Sudden Energy Drop Before Event

[Albert Couture]

Most of my problems revolve around fatigue (or tiredness -- whatever you may call it), and although I'm not convinced that anxiety is always the source of my fatigue, I have noticed that I experience a drop in energy during the time leading up to many events that require my participation.

Perhaps it's going out with a friend or going to work. I'll be getting ready to leave the house, then suddenly It'll feel like I've been shot with a tranquilizer dart! If I fight through it, and I usually have to, the tiredness will often lift to some degree.

This tiredness is not really like sleepiness (from lack of sleep), it's felt primarily in the chest and head. There's an unsettling, heavy feeling in the heart/chest (that is just sooo hard to explain to anyone!) and a tiredness that creeps up to my face and eyes, with a stuffy feeling enveloping my head. When it gets bad, my senses (hearing and vision mostly) seemingly operate fine, but everything gets distant. The whole experience is telling me to climb back into bed, even though doing the opposite is usually better for me.

I am very curious if anyone experiences what I do. My GP never tied my fatigue symptoms to an anxiety problem, perhaps because the classic anxiety symptoms did not arrive until much later. Now that I'm aware of this connection, I'm hoping that treating my anxiety will help my fatigue. I would greatly appreciate your thoughts on this matter! :)

[jill]

Hi hun :D:hugs:

As you know with anxiety I feel an explantion maybe in order first. YES, I HAVE HAD THIS, ALL MY LIFE.

I am not sure, if its the same as yours, maybe because this is the only symptom I have not looked into, inside out and back to front so to speak, when I first joined this great site, (suffering pa,#s, high anxiety) I like you said, YES, its an anxiety symptom, if I treat the anxiety this symptom will go AND do you know what, its much better, better than its EVER been, not gone alltogether, but I NEVER expected it to go alltoghter, straight away. I new this one would take a hell of alot more time. after all, the reasons for my pa's anxiety are a habit of a lifetime, so alot more time is needed, I feel.

I am, because of this great site, panic, high anxiety free, but not free of some issues, will not go into that right now. My issues are those I can fix, with hard work and time.

So, back to the tierdness, fatigue or, as I called them, Zaps of tierdness, sooo overwhelming, very hard to explane, something I have lived with because, even as a child a gp, telling my Mum, OH, she is just ment to be this way, My mum took me to gp on a number of occations, with the same answer, after test, she is just ment to be this way. When you are told this, you learn to live with it, you live around it, you stop complaining, you stop, talking about it, you learn to push, you even learn to give in to this feeling, you learn JUST TO COPE, because you have no choice or YOU FEEL you have no choice.

Even in my family it was a joke, ohhhh she could sleep on a washing line, this was given to me because of the times I gave into it and slept, ohhhh soooo tired, BUT, not tierd, if you know what I mean?

Little did I know, it WAS anxiety related, well it was for me. I am 44 years young now LOL but I am only just learning how to deal with this problem, well, the anxiety which was causing the problem

**This tiredness is not really like sleepiness (from lack of sleep**

Yes, I would say it felt like this, you could have a good nights sleep and BAM it still happens.

**There's an unsettling, heavy feeling in the heart/chest (that is just sooo hard to explain to anyone!) and a tiredness that creeps up to my face and eyes, with a stuffy feeling enveloping my head. When it gets bad, my senses (hearing and vision mostly) seemingly operate fine, but everything gets distant**

Hun, I cannot say how I feel when it happens to me, I have learned over the years to switch off to how I feel, NOT, think to deep on how I feel, this always seemed to feed it and make me worse, so I learned to swich off and try dame hard to just get on with things, even when I suffered pa's, anxiety, this symptom was the least of my worries, if you know and understand, panic, anxiety, you will know, that panic, high anxiety, will tarrget what we fear the most, I had, had this all my life, so I did not fear this, Mr P, Mrs A had other horrors for me to contend with.

I will however, IF, it happens again, I can allow myself what if's, these days, as long as the what if's are followed my positive thoughts, I will, if it happens next time, try dame hard to analize just how I feel, if you know about programming, you will know, its dame hard to re programme your thoughts, over the years I have progammed my mind to switch off to this when it happens, so I am not sure if I can, if I will allow myself to notice things if it happens, ohhh do you know what I mean, WELL, I will give it ago and see if I feel what you are feeling. Blimey, anxiety is a pain in the but, is'nt it? I start my postive thinking when this comes on, ohh you know, it will go, it will pass, it will not last long, carry on doing what I am doing, push as much positive thinking in my head as I can. It always goes these days, it passes even quicker now, yeeaaaa, LOL me thinks this is progress.

**I have noticed that I experience a drop in energy during the time leading up to many events that require my participation. **

This happend to me alot, still does from time to time, I can, make it go, by just doing, just going, allthough sometimes it stays with me for longer, it depends on what I am doing at the time, BUT for me, I know why this happens, I had, (note the word HAD hehe, me being postive) low self asteam and lacked ohh a hell of alot of confidance, been working hard on this, so my Zaps of tierdness, I just eccept, I DO NOT expect it to happen, just eccept it if it does, BUT, DON'T expcet it to last for long.

I do know however, that it was at its worse, the months before panic and high anxiety happened, will not go into that, may contain triggers, BUT when I started to address the panic, anxiety, the casue of my first pa, high anxiety, when I learned things this great site tought me, this symptom, got less and less, EVEN better than its ever been throughout my hole life.

The mind IS a powerfull thing, don't underestmate, just what it can do, my way of thinking at the time of joining this great site, my mind got me into this mess, sooo it can allso get me out of it too.

On the onset of my panic, high anxiety, I did have test done to rule out other things, bloods done heart checked, you know, all the normal things, I was, a healthy fit person. Mmmm, but trying to convice myself at the time was soooooo dame hard.

So hun, your tierdness you have pinpointed down to when you go out, do you feel you have any problems in this area, eg, lack confidance, low self asteam or any other problems, mmmm, its dame hard knowing just whats triggering anxiety, you have to take a BIG step back and look at yourself, analize things, do you know what I mean? get to know yourself.

Not sure if I have been of any help, but I do feel for you hun, this IS NOT nice to go through, but YOU try and STAY positive hun, learn to deal with your anxiety AND you may get out of it what I have and that is FEELING BETTER.

TAKE CARE


LOVE JILLXXX

[Albert Couture]

Hi Jill,

Firstly, thanks for the awesome reply! I am trying to gain knowledge here, and your post is full of interesting information.

Like you, all my tests came back normal, and I’m physically a very capable person. When I push myself, I usually perform at a level where other people do not suspect I have a major problem with fatigue. Even best friends and family members don’t take my problems seriously, but I am also an expert at hiding these symptoms, so I’m hardly pointing a finger at anyone.

For about 6 years, I did what you do. I blocked the self-talk about my tiredness and got a fair amount of living done. I did such a good job that I pretty much convinced myself that I was just a somewhat lazy/reluctant person and that I didn’t have a real problem. But eventually the fatigue got worse and the anxiety symptoms developed. So here I am, thinking a lot about this problem and experiencing new lows with the fatigue/anxiety!

This coping attitude that you have adopted really makes sense to me. A short time ago, I realized that I could get stung by the tiredness Zapper at any time. Worrying about it and trying to fight it off when it happens only seems to feed it. I am still working on my coping techniques, but I’m glad you’ve found something that works.

Concerning triggers, this has been the most interesting topic for me. I know that some situations will reliably increase my fatigue and produce classic anxiety symptoms. These revolve around situations where I may be judged in a social manner, and also general anxiety provoking situations. And it’s not that I didn’t feel anxious in these situations before, it’s just that my physical response to them is much, much greater now. But such circumstances are not (currently) daily events, and I still feel fatigued and have these unsettling chest sensations perhaps 90% of the time. On bad days, I will wake up feeling like I’ve been drugged -– heavy and sluggish -– and I ask myself, if this is anxiety, why don’t I feel anxious right now?

On the other side of things, when I feel normal, or close to normal, it brings me great hope. I think, what has changed recently that has allowed me to feel good again? Something I ate? A change of location? A state of mind? Unfortunately, I haven’t quite nailed this down. I do know that when I discovered that I had an anxiety problem -- and not some undetected and potentially fatal heart condition -- my fatigue and anxiety diminished greatly. The recovery was only temporary, but it highlighted the mental aspect of the illness. I also tend to feel much better when I’m traveling abroad, even though I’m a nervous wreck when traveling to distant lands. Somehow, the challenges of the situation will override my usual symptoms. Finally, exercise has been the only regular remedy for my fatigue. Vigorous and sustained cardio exercise will often snap me out of my spacey/fatigue state. Perhaps this is similar to how I feel when I’m vacationing –- distracted and occupied. Unfortunately, the effect is only short lived, and many important things (work, school, socializing) take place in situations where I can’t be on a treadmill and sweating profusely!

Jill, I’m glad that treating your anxiety has improved your energy levels. With any luck, I will experience similar results. Your advice to search deep for possible triggers is wise, and I’m eager to get real honest with myself and look at things objectively and positively once more!

Thanks for you help!

[jill]

Hi Albert :D:hugs:

Its good to hear I have been of some help :D


***I am trying to gain knowledge***

I believe that knowledge is power, BUT, its hard to eplain just what type of knowledge that is needed, its not only learning about panic, anxiety and all its syptoms, but its learning how our minds work,learning about progamming, learning about, learned behavour, learning about your own personality, learning about, how you think, what thoughts fuels your anxiety, what thoughts help promote a good feeling, learning, what works, FOR YOU, learning other peoples anxiety, learning about other peoples personalitys, learning about that anxiety touches everyone at some point in there life. Learning to show yourself, YOU CAN get better, reading post threads ANYTHING AT ALL, that shows you people can get better, ohhh and a hole lot of other things too. If you can show yourself and believe you CAN get better, this is most important tool in your anxiety Box, it sets a good foundation for you to work from, so hun, get that knowledge, believe, YOU CAN, SEE yourself better.


***I will wake up feeling like I’ve been drugged -– heavy and sluggish -– and I ask myself, if this is anxiety, why don’t I feel anxious right now?**

Ohhh boy, have I had this feeling, I would explain it like I have a night out drinking, BUT, with no alcahol, this one for me MAY still happen,but not that often, mainly when I have a few late nights or there is something stressfull going on in my life. I feel for me when this happens, my mind is telling me there is something I NEED to address, but I have got it down to lasting 5 mins at the most, this is the time, I get up, feel like Sh*t and go to town on my kitchen, tidy everything, keeping busy works for me, do something, get out, DON'T dwell on it, eccept it, DON'T fight it, BUT, DON'T expect it to last for long.

If you know and learn about anxiety, you will learn to understand that sometime your progamming is sooo strong, it takes awhile for you to re programme and what happens is, sometimes its just an automatic response, this automaitc response with tierdness, MAY happen when I am going out for drinks with hubby and friends, BUT NOT all the time these days, sooo me thinks what I am doing is working (working on my self asteam, confidance) yeeaaa LOL After all, as I said, I am changing habits of a lifetime here, so I know its going to take time, little bits at a time, BUT I can see and feel its working. Turning off an auto response is NOT EASY, like with flying, ( HAY, I like flying) had my first pa in an airport ohh boy, the rest on the plane, high levels of anxiety and panic, for 4 hours, it took me 4 years to shut this respone down. Doing it myself with exposure thearpy, NOT boarding a plane, but going to the airport, sittting, it the airport, going and seeing them take off over my head, thinking positive thoughts, wanting soooo much be on the plane going somewhere instead of standing looking at them. I new, I had to WANT to do, not for anyone else, BUT FOR ME. (will not go into that LOL) I went on a plane, been on a few over the years, but NEVER without some form of anxiety, BUT this years, yeee haaa, noo anx, noo panic, yay, go me LOL

From what I have read, you are looking in the right direction, your thoughts are NOT JUST negative about your situation, BUT YOU ARE looking at the positive side to this too, YOU CAN see when you feel well, YOU NOTICE when and where this happens, this will stand you in good steed, this will show you the way, to getting better.

I know for me, I was on this site, every day, me thinks, LOL for the first 2 years, ( I am been a memeber for mmm 4 years me thinks) not posting about myself much, cos of my lack of confidance, but reading, gaining knowledge. Reading ANYTHING, I could get my hands on, even looking for things on the TV regarding the mind how it works, or anything to do with panic, anxiety. I did feel quilty for doing this, but had a chat with my sis and mum,(they were my rock) they said at the time. "is it helping" I said "yes" they said " keep doing keep searching" I did however had to back off for awhile, becasue it became clear to me that anxiety was taking over my life, not my symptoms, BUT, wanting to know more and more. That was the time I came to understand that, allthough you NEED knowledge, YOU HAVE to take a break from talking, reading or anything to do with anxiety, and try to live a normal life for awhile, GET the balance so to speak.

Remember hun, eccept how you are FOR NOW, just eccept it, BUT, help yourself understand, THIS WILL NOT be forever, eccept, BUT DO NOT expect your anxietys to be there. Show yourself the times when they are NOT THERE, I feel your allready doing this AND THATS GREAT :yesyes:

**I do know that when I discovered that I had an anxiety problem -- and not some undetected and potentially fatal heart condition -- my fatigue and anxiety diminished greatly. The recovery was only temporary, but it highlighted the mental aspect of the illness.**

YES HUN, DON'T underestamate the power of your mind, your anxiety diminished greatly becasue a waight had been lifted, in your mind you felt that there was something more sinister, but what casued this illness may be still there OR the automatic response is still there, that is why it returned. I feel, you have gained even positive knowledge with this hun, you have noticed, JUST HOW it can switch on AND switch off, with thoughts, how its done, is yet to be learned, AND YOU WILL learn it.

I wish you all the best with your recovery, this site is such a great place to be, not only threads have great info, but the site alone has lots of great info too :yesyes: Nic, Alex, mods and memebers do a great job :yesyes:

Keep looking keep searching, keep positive, YOU WILL get there in the end.

YOU TAKE CARE

LOVE JILLXXX

[Albert Couture]

Jill,

It’s great to finally converse with someone who has had similar symptoms, especially concerning the fatigue, and the morning hangover feeling! But I hope I’m not digging up too much of the past for you. I’m ready to move right along and drop my old ways of thinking, and I know you’re in that boat as well.

Yes, I do see that I have an unbalanced ‘automatic response’ to certain anxiety-provoking situations, and perhaps my tiredness is no different, but working in a milder and more chronic fashion (although lately, not so mild!). My symptoms started off very gentle and vague while I was a teenager, and it took at least 8 years before the fatigue took a major dive and other symptoms began to manifest. So I understand what you mean by there not being an overnight cure for habits that were laid down so long ago.

Also, I’ve only just begun to realize that my symptoms do not correlate, 1-to-1, neat and tidy, to some of the triggers that affect me, and that a lot of these triggers are slightly below my normal awareness. Often, I can only see the causation in retrospect. But I guess I’m going to be better at spotting them now!

And this obsessing about symptoms and the disease itself, well, it is a good warning. Before I knew what to call my anxiety, I spent A LOT of time researching my symptoms, and at some point it was certainly unhealthy to fixate on only the worst aspects of my life for so long. The mind is quite a powerful magnifier of whatever it dwells upon.

So, it sounds like you have found a balance between passively accepting and actively trying to solve your problems. I wish to find this balance. It’s exhausting to fight, fight, fight, and yet napping the day away only makes things worse. I’ve been at both extremes, as it seems that I’m a trial-and-error type person. Swallowing my pride and heeding the advice of others is a bit new for me, but it’s obviously the smart thing to do.

Again, thanks for the insight. You seem to be a few steps ahead of me in your recovery, which is useful while I get my map and compass out :)

[jill]

Hi Albert :D:hugs:

**It’s great to finally converse with someone who has had similar symptoms, especially concerning the fatigue, and the morning hangover feeling! But I hope I’m not digging up too much of the past for you**

It is nice to talk to someone who understands a little, I always say, talking does help us move on a little.

It is ok digging up my past, after all, past is past, it cannot be changed, what is more important is the present and the future. I am fine with talking about anything now, even panic or any symptoms I have had or have, it does not bother me at all. I can even think about panic now and say, what if, what if it happens again or any syptoms and my thoughts go, oh well, if it does, it does, I will just deal with and dust myself off and start again. I feel I have knowledge and I feel knowledge is power.

I had my first holiday this year with nooooooo tierdness, no anx, no panic. (over years I have had some symptoms, before pa's high anxiety, it was the fatique,) ohh boy IT WAS GREAT :yesyes: I do know I can't go round the clock on hols, had no kids this year, so it was just me and hubby, so had an afternoon nap. I know for me, getting up at 8 and going around the clock till 2am in the monring is a no, no. So, on this occation, afternoon nap, is fine.

One thing I know about my own fatique, which I am still trying to work out, is. I can feel it come on at a time when I.m at home, have a nap, wake up feeling GREAT (don't do this all the time) but sometime I do this and BAM, I wake up worse, MORE fatique, so, me thinks, naps are out alltogether, just get a good nights sleep, (she says when it 1.30 in the morning hear LOL

Always happy to help if I can :hugs:

YOU TAKE CARE

WISHING YOU WELL

LOVE JILLXX

[Albert Couture]

Yes, I’ve noticed too that naps and extra sleep doesn’t always remedy my fatigue. But despite knowing this, I still hang on to the idea that napping is like recharging the batteries. I lie in bed convincing myself that an extra hour of doing nothing is somehow going to benefit me later; yet, many of my best days are marked by shorter sleep periods and no daytime napping. This is what I experience on holidays. But as you’ve noted, there are definite limits, and my energy reserves are still not comparable to ‘normal’ people.

I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed an excellent holiday! I want to travel in Dec/Jan, but this year was so rough (energy wise) I want to see how much I can improve my situation before I book tickets. Holidays are like a weird experiment for me. They are stressful, enjoyable, and somehow my tiredness improves. It baffles me.

And about your late night posting… I have become a major night owl. In fact, I worked nightshift a few years back and it was probably easier for me than working dayshift. I wonder if I simply feel more comfortable when the rest of the world is asleep?

Anyhow, it seems that part of my fatigue problem involves maintaining a normal sleep schedule. There have been times where I’ve been forced to wake up early for most of the week (for work or school), and this has usually resulted in afternoon napping, which means staying up late, later on. The problem is, when I wake up early and have a productive day the urge for a nap is very strong and forgoing it can result in zombie like behavior! So like you, I’m unsure about napping. I don’t know if and when it is necessary.

Do you ever take caffeine? Back when my symptoms were still mild and vague I would drink coffee. But now it can produce anxiety symptoms if I’m not careful, and it hasn’t the kick that it once did. I still drink it occasionally, and I drink tea in moderation. I also tried Modafinil (a stimulant), but it produced anxiety symptoms right away. Wish there was something out there, even for just a temporary fix.

Keep well,

-AC

[jill]

Hi AC :D:hugs:

I always thought that sleeping was to rest your body, but its not, its for resting your mind. If you think about it and you sleep to much, your mind is not being stimulated, your not working it, so, sleep to much would make you feel more tierd, but for poeple who suffer anxiety and with this symptom of fatigue, it is dame hard knowing, when it needs to rest and when it need stimulating.

I had a nap today, I did not feel the fatique, but just feel asleep anyway, felt fine when I woke up. So, what I am going to do is, if I feel the fatique, is just push through it, DON'T give into it, as I said, I don't get it half as much as I used to, but when it happens ohh boy, do I feel I need to give in, I still do give into it from time to time, cos its sooo hard not to, if I am in the house it hits really hard and I find it hard not to, if I am out and about, I have noo choice but to push through it, it always goes, but I feel now, its time to work a little harder and even if I am at home, get out, do somthing, don't give into it. Only ok, my naps, if I an just sitting there and feel what I call, normal sleepy. Blimey, watch this space LOL. You have to laught, otherwise you would cry, laughter is a medicine it helps us feel better.

I also though feel I need to eat heathy, my sis always says, feel good foods, you are what you eat, eat healthy feel healthy. I allso know that food is not ALL the answers for anxiety, but I find changing my eating habits sooo hard, this is something I need to work on. Because I feel sooo much better, I am not working on things as much as I should do.

I can drink coffee and tea AND alcahol, but in small amounts. Late nights, drinking alcahol early morning, going to work, or even going on hols after drinking alcahol the night before, is a NO NO, for me, this combanaiton, CAN be a trigger for me, ohhh boy, have I learned my lesson on that one.

What I have always tried to do, it was very hard when I was acute, was no matter what the anxiety symptom, even panic, was to try dame hard, AFTER is passed, to walk away with a positive thought, no matter how small the positive thougth was, but try dame hard to find one,

Like the tierdness, when it passed, it did not matter how long it lasted for, TAKE NOTE, IT DID PASS and prase myself, give myself a good old pat on the back for pushing through it, even if I gave into it and woke up feeling rubbish, tell myself its ok, I will make mistakes from time to time, after all, I am leanring all about this anxiety thing and its going to take time. Try dame hard NOT to focus on how horrific is was, mmmm, this was dame hard in the begining.

I feel, that doing this, helped me move on a little. There where lots of things that helped me move a little, but remembering them can be dame hard, its only when I read a threads it reminds me, or I talk to the person who I am a buddy for and I think, ohhh yes and give the advice.

I will leave it there for now, hun, I think I can hear, something calling me, hehe, my bed LOL :roflmao::wacko: I don't even feel tierd tonight, but I know, as sooonnn as my head hits the pillow ZZZZzzzzzz, mmm, but will just look around the fourms first LOL

You take care hun :hugs:

Wishing you well

LOVE JILLXXX

[Albert Couture]

Jill,
When I first attacked this fatigue problem, 10 years ago, I sat down with a sleep specialist and he said that sleeping more than 7hrs wasn’t necessary. That advice may be debatable, especially for people who are outside the norm (like us), but everything that I’ve read seems to confirm that oversleeping is more harmful than good.

I’ve begun to look at excessive sleep like it’s a drug. I mean, I crave it, it doesn’t seem to help, and it’s destructive to my life. But today, for instance, I took a nap in the evening and it seemed absolutely necessary. I woke up feeling sluggish, but after a meal and a walk I’m feeling great. Now maybe I didn’t need the nap to recover, but it’s damn hard convincing myself of that!
And I have to agree with you, when I’m tired and away from home, persisting through the tiredness is almost always rewarded by a recovery. Maybe I should tattoo this reminder onto my forearm or something!

Anyhow, I wanted to ask you, when your energy levels are at their best, are you more sociable? When I’m tired and things are going hazy, it’s not just that I don’t have the energy to strike up a conversation with someone, it’s that I don’t seem to have much motivation. Yet, when I’m feeling good, I’m chatting up a storm with everyone around me! It’s like my personality is transformed. These are those moments that I take note of and hold onto for positive motivation.

It’s been great trading notes with you.

Take care,

-AC

[jill]

Hi AC :D:hugs:

How are things going hun?

I would toltaly agree with you that over sleeping does more harm than good, but I would say to anyone, please try dame hard to find your own balance, we are all different.

**I’ve begun to look at excessive sleep like it’s a drug. I mean, I crave it**

I know how this feels hun, I can remember, BUT hun, please, please, don't think this way, this way of thinking is far to negative, to me, its like saying, we crave it, we NEED it, you have to try and change your thought pattens to this problem hun. This is why, when the NEED or the grave comes on, you have to try dame hard to help ourselves to understand, that it is NOT, needed, it is noooo good for us to give in to this, if you push through, we KNOW, we will feel better for doing so, BUT, if we do give in, at the same time, DON'T be to hard on ourselve, try and learn from it, in a positive way.


**I took a nap in the evening and it seemed absolutely necessary. I woke up feeling sluggish**

I have over the years done alot of analizing myself, for me, feeling the NEED to nap, waking up and feeling, what I call, just sluggish, IS progress, because, I have woken up and felt alot worse than that. I don't know about you, but in the past, I have had a nap and someone has called me. I know they are calling me to wake up, I can hear them, BUT, can I wake up, ohhh boy, I shout at myself, in my sleep state, "come on, wake up, open your eyes, get up" BUT, with no response, it took me a good while to come too, to wake up, me talking to myself in my sleep state, telling myself to get up, even when I did, ohhh boy, I felt like I had nooo energy AT ALL. My full function took awhile to kick back in, befor I could even get off the bed or safa. mmm very strange, this has not happened in along time.

So, on an accation, when I gave into the tierdness, I would NOT beat myself, that I gave into it, BUT, would look more on a positive note on how I felt after, sluggish and and pulling myself throught is, I would think, yeee, go me LOL ANYTHING, that was positive.

** when your energy levels are at their best, are you more sociable? When I’m tired and things are going hazy, it’s not just that I don’t have the energy to strike up a conversation with someone, it’s that I don’t seem to have much motivation. Yet, when I’m feeling good, I’m chatting up a storm with everyone around me! It’s like my personality is transformed. These are those moments that I take note of and hold onto for positive motivation**.

Mmm, you are asking someone who had (hehe, note the positive word HAD< lol) had low confidance, low self asteam and SA. So, social things in the past where hard, This sight has tought me, soo much, moving forward on this too. :yesyes:

BUT, I can still answer your question, becasue, I would feel ok, with close family member, but, still at times, the tierdness would hit.

YES, it seems when it hits, the motervation, goes out the window, even with small thing as striking up a conversation, or even getting involved with a conversation, the tierdness seems to hit, sooo hard, my brain felt like, it just wanted to sleep, but like you, when feeling ok, I could have a laugh and a joke like anyone else.

It is GREAT to here your taking note of when you feel fine, this way of thinking, I cannot express how important it is to do this, this is sooo important hun, to look MORE on the good times than the bad.

I feel I have come sooooo far with my anx problems, even the ones I had, before I suffered pa.s high anxiety.

I know I don;t want to go into just how bad I got, with this tierdness, befor my pa,s, high anxiety, (may contain triggers) BUT hun, NEVER EVER, give into it to much, DON'T let it suck you in, If you EVER feel its getting to much and Mrs anxeity is playing with you saying its something else, pop back to your gp, peace of mind goes along way.

I know its dame hard, knowing, whats causing your anxiety, but, I know for me, it helped knowing where it came from in the first place, it gave me good foudations to work from, knowing that I could do something about it.

You say in another reply, you are very good at hiding it, YES, that was me too, FOR YEARS, not just with my tierdness but with other things too, BUT HUN, please don't hide it, if you do this, you may feel trapped, hiding things is NOT good hun. I feel after I suffered pa.s, high anxiety, the best way to go was NOT to hide, to tell anyone who wanted to listen, but to talk about it in a possitive way eg, yes, I have a problem, BUT, I am learning how to deal with it ANYTHING, that was positive. I feel, this helped me move on a little. I feel, now looking back, me hiding things, was feeding my anxiety MORE.

I do hope things have not been to bad for you today :hugs:

YOU TAKE CARE

wishing you well

LOVE JILLXXX

[Albert Couture]

Hi Jill,

Thanks, as always, for your kind words of wisdom and encouragement.

I have been watching myself carefully over the past week. The riddles of this illness persist! Sometimes I am feeling normal, and sometimes not, it's clearly not a conscious thing, so I'm working on reprogramming my 'automatic response' AKA the subconscious. Easier said than done, of course :)

Often, I notice my shoulders rising, my posture becoming tense, or a flood of negative thoughts jumping to the front of my mind. They're all signs that I have a lot going on under the surface. God knows what toll they have had on my energy levels. At least now I can recognize what's going on and I just let it go.

So I woke up earlier than usual today, ate light and headed out the door. It's the evening now. I'm feeling a bit tired but haven't napped, and I'm feeling quite positive. Instead of avoiding scheduled morning activities (as I've done a lot lately), I'm thinking I should gently introduce some before-noon activities to help get me out the door at a reasonable time. The problem is finding things to do that don't turn into stress-inducing obligations, like taking on another shift at work.

I will give serious thought to disclosing this illness to the people around me. I know they'll understand (it will certainly explain my 'mysterious other life' which actually involves mostly Zzzz and downtime), but it's very hard, as you can imagine.

Anyway, it's nice to hear that you've made yourself normal again after decades of suffering. Can't wait to join you in calmer seas!

Regards,

-AC

[jill]

Hi AC :D:hugs:

Ohhh, I can see you have been working on things, thats great, but don't forget to take some me time, meaning stop working on things and enjoy life, this is a must, to stop thinking about your probs. It is dame hard to switch the auto off, BUT NOT imppossible,

***Instead of avoiding scheduled morning activities***

I hope you don;t mind me asking, why do you avoid morning?

***I will give serious thought to disclosing this illness to the people around me. I know they'll understand (it will certainly explain my 'mysterious other life' which actually involves mostly Zzzz and downtime), but it's very hard, as you can imagine.***

I feel, that when I sufferd pa, high anxiety, even after having this tierdness and other issues to for sooo long before panic,, enough was enough, I was sick of trying to hide things. I looked back on things and me trying to hide things I feel made things worse for myself. I was HAPPY to tell people, I did not care, if people did not understand, then, its ok, because to understand something, you have to go through it and I would not wish this on ANYONE,

So hun, YES I know its hard, but you are right, think carfully, is this what you want, do you feel that telling people will hinder you or help you. I know for me, it helped soooo much, but, I made sure first, by giving it lots of thought, that it was what I wanted. With me, it was not my panic that was the problem, ohhh boy, I came back of hols after my first pa',s high anxiety and told EVERYONE, it was my past problems, my tierdness and other issues too, that I had to think, really carfull about telling. I am still happy to talk about them to this day, it does not bother me at all. ITS GOOD TO TALK.

In my past my tiredness and SA got in the way of things, I feel, because I never addressed these issues and told poeple, people where left to make up there own minds what was wrong with me AND some of it was NOT nice.:lac: (will not go into that, not unless you think its important to you)

Its great to hear you are feeling positive, at night, is normal to feel a little tierd, after all, we all can;t be bubble at the end of the day. Get to know yourself, get to know what is normal tierd, prase yourself with normal tierd, this helps us move on a little.

YOU TAKE CARE

Wishing you calmer seas!

LOVE JILLXXX