Would any one like to join in an anxiety support thread?

[Heatherandmoss]

I’ve seen lots of posts recently about people having a bad time with their anxiety and I thought an on going thread might be good do people can bob on and offer and receive support, share tips and just generally empathise with some one going through the same thing.

I’ve had anxiety since I was about ten ( I realised after my psychiatrist was able to help me pin point my earliest memory of it)

I think there is a bit of misconception of anxiety as some people think it’s just general worry - but it’s not.

When my anxiety rears her head it’s so physical. I sweat, my face can go numb, pains in my chest. I have a feeling like some one is kicking my front door in and I’m scared for my life and I could just be hoovering. Anxiety jolts me awake when I’m asleep and it rolls down my body like thunder. It makes me catastrophize at 3am and my feet start rubbing against each other ( weird) My anxiety makes me walk in to the kitchen with my kids empty dinner plates and suddenly feel so so over whelmed I struggle for breath and tears leak out in a gasp of raw emotion - all done silently so my kids can’t hear me.

I’ve had to give up drinking alcohol because Jesus the anxiety the next day was shocking and lasted days until I suddenly stepped out the anxiety room.

My anxiety has been bad since November as I’ve got some things going and I’m worried my heart is going to pack in because of the extra ‘thud thud thud’ overtime it’s being doing!

Exercise does help me take the edge of sometimes. I nearly went to the GP the other day as it was rotten but at this moment of time I need to be switched on.

Today has not been to bad. I’m considering it a win.

So I’ve you’d like to join in or have some where to say ‘holy fuck it’s bad today’ hopefully more people will be here and you will know some one knows how bad your feeling.

I treated myself today. I had a takeaway for my lunch. I made myself aussie crunch in the evening. I also had a bit of cheesecake and a doughnut. Making up for not having any added sugars for over a month! I just needed a bit of comfort food today. I've been so stressed out this week.

Hoping the weather is nice tomorrow, so I can do a long walk.

Hello all. Please may I join? I'm not sure if anxiety, depression, insomnia or eating disorders are my main problem, they all feed into each other until I'm a big old mess. Currently thinking I should split up with dp, but not sure if it's real or just my anxiety. Bleurgh. I am trying to book onto a hike right now as I think it will do me good. But of course can't devise which hike to book onto! Looking forward to chatting with you.

Hi Valancy, welcome to the thread. It sounds like you've got a lot going on 💐

Hope you found a hike to do. It's hard making decisions when are anxious.

Thank you. I'm just so tired of it all. I thought I was so much better then, crash, I'm back to square one. The thought of another 40 years of being like this is appalling.

Do you know what triggered it , Valancy? Over time, especially with support, you will learn coping strategies. You won't have another 40 years of it. Hope you're feeling better soon 💐

Hi everyone. Hope you're all doing well. I've had a better day today. Been out in the fresh air with the dog. It really does help. I feel a lot calmer. Glad it's a bank holiday tomorrow. No work.😊

Me too Mrswhiplington. I'm glad I'm not in work tomorrow. I did a 7 mile walk today. Also done some cooking and baking. Glad you're feeling calmer.

Well done Lokikitty on walking 7 miles, that's great. The weather doesn't look good for tomorrow where I am so it looks like we'll be stuck inside. Hope you all have a good day.

I went to a combined yoga/anxiety session yesterday morning. It was great! But one of the things that's really dawning on me is how we can't see what's going on for others. There were 2 people there that I knew, who seem so together and relaxed, but clearly also suffering on the inside. Other participants, if I'd met them casually, I'd never have guessed. And I suppose that's how it is for me - others don't see how I feel.
Talking to others is a real eye opener for me, and helps me to feel more normal and so less panicky.

WLmum Glad you enjoyed your yoga session. I expect that most people have some level of anxiety in their lives like we do but are very good at hiding it. Posting on here is the first time I have told strangers about how I feel. I speak to my DH who understands and tries his best to help me. Most of my anxiety is pretty low level. I know things will get better so I don't always want to be bothering people with it. It really does help to know you are not alone.

Can I join?
I’ve been depressed since the diagnosis of a chronic condition, aged 11, but not anxious until the birth of my daughter six years ago.
Now it lives with me all the time, it’s as though I had two children - her and the anxiety. I don’t enjoy anything, I don’t look forward to anything, I just exist and wait for each day to be over so I can sleep. However when I wake in the morning the anxiety is absolutely as it’s worst and I really struggle. I’ve just taken a new job and it’s a bit vague and I’m finding that hard. I’m tired all the time. I feel so lonely and like I’m never going to be well.
I would love to be better but I don’t know how to get there.

Nothing feels permanent, that’s what feeds my anxiety, and I suppose nothing is really.
Im not great at living in the moment. I really cannot remember the last time I enjoyed anything, even before covid. I just do getting through and waiting for things to be over. I don’t feel real a lot of the time.

Hi Magictoothfairy, welcome to the thread. Sorry to hear that your anxiety is taking the joy out of life. Hope the new job gets easier soon 💐

WLmum - your yoga session sounds really good. I find people are quite open with me about their mental health because they know that I have anxiety. It really is surprising how much people suffer in silence.

Ive been like this for 25 years and lost any hope of finding coping strategies that actually help Loki. When I've been 'coping' for so long I don't want to cope any more. Maybe I need a 'total despair' thread!

I'm sorry you feel like that Valancy. I hope chatting on here
helps you.

I did a 2 hour walk this morning. I was hoping that the rain would hold off but it didn't. Luckily it was only light rain.

I haven't been very productive today. Other than cooking and washing up, I haven't really done anything. Feel a bit low.

How is everyone doing?

I also feel like I will never feel well.
The luxury of planning and looking forward to something seems impossible and yet I used to.
Now it all seems pointless. I can remember planning stuff with ds when he was little and feeling excited - days out, holidays, even smaller things like baking with him or reading certain stories I knew he’d like. He’s 12 now so not the same but I’ve had none of that with dd who is only 5.
I just want it to stop, if I’m honest. I’m so lonely.

I’ve had a tough day. It was okay and I managed to get work done until I was about to go to bed and then remembered the night that everything changed. I was doing fine then out of nowhere it just happened. I was anxious before then but that night made everything so much worse. I wouldn’t be the person I am now without that night—hell, I might not even be alive if it weren’t for that night! Though whenever I think about it I just get so anxious and afraid. I was reading messages from that time and it makes me so upset how vulnerable I was (technically still am!) and how horrible things were. On one hand I’m glad things are the way they are, on the other hand if it wasn’t for that night ....

Hi Tea, sorry you had a bad day. That sounds really hard. Hope today is better for you 💐

Hi Magic, sorry to hear that you are so lonely. It's awful being lonely 💐

Hi all. I woke up this morning worrying about things that might never happen.

I went out for a 40 minute walk. I didn't enjoy the first 30 minutes as it is cool and windy but liked the getting home bit. It has done me good.

Hi folks. Not doing too badly anxiety wise except for procrastinating over stuff. I have so much on my to do list 😭

Sorry there are so many tough times at the moment 💐

Hi all
Is it okay if I join? Not sure how much I can contribute or help but I feel like it’s not fair to just read and not let you all know that I am and maybe by talking it will help? I’m really struggling at the moment too. I’ve been prescribed beta blockers which some days are great and others there is no effect - no idea why? I find myself crying all the time and I just want to press pause. I over analyse every conversation over and over and just don’t feel like I live in the moment. I too just can’t look forward to things or enjoy them - I feel like I’ll be punished if I do and I used to love to plan and write lists so it’s just sheer torment at the minute. Anyhow hope it’s ok to join

Hi Odetomelancholy, welcome to the thread Sorry to hear that you are struggling. Hoping things will get better for you soon 💐

Welcome newbies. Sorry to hear of struggles. This thread helped me enormously when I was at a really low ebb. Just checking in and knowing others were here.
tea sorry for your difficult day/night remembering a pivotal moment. I hope you can be gentle with yourself.
I'm really feeling ok at the moment - I think the long weekend helped and work is much calmer. I had a difficult call with the Ed psych re my very anxious school refusing dd. She wasn't very helpful and all good in theory but not much practical use type. I actively disagreed with some of the things she said too. Didn't feel like she really understood how debilitating anxiety can be.

I was really struck by a quote from Doctor Strange earlier:

“We never lose our demons, we only learn to live above them.”

I feel it’s apt for anxiety as I try and just accept that this stuff is there and I’m a worrier but it doesn’t mean I can’t get on with life. Hopefully!

I’m still struggling with procrastination lately though! But I have managed bits and pieces. Better than I was in the past, for sure.

WLmum - sorry to hear that the ed psych wasn't very understanding. Is there anything that has helped your dd attend school in the past?

Sing - I like that quote 😊. It is very true for depression and anxiety.

I had a phone appointment for work stress risk assessment. The woman I spoke to was lovely and understanding but the suggestion that she made will just make work more unbearable.