so much i want to do!

[helenclaire]

I really want to be able to just get up on my days off and go places, but this damn anxiety wont let me.
Instead I wake up feeling too ill to go out, frightened I will be taken ill if I leave the house.
So today I will be hanging around the house worrying about the headache I have, feeling sick, dizzy etc etc when I would love to be out shopping, going for a walk, having lunch in a nice pub, is it really too much to ask?
Its so frustrating.
I know there are many of us in the same situation and I wish I could make everyone better but for now I cant seem to beat it.
I feel like I am wasting so much time worrying, I just want to get on and enjoy my life:weep:
Helen

[jayjoe18]

Ditto. I feel exactly the same Helen, it's horrible isn't it? It's not like we are asking for much, just to be able to go to the shops and enjoy it without panicking, just the little things that most people take for granted every day. Hopefully one day we can all get back to that.

[nomorepanic]

The only thing stopping you from doing these things is YOU and unless you try them you will never recover to be honest.

Just give it a go and you may even surprise yourself.

[PanicPod]

I can second that. Both the urge to want to get on with my life and not be dominated by anxiety and the advice from nomorepanic.
So today I did something about it and on Friday I start as a volunteer in a charity shop. I felt so much anxiety lift as I was shown round and made to feel so welcome.
For the first time in ages I am actually looking forward to planning doing something tomorrow. It is only walking the dog to the market to get some keys cut but it's a start.
Helenclaire, maybe your headache would have eased just going for a little walk in the fresh air. Just a short stroll and doing a bit of mindfulness thinking, taking in all the sights, sounds, smells and sensations around you. I do this every morning just in my garden and it is very helpful.

Jayjoe, is there something you would like to treat yourself to at the shops? Just one thing, bar of chocolate, magazine or book or a pair of shoes. Then why not focus on going to buy that 1 item, by yourself or with a friend and then come back home and enjoy your treat. Maybe you are putting too much expectation on yourself of wanting to go to the shops and do a lot of shopping. So many people do find busy shops quite stressful even if they don't suffer from anxiety.

Let us know how you get on and I will tell you how many treats I come home with from the charity shop on Friday. xYx

[Leem]

From my experience of something very similar is that you need to grit your teeth and go do something that you enjoy. Yeah, ok, when you do it you may not enjoy it this time but by exposing yourself to any situation enough you will get used to it and gradually your anxiety will get less and less.

This exact thing used to happen to me, I avoided situations because I THOUGHT I would not be able to handle it. Low and behold, I could and so can you :yesyes:. I couldn't bare to drive my car 4 months ago, literally shaking and sweating at the wheel, now I drive everywhere. Takes practice and staring down the demons (puppy dogs), then I promise you will get better if you keep at it.

In fact once I went out and did something, no matter what, I actually got a buzz out of it, even though I was anxious all the way through the activity.