Struggling in lockdown?

[nianxiousguy]

I had been doing really well, my anxiety had gone completely for over a month, I was pretty sure I was on the mend. Then last week my work closed down due to this virus, for the first day or two everything was fine, but gradually as the days progress I have been getting worse. I try to have a routine, I get up at same time, go to bed same time, I get out and exercise but it feels like I am just going through the motions with nothing to look forward to. I miss the routine of work, getting out and talking to colleagues, I just feel trapped I guess with no escape in sight, cabin fever I guess you'd call it. My anxiety is again reappearing. Lack of freedom is hard. I think its just being at home most of the time with nothing really to do is the difficult part. I have already done all the jobs that needed doing, Netflix and TV is a no go as when I am anxious I can't concentrate. The only thing that really shifts me is getting engrossed in my work.

Anyone else struggling?

[venusbluejeans]

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your post was moved from its original place to a sub-forum that is more relevant to your problem.

This is nothing personal - it just enables us to keep posts about the same problems in the relevant forums so other members with any experience with the issues can find them more easily.

Emmz

[ErinKC]

I am really struggling, too. I am a freelance writer and a law student. I have a 5 year old who was in kindergarten until March 11 when the schools shut down. My husband has also been working from home since March 13. I haven't gone beyond a walk around my block for 19 days now and I'm really losing it.

Even though I've always worked "from home," I almost never worked AT home. I am having and absolutely awful time trying to focus on anything. I have to do work, school work, go to remote classes two evenings a week, and teach my daughter. My husband is also having a horrible time focusing on his work, so we both end up so stressed by the end of the day/week and everyone is always yelling.

Also, I'm just feeling sad. I'm an extrovert and I miss people terribly. Law school was the first thing I'd done for myself in 5 years since my daughter was born and I quit my job to be a stay at home mom. It was SO incredibly energizing and enlivening. It completely eliminated my anxiety. Now, I'm back stuck in my house 24 hours a day, which is the worst thing for my mental health. I feel like I'm doing a bad job at every aspect of my life right now - work, school, and parenting. We are trying so hard to create a schedule that works for everyone, but it's just not happening.

Plus, I have huge, symptomatic fibroids that cause me pain almost every day. I have a hysterectomy scheduled for May 13, that probably won't be happening now. So, on top of everything I am worried about how much more the fibroids will grow between now and when I finally have surgery, if something bad will happen with them before that/during this (9 years ago I had emergency surgery because of them), etc... It took me years to work up the nerve to schedule the surgery and now this. It's a lot. It's too much.

To make a long story short: You aren't alone. I think we're all struggling in our own ways with this. It's unprecedented.