Coping with a really bad day

[Fay13]

How does everyone deal with a really really awful day?

I woke up this morning feeling horrendous, so anxious and panicky and barely made it in to work. Convinced myself that a) it was important to go because it was important not to give in to the anxiety and b) I would probably start feeling better once I was there.

That hasn’t happened, I’ve been on edge and almost tearful all day. When I get really anxious like this, I can’t concentrate, can barely eat and I feel paralysed. Not literally, but I think at work I’ve got into my head that my desk is my “safe space” and I find it hard to get up when I’m like this. For example, I have two documents on my desk that I need to scan. The scanner is 20m from my desk, but I can’t do it. I don’t have social anxiety, I’m not worried about people looking at me. I just can’t bear the idea of moving and its completely illogical!

I feel like I have techniques for stopping a panic attack, but I don’t know how to reduce this high level of anxiety, that feels like I am on the cusp of a panic attack and just isn’t letting up at all.

[SLA]

The things I do on anxious days:

Don't beat myself up and make it worse by wishing I didn't feel anxious.
Go for a walk at lunch. Take regularly 5 minute breaks.
Just surrender to it... do not try and fight it. Somedays we just feel off.

Relax your arms, shoulders and neck, and just let it all go for a few minutes.

[KarloShen]

The thing I would make you ask yourself is - What are the thoughts that are going trough your mind?

If it is not social anxiety and it is just the thoughts that hold you back (and with them the feeling that all of your body cells fight against you moving) you should analyze them and talk back to them.

For example a thought that might pop in your head:

I can't do anything!

Response for that thought

False, I can do a lot of things. I got up today, I went to the shower, I drove to work etc.

The important thing is that you WRITE THESE THOUGHTS AND RESPONSES!

Do it for every bad thought that pops in your head.

You could go even a step further.

Write down the emotion that you are feeling with that thought and a % of how strong it is. 0 beeing the least and 100% beeing the strongest. For example - powerlesness 80%. After you talk back to your thought write the percentage down again and how much it has reduced.

An important note is that you should believe what you write as a response 100%, it has to be true.

Another exercise is to split up the task in micro tasks

At this point you might be thinking - "Yeah, scanning papers is a micro task in itself"

But you can still split it up in smaller steps.

1. Pick up the paper
2. Get up from chair
3. Go to the scanner
4. Put the paper in
5. Press the scan button

It might seem silly, but this has helped me and others a ton of times. And when you're done with the task you will feel a lot better and even more empowered.

Spliting your day in these Super Micro tasks might seem like a lot of work and you might think that you won't get any work done in this way. But it is better to get 10% of your work done rather than 0%..

Good luck.

[NoraB]

How does everyone deal with a really really awful day?

I accept it for what it is and ramp up the relaxation exercises. Maybe drag the lurcher out for walkies but I just tell myself that, OK, I may be having a bad day today but it will pass. I've had good days before and I'll have them again. I find it best not to start with the negative self-talk like 'I'm NEVER going to get better'. It's not helpful and just adds to the anxiety.

[Fishmanpa]

How does everyone deal with a really really awful day?

Xanax, play my guitar or listen to some music, early bedtime and a good night's sleep ;)

Positive thoughts

[Jacqueline7]

Iv accepted this is a bad day but my god when the adrenaline is so strong how to aAccept seemingly unbearable

It's so so hard not to despair.

Jacqueline

[georgewing]

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