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.

Thanks loki :) I actually managed to sublimate my anxiety into cleaning the toaster 😂 which is very unusual for me. Still on edge so going to try and focus on my other housework challenge (I still need to tidy one shelf and find one more thing to throw away) and then I have my daily February drawing challenge too.

What do you like to draw? I like drawing flowers. I'm doing a under the sea paint by numbers 🙂

Actually l was told by a psychiatrist that relaxing stuff often isn’t that good for anxiety as your mind can wander.

He suggested jigsaws or crosswords as you have to think. Doing something you can already do means you can focus on your anxiety.

I knit and crochet. But l can almost do it without thinking which means my mind can wander down it’s usual anxiety wormholes.

Jigsaws are much better.

I like using prompt lists like inktober to draw from really but I got a bit obsessed by drawing hands when I first got back into art (October 2019). Hope it’s ok to share 😳. Won a little contest with an autism charity with one of them (the one with four hands, the topic was what lockdown means to you), and with the prize voucher I bought some hideously expensive pencils, so this month I’ve set myself a challenge to draw a small square (from a photo I take that day) to try and get used to them as I’m much more comfortable drawing in pen. Hopefully I’ll keep it up. It’s been nice to get out of my comfort zone a bit but also as it’s such as small space I am trying to relax about it and just spend a few minutes on it each night. I barely drew at all after the pandemic hit (started a couple of challenges in October but then gave up) so it’s feeling good to do it regularly again.

Piano is helping my anxiety a lot too, I’ve had my digital one for about a month now and I just love it so much. But I also tend to put the headphones on and ignore everyone 😳😂

@SingToTheSky Those drawings are really good and well done for winning a competition. Glad to hear you're managing to channel your anxiety into more positive things tonight. I hope you manage to get some sleep

SingToTheSky, wow your drawings are amazing. You are very talented. Congratulations on winning the competition.
Hope you get used to doing pencil drawings.
I found watercolour painting really hard.

Hi, how is everyone today?
I am off work with anxiety and depression. Work has just been so overwhelming the past few months. Feeling very isolated at home though. I managed to get out for a walk yesterday and do a bit of baking. Watched a few things on Netflix. Struggling to motivate myself today.

Aw thank you both 😳 hope I wasn’t over sharing there. I’m finally getting some self belief (and trying to encourage DD1 in the same, as she’s always saying she can’t draw 🤦🏽‍♀️).

I have got an application form for the voluntary role I emailed about yesterday. Just sorting out references and then I must send it off before the self doubt stops me - it’s amazing how quickly the negative thoughts flood in :(

I haven’t been up too long. Apparently the insomnia is a common side effect of my meds but should get better in time. It was nearly 5am last night although at least I didn’t feel quite as panicky as the night before. Just... awake.

I hope today feels better loki 💐

Thanks SingToTheSky. Insomnia is awful isn't it. I suffered badly for a year when I was at college. Going for a walk now, so should feel more productive later.

I’m exhausted... I keep waking throughout the night (this is actually ‘sleeping like a baby’ in reality isn’t it?) so at about this time on the day I’m ready for a nap!

I'm wiped out from my walk. Could also do with a nap.

I’m trying to work too.. fuzzy brain and I need to plan some things so Lord alone knows what I will be plotting for people to do haha!

Going out for a walk has helped the anxiety a bit but I’m now feeling a really crushing sense of boredom. I sat down on a bench and I don’t really want to stay here especially as I’m getting cold now, but I don’t really want to go home either... same old stuff day in day out. Gah.

Same here. I wanted to sit on a bench to stay out a bit longer but it was way too cold. I want to get the housework done but I'm feeling really drained.

The half frozen lodge looked beautiful.

Everything is just so exhausting isn’t it. Just got in and sitting by a heater for a bit before a hot shower

Morning everyone, how's it going? I'm doing another long walk. The lodge is even more frozen today. I hope the walk doesn't exaust me! I find the constant and sudden exhaustion hard to deal with .

Gross alert sorry
Well my anxiety is increasing big time since last night as we discovered the 3yo has picked up worms from nursery 🤬🤢 I’m surprisingly not feeling too squeamish about her actually having them, but what’s making me anxious is the thought of them recurring over and over and becoming another thing that takes ages to get rid of (we have had that experience with lice before). Somehow we’ve managed to never have worms despite having two older kids, so it’s all a bit new and daunting. And I just find cleaning so exhausting at the best of times, so the thought of sorting everything just makes me feel knackered before I even start! And the worry about whether I’m doing enough etc. I’m quite proud of how I’m managing so far though, I’ve done lots of bedding and cleaned all door and window handles etc. In a way maybe it’s a good thing as it’s forcing me to clean a lot and just not think about what order to do stuff in etc, I’m just getting on with it instead of sitting in a daze.

Also my period arrived this morning so that might explain the extra anxiety the last few days

Sorry for the mega over sharing there

Aww, poor you, that sounds awful. Glad you're coping okay with it. And yes mother nature really doesn't help anxiety!

Feel awful today. Just been me and the cat for the past few days. Didn't even enjoy my walk this morning.

Well done for still getting out! My period is super heavy this month and I can barely stand up. Feeling ridiculous levels of anxiety today - not sure if it’s partly a kickback from getting on with so much stuff yesterday, I guess I didn’t really have a chance to sit and think so much.

I’m panicking a lot as we’ve had a long awaited appt through for my DS, I should be pleased but I’m just convinced we will mess it up and they won’t listen (it’s an appt for ADHD assessment with CAMHS)

@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.

Thanks for this post. It's nice to read that I'm not alone. I also do the feet rubbing thing.

SingToTheSky, sorry you're not having a good day. Good luck with the appointment. It will be fine. I'm waiting for an assessment for autism. I was told it's a 2 year wait. It's frustrating how slow the wait is. I can't get any support at work until I'm diagnosed. I'm guessing your child will need a diagnosis before you can access support for them.

Interesting HeatherandMoss.

I’ve had anxiety for about 50 years. I don’t get many physical symptoms. I get choked up, breathless and butterflies. But nothing else. I get overwhelming fear and a feeling of being on red alert. When it’s really bad l get derealisation.

Is yours panic disorder?

I’m going to bed now to hide. I find it gets worse as the day goes on and l kind of feel trapped in the evening ( including pre lockdown!)