Anxiety/excitement and Christmas

[DuffyMoon]

My anxiety has been getting worse this year, I seem to have general anxiety disorder from what I have read, I just wondered how other people felt about something they were looking forward to and were excited about makes them feel ill with butterflies in the stomach and lumps in the throat.... The feelings of excitement and anxiety are so similar it stops me looking forward to things and makes me feel panicky

Hey there, felt I had to reply with my sympathies. You aren't alone.

DH & I were meant to be hosting xmas this year (DH has just gone back to work after a long absence due to a medical condition, so worthy of a celebration), DM&F are going away straight after xmas so we invited them and dsis family here (for only the 2nd time in 13 years). The whole idea of having to get the house ready and shop and stuff, while DH was merrily working, added to the DCs all being poorly in varying ways left me wanting to crawl under the duvet and howl. DM has taken over at my feeble request

I do find with any social-type occasion, the effort involved inpreparation leaves me feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope, and feeling it would be easier not to bother.

The butterflies, tight chest, fuzzy limbs thing is horrible.

I hope you )(and I) enjoy christmas once it gets here. x.

aww thank you.....worse thing is rational "me" looks at "me" and goes why are you feeling like this, enjoy life.....ho hum...hope you have a nice Christmas

I have had panic disorder and generalized anxiety for 13 years and can quite honestly say in all that time I have never recognised the feelings of excitedness just anxiety.
When your anxious do you get fidgity and agitated - I'm dreading having to sit at the table and try and be still it almost kills me.

I'm the opposite......I just want to sit and panic in a corner and be left alone.... Mentally slaps self around the chops and says sternly pull yourself together

duffy same here if only it was that easy to pull our selves together.
am anxious right now with thinking all i have to do b4 i can go to bed .
i want tomorrow to go quickly

Could this be related to your expectations?
Are you thinking 'it will be awful if / when X happens' rather than 'It will be fabulous if / when X happens'
I have Anxiety Disorder too but I love Xmas, saying that I am famed for my night time panicking so all that can change after 9pm at night!

XXX

it's also a ridiculous amount of pressure to have a good time and be happy which immediately gets my anxious self's knickers in a twist... forced pleasure is a nightmare to me and can induce panic.

Yes I agree!
Also this ideal of a 'Family Christmas.'
Very few of us have the 'Happy Family' ideal, especially when it comes to parents / in laws / partners family. So all those family stresses and strains too - and what if you're doing Xmas dinner? Judge-tastic!

yup-

what are you wearing at christmas? what are you cooking? how do you cook it? what are you buying the children? what do you do on christmas eve? when do you open the presents? how do you wrap your presents? have a lovely christmas! did you have a nice christmas? what did you get? what did your kids get? what did your husband get? what did you do? aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarg

I thought it was only us!

Both dm and ds dread opening presents, etc. Birthdays the same. Family Christmasses were tense to say the least. Dh becomes extremely irritable and have never found out what his childhood experiences were.

Some years I feel willing to give the whole Christmas thing a go, some not. Sadly, Christmas stress is not noticably reduced by simply not having Christmas. Christmas WILL get you!