How do you know your having a breakdown?

[Festivepussy]

At the moment I feel sort of distanced from everything. Noises are too loud, if theres more than the telly on and someone talking I could happily scream "Shut Up" till the noise shuts up.
Im swearing like a trooper. Things To Do are building up and to think about what needs to be done is too much to bear but im slowly working through the pile about 7 days behind...
Im still funtioning, but only because I have to...is this a breakdown?
Or is it because its nearly Xmas and theres too much on my plate?

Going to pick ds1 up from nursery now - even that's stressful getting ds2 and ds3 out of bed to go out in the freezing cold for a 10 min round trip to nursery.

Then it's another afternoon of ds1 and ds2 arguing over what DVD to have on or who is having the thomas train and who's having henry...while I try and get jobs done. Maybe I'll let it go this afternoon and just play with the trains with them!

arhghghghgh

I did think of doing two sets this year...so i could just get out the spare set next year, but i have just done the photos/kids drawings/hi how are you we are fine ones so far. the rest...neighbours etc will be a doddle in comparison.

Yep I am trying to chill out and lay watching dvds with the kids as brain recooperating exercise...i better go too. xx

Oh look, chuck the Christmas card writing if it getting on top of you! If anyone dumps you because you haven't written a card, they weren't worth knowing anyway. You can always claim you sent them but they got lost in the post. Your sanity is more important than sending some cards. What else is on your list FP which we can dispose of?

well exactly. I think it is important to lower your expectations of yourself. It's often the people who feel they have to do everything (and do it all perfectly) who end up feeling the most stressed.

Internet shopping has been my saviour since having DS. He hates shopping (just like his dad) and I work full time so sorting presents would be an utter nightmare without the internet.

Haven't got the hang of internet grocery shopping yet but I keep trying it as late night trips to my local Tesco's - thankfully 24hr! - are pretty tiresome and eat into what little time I have.

Friends of mine produce a family newsletter with photos etc...twice a year & post it to everyone. This replaces cards, letters & emails so does save them time overall and it's always fun to read.

And my final time saving tip for Christmas is; if at all possible invite yourself out to other peoples homes for Christmas day & Boxing day (and as many days between xmas & New Year as possible!) Then they have to cook, shop, decorate their homes etc...while you don't have to. I know it's cheeky but it's saved me from Christmas for the last 3 years and if I have to offer to do the washing up afterwards, so be it

I've been thinking about this as I seriously think I'm on the verge or have stepped over it. I find it hard to deal with little annoyances and find myself bitching and snapping about almost everything.

I can't bear the thought of going back to work for my current employers after Christmas (currently off with stress due to the awful way they're treating me).

I burst into tears over small things and am questioning my own abilities all the time. I want to curl up in a ball and hide most days.

galaxy

IKWYM

Have you been to see your GP - doh, of course you have as you're off work. Has he suggested anything other than time off ? Your symptoms sound like mine were before I owned up to postnatal depression. Sorry, I don't want to upset you However, knowing & admitting that this is how you feel is actually a positive step. Once you and others know how you're feeling, the triggers can be addressed. Goodness I sound like a preacher - very, very sorry I'll shut up now before I annoy you all...

Message withdrawn

Hi again folks, managed to dispose of one of my dds to my mums which means I dont have to rush out the door tommorow as im off work too so that will be nice and even better im having my once a year hairdressing appointment for a perm so I will get to sit for a couple of hours with noone talking to me and nothing to do...Bliss.
Tonight my legs just wanted to buckle when I was doing dinner. it was too much effort. I mentioned how I was feeling to my best friend, shes had PND and I dont think shes ever quite recovered, but she said she didnt identify with what I was saying...and i thought if anyone would it would be her.
Depression and breaking down different then?
Hows everyone elses day been?

Mine not too bad FP. TBH, I let the jobs go a bit and sat down more with the ds's and I found ds2 behaved much better and I felt better for not trying to rush around so much. Also got another couple of presents sorted from CD-WOW and wrote a few more cards so getting somewhere with my 'to do' list. TBH, I go up and down - I have good days and then really horrific days like I had yesterday.

IMO, they are different - I've been depressed but it didn't feel like this - not that I'm having a breakdown but ykwim. Depression was like lethargy, total lack of interest, no appetite, 'flat' where this is like anxiety, tension, stress, can't do everything, HELP!

Yep this is the latter one..Exhausting it is too, but i cant sleep...ARRGGHHH.
Got upstairs tidy leaving downstairs as it is.

FP hope you are feeling more relaxed today. Did the trip to the hairdressers calm you down a bit? I keep meaning to make an appt to have my hair done, but it is not easy as I still have one little one (ie not at school). Oh well, have to leave it another month or two!

It definitely sounds as though you are stressed rather than depressed. That is good news I would think as it is easier to lessen your load than it is to shake off depression. I am sure you will feel better in January.

Still plodding on...the hairdressers was a bit dodgy as I took a book but my concentration is so low I couldnt even read a paragraph without drifting so I thought id give up and let my mind wander instead of getting in a stress over not being able to read IYKWIM.
Hairs good...look like Bob Marley now
GDG hows your to do list looking?
I am finding by giving myself a choice of like 5 things to do with a goal of 2 to definetly do I am having a choice over what to do and today I done 3 of the things so that was a boost you know?
I think the day i posted this I got 1 done...a few parcels wrapped and the rest of the stuff was just swirling round my head..
My kids have been good the past couple of days. I have had a couple of fits at them because they have been just stupidly irritating and frustrating and doing things there is no need to be doing like throwing hour long temper tantrums over a drink of water...that they now know, I think, that I can only take so much.
So 2 days of no silly arguing and bickering and whinging has been lovely.
Lonelymum is that you behind that huge long name I have to copy and paste;)

Not too bad a day today FP - actually, your post the other day and my reply has really helped me as I've made a real effort to chill out a bit. Do jobs more slowly and spend a bit more time sitting down with the kids for a bit which has had an amazing effect on their behaviour. They like having a bit of mummy time and then if I wander to do something for a just a bit they don't mind as much.

I too have just set a couple of things to achieve each day so you feel good that you focus on what you've done rather than what you haven't. I knew today I needed to get x amount of work done (my freelance stuff) and could either finish off Xmas cards or tackle ironing pile (and whichever I didn't do today, I'd do tomorrow). So did the ironing and just finished working (yes at half bloody eleven!).

Also went to a friend's house this afternoon - our kids are the same age so they had a great time playing, we chatted and she even did their tea for them which they ate (a small miracle I can tell you!) and meant that when I got in I didn't need to start thinking about cooking.

Tomorrow I've got to finish my Xmas cards, friend is coming over here in the afternoon so hopefully kids won't be hassling me! Got a girls night out tomorrow so I know I won't get any work done so I'm not going to stress.

Still had a couple of moments today where I thought 'arrghgh, still got x, y and z' to do', plus got an email from CD-WOW telling my dh's present was delayed which I can do without but again, I've told myself I'll just tell him it's delayed and not try to run around next week finding a replacement gift.

Waffled on I know but it's really helping me gain a bit of perspective.

Glad you are feeling a bit better too - keep posting!

BIG BIG HUGS fp. i agree with something someone else said about recognising your situation and knowing your limits. If you think it may be about xmas, then let go. you don't need to do anything you don't want to and you're always telling me to ignore anything anyone else thinks/says! this is a time for you, dp and your dds and not for anyone else. i think it's great that you have been able to talk to dp and that he's listened to you and acted on it...you should continue to do this whenever you feel like it otherwise you'll just crumble and that's not the fp i've come to know. you are a strong, capable, caring person and if you need a break away from the everyday stuff, then you TAKE IT.

All those things you have piled up are just things, they are so not important compared to your health and well-being. Can your mum take care of the girls for a day?

and you've asked for it now, i'm gonna have to send you some magic potion for this...

Yes FP, it's Lonelymum here. Who are you when it is not Christmas? Glad you sound a bit more on top of things now. Don't worry about giving your kids a good bollocking occasionally. I do mine too! I think they need to know you are not just a mum but a person in your own right who has good and bad days and stresses and worries they know nothing about.

Im charliecat when its not Xmas, just posted on your other thread.
Cant believe Xmas is so near myself, feels like a cold september day to me. Theres not a sprinkle of festiveness here!
Oh and thanks Mink..xxxxxxxxxxx

FP - how goes it today?

Not festive? Have you no tree up or anything? Take the kids out for a walk when it gets dark and go and 'light spot' around the houses! Mine loved it the other night.

OK againt today for me as I've again, only done what I set out to do so although all the upstairs needs hoovering and tidying, I've left it cos I've done downstairs.

Hugs to you - hope you're OK. x

I thought about taking the kids out to see the lights...I just havent quite got there yet!!!! They would love it...AARRGGHHHH another thing on my to do list
Ok today, didnt have a to do for today and have done nothiong, but in a good way, nothing done but nothing mounting up either...actually the halls a bomb but ill dp that later...