Is it because I'm tired?

[Elle-Kay]

My anxiety has definitely gone up today. Not to the same degree it was a month or two ago, but I have had that edgy, on the cusp of panic feeling, especially this afternoon.

I've been making a point of getting on with my normal day like it says in CBT4Panic, and even pushed myself a step by eating a cooked breakfast in the supermarket cafe (which I actually felt 90% fine about).

I'm worried that I've sort of "brought it on myself" because when I was out at the dance group event in town at lunchtime I'd been having smallish anxiety spikes and had managed to ride through them, but when I got a bigger one (to the degree that I would actually call it a mini panic, as I had the physical as well as mental symptoms) I did make a dash to get back to the car as soon as I could, rather than staying rooted and riding it out where I was. Once I'd realised this I did make a point of making myself walk slowly and calmly back to the car, so I didn't leave the car park in a panic, but I wonder if I was too late, and if I've set myself back a notch by not riding out the panic? Or if all this is just because I'm tired? Or if the reason isn't really important even?!

[xxcessxx]

If your tired I can make the panic worse it does mine but you did the right thing. Sometimes things can just get to much x

[AuntieMoosie]

Hello Elle :)

Yes I think you're right, I know that I seem to get more panicy if I'm tired. I think if our brains feel fuzzy from tiredness, it's makes us not feel too good and then I think that that, in turn, makes our panic rise.

You're doing so well hun, I know just how hard it is cos I'm doing it myself. I too the other day took the easy way out!! lol.....instead of going to my local shops which get quite busy, I opted for some other shops where I knew it wouldn't be busy. I too, kicked myself afterwards, I thought "blow it! I did some of my old safety behaviour there"!!

I think it's a natural process though, we're not going to get it 100% right every time and it really doesn't matter, we can still learn from that experience.

Elle you haven't knocked yourself back at all hun, just put it down to a learning experience. When we're learning something new, just like kids at school really, we're going to sometimes get it wrong but we will go on to learn from that, so really it still makes it a positive thing.

I think you did great when you calmly walked back to your car :) I know what it's like to want to make a mad dash for it!! It's just our safety behaviour kicking in again.

Don't be hard on yourself, you've done a lot in the last few days and you've done great :yesyes:

Keep going hun, I know we're going to get there :yesyes:

[Doddsy]

I would love to just ride it out but my anxiety makes me feel so sick that I have to stop what I'm doing and sick down and treat it like I have some sort of stomach bug, it's ruining my life :-(

[Annie0904]

You have done so much this week, I am sure it is because your tired. Anxiety is always worse when I am tired. How are you feeling this morning? Maybe you need a day of rest today :)

[Tufty]

My anxiety is definately worse when I'm tired or ill Elle-Kay. It sounds like you're doing great and I don't believe you've set yourself back by leaving and walking slowly back to the car. You recognised the panic, which had been building all day and you'd coped well with, and on that occasion it was too much for you. That's OK, don't push yourself too hard - it's slowly, slowly all the way, celebrate your achievements and never punish yourself if you feel something is too much on a particular day. You can always practice it again when you're feeling stronger.
Sometimes my anxiety seems to come from no where, I'm not tired, ill or in an anxiety provoking situation and I don't think the reason for the increase in anxiety is important. You can't always change the cause, especially if you don't know the reason just accept it and face it the best you can.
Try to have a restful day today and 'practice' again tomorrow if you feel up to it
Sam x

[Tessar]

Elle-Kay - There's no doubt that being tired contributes to how you feel. A hard week & feeling tired will often make me very tearful & so I find it much harder to deal with things then. From what I've read here, you've been doing alot & all good positive stuff. That does take it's toll & it's hard work sticking to it. So its definitely going to make you more likely to feel stressed.
My belief is that you actually handled a difficult situation very well. Ok, so you made a dash back towards the safety of your car but then instead of just following automatic behaviour, you had the presence of mind to walk slowly and calmly back to your car. As you say yourself you didn't leave the car park in a panic. I really dont think you've set yourself back a notch. Sometimes these things happen. My experience has been that it can be a few steps forward & one back. It happens. But you arent back at square one, you proved that in how you dealt with it. I think you did really well and can feel very good about the achievement under lots of pressure.

[kittikat]

I agree, you dealt with it really well Elle-Kay, don't be too hard on yourself. Tiredness and also times when you have a lot going on can definitely contribute to your anxiety.

Put your feet up and have a relaxing 'me' day today if you can. I hope you feel better. Kitti :hugs: x

[Elle-Kay]

I do feel a bit brighter & more capable today, though still with a bit of that edgy feeling lingering around. I've started coming down with a migraine today, and I wonder if that is/was feeding into the heightened anxiety yesterday too, as my herbalist says that they're both generated by the same imbalance within me as a whole.

I've had a busy morning again, with washing, cleaning, seeing to the pets etc. and now my sister wants me to go to the shop with her, but I will try to have a restful evening at least, lol (perhaps I'd better make tomorrow "my" Sunday, when everyone else is out at work :winks:)

[Annie0904]

Sounds like a good idea to make tomorrow your Sunday Leah...I may do the same :)

---------- Post added at 15:16 ---------- Previous post was at 15:15 ----------

Oh and just in case Fozzy reads this...shall we have Yorkshire pudding?

[Elle-Kay]

I've just had a call from my parents to say that the Yorkshire puddings are in the oven, which is my cue to set off for their house for Sunday lunch :D

[Annie0904]

We are busy lazy today and made a big beef casserole yesterday so having that today. Enjoy your Yorkshire puds Leah :)