are already in self-isolation because of age and health problems (ages 73 and 66 respectively).

yeah I am worried for my family but also that people do not seem to be taking this seriously, DH still wants to go shopping and looking around shops, adult daughter wont stop going out, gym, etc, I feel like I am banging my head against a brick wall.

I’m really glad I’ve ended up with extra ADHD meds (they had to reorder a different brand) in case of issues. Even reducing the dose temporarily had a massive effect on my MH.

You’ve reminded me though I need to phone the psychiatrist now, and see if I can rearrange my appointment to be over the phone (early April). It’s a two bus journey anyway and will only be a catch up. I’m a bit worried about prescriptions later on though - because I’m fairly new to it and still in titration phase, it’s not been put on repeat or anything like that. But they won’t give me more than a month’s supply because it’s a controlled drug.

Its such a hard time,
Hows everyone coping today ?
Im having good moments then bad

I'm not really coping I can't stop crying today, it all feels like a nightmare

I work frontline as an HCA but I also have schizoaffective disorder, I'm feeling a bit paranoid about the virus although that's easing off slightly but also very tired & dizzy from work which has made me have some audible hallucinations this afternoon.

We re not looking after covid patients yet but I could be sent to another ward to do so where they are low on ppe, it's worrying.

It is all so worrying,
I feel asleep and woke up thinking it was a nightmare, and had a sense if relief for a few minutes. Its horrible.

@SupermarketFlowerss

Sending you hugs
I hope your feeling abit better

It's completely natural to feel overwhelmed. Sending best wishes to all.

Some ideas here that might help?

forestryandland.gov.scot/blog/keeping-healthy-during-covid-19

Naughtycat - me too, I’ve worked really hard to start building up a social network and now all the stuff that you’re normally advised to do is out. Have you got any contacts for anyone though? Because I’m finding with this situation that there are people I know slightly/acquaintances from social clubs that normally it would be wierd to contact via Facebook/sms just to say hi, how are you, but at the moment it’s more socially acceptable (if that’s the right word) to reach out to Facebook friends/people in your contacts list to say hi, how are you, stay safe etc. I’m trying to keep social contact up but in different ways (even threads like this help)

Im also planning to look for online versions of stuff I like doing like board game etc

Struggling today. Does anyone get psychosomatic symptoms? I have convinced myself my ear hurts and my throat is sore. When I was much younger I suffered quite badly with psychosomatic symptoms.

Also though, after ages of trying to get help for depression/anxiety I finally got a psychologists who after two sessions agreed I could probably benefit from medication and made a referral to a psychiatrist here (I’m in a different country to the uk so they have slightly different systems and a wierd attitude towards medication genrally). But now that appointment won’t be happening.

I'm not worried about catching the virus or running out of food, but I am finding the social isolation hard. I live alone, and I am now working from home and not going to planned social events. I've already missed out on two group meetings and I've just had to cancel a holiday I was going on next month. I was encouraged by my GP to get myself out and about and not to cut myself off from other people, and now I'm being forced to do the opposite. It's turning out to be really bad for my mental wellbeing and I'm already feeling very much at a loss. Social media is probably going to become more and more important over the next few weeks.

I’m oddly anxious again due to DD1 being moody. It sets me off anyway (lots of reasons for this, childhood stuff etc) but it was because she’s been hungry aaaaaall evening (she’s on her period too so worse than normal) but hardly ate anything at school. Trying to get her to understand she needs to use her credit (FSM) to eat something proper in the day as the shops are empty. We do actually have enough to get by for a bit but both my older two have pretty restricted diets, they are autistic with sensory processing disorder and various others. So the thought of clashes over food is on my mind ATM. She’s old enough to understand that it’s tough luck but she does have a lot of learning difficulties too. I wasn’t worried about potentially self isolating until today! I know that sounds lame to be worried about really but it’s randomly spiked my anxiety again.

I did manage to get fresh air though and I’ve written up the rest of my therapy session too. Other than that I’ve been in a bit of a blur. DH mentioned having a plan to get through quarantine so I think I’ll see if we can plan properly together this evening when they’re in bed.

I have a course tomorrow and I’m quite anxious about whether the last session next week will be cancelled. The council seem very blinkered about the situation. There’s also a regular weekly thing I go to that I may have to stop even if they don’t, but I’ll really struggle without that mentally too, so I’m trying to figure out what to do (goes without saying that I’ll SI if needed of course).

Sorry that was a load of waffle. In sensory overload (I’m also autistic and my ADHD meds are wearing off) with clingy DS and screamy toddler and aaaaargh. Going to have dinner and then try for some self care.

I have never felt like this before 😢 feel like I want to fall asleep and never wake up. Worried about the virus, my job, money, dc

Rassy-yes! Shortness of breath etc, it it goes away if I do moderate exercise which suggests to me it is more my bodies reaction to stress than a virus. Have you tried yoga? Sometimes that can make it better and then you know it’s more likely to be psychological. Also worth remembering that we are just entering pollen allergy season so it can also be that (I think that’s giving me a sore throat - I am still self isolating because it’s the socially responsible thing to do but not worried for myself if that makes sense)

Also this might sound ridiculously pollyannaish but does anyone else find that having had depression in the past sort of helps now? What I mean is I’ve had that desperately dark feeling of doom/that things will never get better/out of control terror etc etc in the past and know that it did pass, even though it felt so terrible at the time. So now I can draw on the fact that this will pass too, somehow, at some point in the future. I hope that doesn’t sound patronizing to people with very real concerns about jobs, health etc... just that even when it feels like there’s no way out or end in sight I’ve learnt from past experience there is?

@Flopjustwantscoffee Just joined my Pilates class virtually- I couldn't face physically going. Really glad I joined in online - feel a bit better

The WHO suggests cutting down the number of times you look at news online to once a day as constant media updates can be stressful and the media are not always that responsible in their reporting. Remember that this will pass

I’m actually a little calmer having seen that the recommendation to avoid ibuprofen is now official - it’s in the BMJ. Who knows, if everyone follows the advice to use paracetamol instead it could keep many many more out of hospital. That’s got to be a good thing right?!

I guess with all the fake advice around it’s good to feel that there is real advice out there too and I feel a little more in control knowing that there’s something I can do (or rather consciously not do).

Pink my therapist suggested using an egg timer while browsing the news :)

pinkprosseco I'm trying to only read enough to stay informed about the protocols, but I'm at the point now where I'm going to have to avoid social media as well. I have quite a few friends who post several times every day with conspiracy theories, articles condemning the government, rants about not being able to buy certain foods or medications, and it's all getting too much. But living alone, SM is the only way I have of staying in touch with people. My employers aren't really helping with their regular situational updates either.

Sick of this shit. Most threads here are about the coronavirus now. I don’t even remember the stuff we talked about before. Maybe Phillip Schofield? And the migrant crisis.
What happened to Phillip Schofield...? Can we talk about him again?

Hi everyone may I join? I’m also worried about there being a med shortage. I have bipolar disorder and I can only get my meds every 2 weeks as I’m deemed high risk. I don’t even have any PRN for my anxiety. I just don’t want this whole thing sending me over the edge.

I’ve made the decision to keep my 3 year old off nursery for the rest of the week. I’m off until Monday anyway, so I wanted to take precautionary measures. My DP’s mum has really pissed me off though “you can’t keep wrapping him up in cotton wool...” are you being serious? There’s a deadly virus going around with no vaccine... I honestly wanted to throttle her. Some people really aren’t taking this very seriously at all. Plus he’s still on antibiotics as he’s just gotten over an illness.

Struggling at work. Dealing with money and customers is sending me over the edge i do not want to go to work 😭