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 have severe postnatal depression and my anxiety is horrendous. I am crying and feeling overwhelmed every single day while trying to care for my 8 week old baby. I don't know how much longer I can keep fighting it.

Lokikitty thank you for responding - I've tried very hard not to offer suggestions of what might help as i remember when I was in the throes of a very deep depression that it didn't matter what anyone said, they made me feel more inadequate! He's a bit impatient - wants the medication to work NOW, wants the counselling NOW (first appt is 12 July ), but its more how to help him through this current attack that I would love some advice on. He did admit (at 3.30 this morning!) that he listens to me but mostly ignores what I suggest even though he knows it makes sense. He was really up for exercising and getting back into cycling but fell down the stairs about 5 weeks ago and badly tore his adductor muscle and has also skewed his pelvis so he's been in agony for the past month whenever he moves. That's being sorted next week so one more barrier out of the way but it hasn't helped. I'm going to try and encourage him to come with me to a nearby park later - tried last night but he couldn't however he seems 'better' today so maybe........

I hope that your daughter is OK - young people are under so much pressure these days, not just from normal developmental stress of growing up but social media pressure, pressure to conform and not to mention this bloody virus! Thank goodness she has you to help her through!

babyblues21 you poor thing - its such a difficult time and I do remember it well. I was lucky in a way that I had easy pregnancies, really difficult births but found breastfeeding easy. However even then the pure exhaustion from getting up so many times in a night pulled me down. My DH couldn't help as he worked shifts and I was on maternity leave. My health visitor did give me a valuable piece of advice " it is Ok and perfectly natural to feel overwhelmed. Allow yourself to acknowledge this and don't be harsh on yourself. If you can, take the time to rest, ignore the housework and concentrate on you and the baby". I must admit to taking her advice on ignoring the housework very seriously and carried it on to the present day (youngest now 21 )!! 😂

But on a serious note - if they still have health visitors please let her know how you feel. Call your doctor if you can. Use the Samaritans. let your family know how you feel - even if they could take the baby for a couple of hours to give you a break it may give you a boost. You are allowed to feel like this - its not shameful or unusual or pathetic .

babyblues: I had horrendous postnatal depression and anxiety, too. I felt like I'd done the biggest mistake in having DC. I somehow fought through it, with a lot of help from my entrepreneur (so, WFH), ex-husband. I hope you have some help from family and friends.

DD is now nearly 12 and fun to hang around with, so it does all end eventually. I know it doesn't help, but one day you will be me, sharing your own story with a mum of a young baby.

In the meantime, have a ☕

Hi babyblues - sorry you're feeling overwhelmed. A new baby is hard enough without postnatal depression. How are you today?

I thought I'd feel great going back to work yesterday but it was really stressful. I love working with the children but things aren't going well with my manager. I've been told that I can't change classes next year. I'm gutted. My manager also said that I should have been asking what tasks I can do from home while I was self isolating. There's nothing I can do about this information now, so just feel really annoyed. I can't stop thinking about work.

Yes please. We've just been invited to a barbecue at a neighbours. Their daughter is in my daughters class. I'm in a ball of anxiety about it because although the girls get on, We don't have anything else in common, conversation has always been stilted, and I don't function well in these situations. Chat will be non existent, silences awkward, I'll have to drink to get my mouth to open and I don't want to drink. I don't want to go! Feel like such a baby! As well as that me and OH aren't getting on so it'll be one of those awful 'pretending to be a team' scenarios that make me feel like a liar. Can I just say no thankyou?

Hi, fretfulpig, of course you can say no thank you to your neighbor. Is your DD keen to go? If she is, would you be okay just going for a bit to keep her happy? It's hard to enjoy social occasions when you have things going on. Do what is right for you and your family 💐

Hello everyone hope your all keeping safe and well. I haven't messaged on here for some time as things have kept me busy. I've felt a real dip with anxiety tonight. It is playing havoc with OCD thoughts and it doesn't help with the humidity and tiredness. Hoping a good night sleep will help. :)

Does anyone take any non prescription tablets or remedies for anxiety? I live off Kalms normally but they don't seem to work for me anymore and I don't want to take prescription meds because they have made me feel numb in the past. I don't want the anxiety but I don't want to feel numb either

Hi mylovelydd, I have tried st John's wort and 5 HTP in the past. St John's wort helped. Didn't notice an improvement with 5 HTP. Hope you find something that helps 💐

My stress levels are sky high. The pressure of various, looming deadlines is just too much. Also, have gained 2 st since November and NOTHING fits. 😰

Sorry you're so stressed DuckingMel 💐. It's so easy to comfort eat when you are stressed.

I'm the same at the moment. Trying to decide whether to hand my notice in next week at work.

Thank you, Loki. Also sad to hear that you're currently struggling with your job. At least, hopefully, you'll get a summer holiday, soon? Then you can apply for other jobs when you're not exhausted from your work (I plan to do this).

I am going to do some gardening (with my neighbour) this evening, so hope that it will help with my stress levels!

DuckingMel- I work during the school holidays, through my agency. It's normally 2/3 days a week, so will get a bit of a break. I started applying for jobs today. There are a lot of jobs on eteach in my area at the moment and the closing dates are soon.

The gardening sounds like a great idea. It should help you feel better 💐