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.

My covid test result was negative 🙂. Just hope I don't get any looks when I'm coughing on the bus.

Just got back from the emergency vets. My cat hadn't used her litter tray or had a drink all day. She's got antibiotics. It's hopefully just an infection that will clear up in a few days.

That's great news loki I hope you have wonderful Eid celebrations with your mum.
Nice to have a few sanctioned days off work? Tick a few more off your countdown - tomorrow will be another week done.
I had my second counselling session today. Weird that on the whole I'm feeling loads better, but the minute she asks me how I am, and we start talking, I'm crying. I guess that means I've been able to shut the lid tightly on a day to day but the minute we start lifting it, the same scary stuff is still there? Anyone else experienced that?

Eid Mubarak✨🌙 Loki! Hope you have a good day, did you fast? Having biriyani for dinner as I went to work today 🤤

WL I experienced taht too with my therapy.

Had an okay day, was slightly upsetting but got through it. Fortunately not too anxious and no anxiety attacks (had one yesterday) though had a few wobbles. Going to go off hiatus and try to go back to my writing, I think it’s good for me tbh but at the same time I’m nervous!

Thanks Tea and WLmum 🙂. I didn't fast because it triggers my depression.
Did you make the biryani Tea?

I only when to my mum's for a short visit. I felt so tired that I felt ill. I think the past couple of days just caught up with me. My dd got very upset. Our cat Loki being ill brought back memories of when our cat Simba was ill. He passed away last year hours before his vets appointment. It's been an emotional couple of days.

I've already told my mum that we can't visit her this weekend. I just need to take it easy and catch up on sleep.

Mmm tea biryani yum! Happy eid! So nice to see our old neighbours back to visit their parents for eid today.
loki so sorry about cat loki I hope he/she is feeling better soon. Dh cried when dd3s hamster died! The vet was so kind, and dh is a big sop.

tea a creative writing course is on my retirement to do list. It's a long way off yet but I've always loved language and would love to be able to give it some time and attention.

Thanks WLmum. It's so hard to see your cat struggling. I didn't even know that it's common for cats to have UTI. If she's not better my Monday, she'll have to go back to the vets for tests.

A creative writing course sounds good. Me and my dd are looking forward to going back to art classes when the art studio reopens.

loki I think cats can be naughty about not drinking enough - fussy buggers! Our cats do drink from a bowl but sils cat will only drink from the running tap!
Art classes sound awesome - I wish I was artistic but not one bone in my body - I'm a stick man level!
My counsellor yesterday was quite focused on my childhood - interesting concept of how your inner beliefs develop between different ages. It was quite painful and things keep occurring to me. I think I often felt 'wrong' or different as a child and didn't understand why. With adult eyes I I can see why. Bringing all this deeply buried stuff to the surface - I hope therapy can help me resolve it.

Hello I think I need to join this thread. I’ve been struggling for around 4 years with anxiety and panic attacks. It’s really ramped up in the last week or so because we are moving house. I feel like I can’t move, just trembling with worrying heart palpitations.

I’ve tried to avoid taking anything but I’m not sure I’m going to get through the next few months really.

WMy cat normally drinks lots of water. It's only the past 2 days that she's barely drinking. I've put a extra water bowl out for her and it seems to be helping. I'm going to get her some wet food after work.

In my experience, counselling makes me feel worse before it helps. It's hard bringing things up from the past 💐

My dad made it loki

My therapist was the same WL, I had one that let me talk about what was bothering me at that point, though when I had it at the time of the trauma they focused on how it was like the first time and whatnot which was rather frustrating and exhausting at the time but now I can see where it came from/why. Agree with Loki that it does get worse before it gets better.

Had a pretty tiring day at work, although it’s been good! Had a nap after work and I’m still tired so looks like I’ll have to have an early night. Rather angsty now but I am listening to a semi-angst song with a nice uplifting message and been feeling anxious ever since. Don’t know why as it isn’t linked to that time at all, just right after schools returned

Though with college things have been stressful with the final submissions and whatnot, though almost there at last! I feel extremely anxious whenever I get an email from a certain tutor as they always seem to have bad news feedback and grades which makes me rather anxious as well as extremely angry as I’d tried so hard! Plus that subject was the bane of lockdown 3.0 for several reasons so I try to forget about it but it’s hard to when the emails keep popping up in my inbox

How's your cat loki? Would he/she drink some cat milk for a bit of extra fluids?

WLmum- she seemed a bit better this morning. She's worse in the evening for some reason. She doesn't like cat milk. I've got her cat soup which she really likes, even eats the meat pieces in it.

Good idea on the soup - I'll keep that one in my pocket for the future.

WLmum, that sounds a bit messy!!! Hope everyone has had a good day. Not too bad here. Glad your cat is feeling better Lokikitty.

Hello All. I'm glad I'm not the only one who suffers with anxiety. Lately I've had a lot of life changes some good some more challenging. This weekend it feels like it's hit me like a truck. My anxiety has changed over the years. It used to just affect my sleep & I'd have the sweats, palpitations & nausea. Now it's a sensory overload. For example, too many noises meaning I can't focus on one noise, feeling claustrophobic or locked in, needing fresh air, then before I know it I'm withdrawing from everyone around me. If by that point I haven't bought my anxiety down, a full on panic attack occurs. I have propanalol for when it's really bad but I have found lately the build up is a lot quicker meaning not a lot of time for me to try & manage it without medication.

I've also recently started on sertraline which has killed my libido, made me drowsy & weight has piled on. On the plus side I'm less depressed than I was. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Has anyone tried herbal remedies for anxiety or any recommendations? I'm thinking of getting some tomorrow. I've got a lavender spray for night time that is lovely.

Hi Coconutgal, sometimes just chatting to others who understand helps. It certainly does for me. I find waking in the night the hardest. Everything seems magnified. I also get palpitations then.

mrswhiplington I tried nytol sleep and calm elixir - I think it did actually help a bit, but I warn you, it tastes like the devil. Mayer it was just the shock of it that pulled me up a bit!

coconut when I wake up in the night I always listen to a headspace sleep cast which usually really helps. Otherwise my thoughts go nuts and I can't get them under control.

I've made biryani and bread today. Had to keep myself busy, so I don't spend all weekend worrying about my cat.

I felt really low yesterday. The cooking and bread making seem to have lifted my mood a little.

Sounds delicious Lokikitty. Great way to keep yourself busy. Hope you feel better. I spent some time on DH's allotment this afternoon watching him work. It was warm and sunny. That lifted my mood.

WLmum thanks for the recommendations for herbal remedies. Went shopping and bought some Bach Rescue remedy. Will give it a go.

My cat is better 🙂. The infection has cleared up and she is super playful. I'm still tired from lack of sleep but also very relieved.

Can I join, please? Never really thought about myself having anxiety, though I think I have struggled with it on and off over the years. My mum and sister both have significant anxiety issues, so I always regarded myself as being ok iyswim. But I am not ok.

I feel like I'm constantly worrying about something, and it's starting to take over. Some of my worries are reasonable and rational, others are not. Either way, they keep eating away at me and I don't know how to switch them off. Sometimes I feel a sense of panic. Sometimes it's dread. Sometimes it's just a nagging voice at the back of my mind. Sometimes I can't sleep, and when I'm awake, I can't always concentrate. It never used to be as bad as this. Rationally, I know that even the reasonable fears aren't worth worrying about, because worrying won't actually change the outcome. I'm just making myself miserable and I don't know how to stop.

Hi Paralysedbyinertia, that sounds really hard. Hope chatting on here helps 💐