Ive isolated myself from everyone

[AussieWorrier]

Hi all
Im really struggling with anxiety and depression. I have literally isolated myself from my family, i have NO freinds and all I do is worry about everything mostly my health and the future (Im healthy btw but have severe health anxiety). We booked a holiday to France for October and Im on the verge of a nervous breakdown just thinking of having to endure loooong flights (Im in Australia) and just not knowing what will happen there ...I just want to cancel everything but my husband (whos very patient with me) will not hear of it ..in fact he wants to force me to travel to break this anxiety cycle and fear of everything. I dont know what to do ...any suggestions?

[Dave1]

When I was went on a long distant holiday (the opposite way to you in fact) I did a short, closer 'practice' holiday first.

[snowghost57]

Live in the NOW. Its all we have!

[MattZion]

Hi AussieWorrier,

I wasn't able to go to newyork 6 weeks ago because of my latest episode of anxiety attacks and it was horrible I totally understand the struggle.

Before this when I used to go on holiday with Anxiety the travel was the hardest part for me but I did have ways of dealing with it. First thing I did was organisation, getting there before the crowds helped me so much more. Get your partner to sort all the passports tickets and all that stuff out so its not even a thought in your mind. I broke things up into small steps like right if I beat the travel to the airport without dying then I can do the security line and if I can do that I can get a nice book to read and so on.

Once you have made it to your destination and hotel room take 5/10 mins out to really reflex and relax and get into your own happy place we anxiety suffers have. Then the next thing is to enjoy your holiday and if you do have a wobble have a happy place ready so you can get your thoughts together and tackle another challenge!.

I know you can do this we all on here know you can do this and we are here to support you!

I want to go to France you lucky so and so and its only a couple of hours away haha but I hope you have the best time!

Take care

matt

[Dave1]

Start reading a novel, then when you get hooked by it and can't put it down - stop reading it. Wait till you're on the plane to resume reading it.

[Darksky]

^^^^ that's actually a very good idea. My problem would be avoiding the sneaky peak

[MariosK39]

Hi all
Im really struggling with anxiety and depression. I have literally isolated myself from my family, i have NO freinds and all I do is worry about everything mostly my health and the future (Im healthy btw but have severe health anxiety). We booked a holiday to France for October and Im on the verge of a nervous breakdown just thinking of having to endure loooong flights (Im in Australia) and just not knowing what will happen there ...I just want to cancel everything but my husband (whos very patient with me) will not hear of it ..in fact he wants to force me to travel to break this anxiety cycle and fear of everything. I dont know what to do ...any suggestions?

I guess I'm looking for ideas on how to move on from this pain. The past is the past and I can't change it, maybe just re-frame it and move forward. I don't want this feeling of inferiority to other people's social lives continue to cause me anxiety, yearning, and sadness. Do people here have similar experiences? Thanks everyone.[/QUOTE]

I really feel sorry you feel that way. Let me tell you my own story in dealing with similar feelings to the ones you experience.

Background: Workaholic. "Diseased", some would say. Obssessed. OCD. I've heard it all. I wasn't always like that - I gradually grew into this, as I was getting older and realized extraordinairy results required extraordinairy effort. Naturally, I started isolating myself from friends who were oriented towards partying, sex, drugs and all sorts of fun. I'd like to think it was my own decision, but in truth, it happened slowly, organically. We just stopped having as many commonalities as we used to.

It came to the point where I would only see my girlfriend. I was completely isolated, except her. I felt weird, at times. Had I become completely socially retarded? Why wasn't anyone looking for me anymore? My phone would hardly ring, ever. I started questioning my life decision. Was it really worth it, the grind, the struggle?

Eventually, I came to realise it was. After I started being considerably more successful than I was when I started. It took me a long, long time till I felt this way but honestly, if I were to go back I would do it again. My advice for you is this: Accept who you are. Give yourself permission to love your quirks and flaws. You are in this world for a different reason than allowing yourself to be consumed by anxiety, let alone guilt over your anxiety. You are not "isolated". You are being you.

I really hope you get better, girl! Please, read this article: http://ohealthyeah.com/anxiety/

It has some EXCELLENT tips on dealing with anxiety and its following depression. I urge you to give extra emphasis on the nutritional factor. We are, to put it simply, our biology. If our body suffers, our mind suffers.

I hope this helps.