how many of you who have felt good survey

[gypsywomen]

how many of you have a return of anxiety now its getting closer to christmas and why please :bighug1::bighug1::bighug1::bighug1::bighug1::bigh ug1::bighug1::bighug1::bighug1::bighug1:

[margaret jones]

Hi Gypsywomen

Re return of anxiety and Christmas you are correct in thinking that Christmas does increase my stress , For years i worked at Christmas so bad memorys of stress are with me every year . even now that i do not work i still suffer stress at this time yr.

Sometimes it is the missing of people that are not with us now , My hubby is so laid back he dsoes not understand the stress thing and that makes me worse ,

So this year we are going on a organised coach tour to scotland for 5 days over the xmas period , so at the moment my stress is ok i will try and RRRRREEEEELLLLAAAAXXXX and enjoy being waited on ( we will see ):winks:

[gypsywomen]

come on sure theres more than one

[Mya]

Thank you Gypsywoman for asking this

I agree with Margaret Jones in that I think about loved ones who are no longer here. I also think about who may not be here next year for the next holiday.

I worry about everything being perfect. I was a perfectionist way before my anxiety.

I worry about meeting deadlines, with cards, gifts, wrapping, decorating and parties. I worry about making sure everyone is happy.

But what upsets me the MOST is that my illness (and I do consider myself ill) prevents me from enjoying my loved ones to my fullest capacity. I know they will not be here forever and that makes EVERYDAY, not just the holidays, so very hard for me. I am the driver of my mind, however, sometimes, I cannot drive it well enough to enjoy the love that surrounds me right now.

Thank you for allowing me to share. I wish you a blessed holiday and that you may be able to enjoy the love that surrounds you today.

[gypsywomen]

i agree with everything you say i feel just the same i did this survey as i noticed .more people seem to be bad this time of year

[margaret jones]

Mya where you describing me and Gypsy what silly sausages we are lets make a effort to enjoy it xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[ElizabethJane]

I do feel more stress and anxiety at this time of the year but it is usually because I am trying to do too much. I belong to three different choirs so there are the inevitable clashes. I feel less guilty now about missing one concert because I am performing in another. I am in the Church choir so we have extra services too. I also work in a shop and I will be working on Christmas Eve. Inevitably I become ill. This year I have a cold so hopefully it will be out of the way by Saturday. I organise our Christmas Meal for the shop too. I think that I am trying to recreate a family Christmas ie having EVERYBODY to Christmas dinner. I have done this on previous years. I thought none of my relatives would turn up but they all wanted to come. I had to borrow a trestle table from the Church to fit everybody in. It was great fun. I have a background in catering so it wasn't so much of a big deal. I always make my own mince pies, cake and pudding. So yes I do feel stressed and anxious and a bit over emotional at Christmas. I spend most of the rest of December asleep.....

[gypsywomen]

well think we all will come ,you can sing cook wow i am an artist so i could paint us all thank you for replys xxxxx

[margaret jones]

I will Delegate jobs this is my new strategy to help my sress ( only Joking ) :)

[Mya]

Margaret Jones,

Yes let's make EVERY effort to enjoy it! The holidays are not about the tangibles - it is about enjoying what we have and that it should never be taken for granted. My husband is laid back too and does not understand sometimes, making things worse, but we must be thankful for having them in our lives. I get jealous of him because he is not like me, but that is probably why we are soulmates and best friends! You enjoy every moment of your Scottish trip. Enjoy that you have one another and be a bit selfish and allow others to WAIT ON YOU :) That is part of the key to beating this......it is ok to say NO and do the things that you want to do. We need to put ourselves first sometimes in order to be the kind of person for those we love. May you cherish every moment of your trip xxxxxooooo

[ElizabethJane]

I am probably not an example of how to deal with stress at Christmas. I wouldn't have it any other way. When I have been ill and we have had a quiet Christmas I have hated it. Anti climax in January though

[margaret jones]

Mya my sentiments exactly are we Twins

Dont be afraid to say No is my new Motto :hugs:xxxxx

[Mya]

Well that will be my new motto too!:)

We must be twins and if we are - I feel very sorry for you!:)

xxxxoooo

[ElizabethJane]

Confused I am?

[fishman65]

I find Christmas a bad time because as a social phobic,there is an emphasis at xmas to do exactly that....socialise.I start to think,'ok I really need to be well at xmas otherwise I will let everyone down and spoil their xmas's.' Its always been a tough time of year,but I think myself lucky that I'm not as bad as I used to be.

Fishy

[gypsywomen]

i agree we are under pressure to do things we dont realy want to do but we do them ,,its a fight we must win

[Alicat]

Hey,

This is my first Christmas while feeling like this. I'm really struggling with it. I just want to enjoy it but am battling with dp/dr and myself if would appear!!

[gypsywomen]

i am sure we will all make it through maybe better than people who don't suffer ,it hits them the worst we are used to this so we will be better able to cope if this makes sense

[den68]

god i used to get so ill in the run up to christmas. Last year my anxiety and depression were awful plus i got the flu. This year i have made it easier for myself
1) i have done loads of shopping on the internet to save me the stress of too many trips to town
2) i have cut down on the amount of money i spend as worrying about that makes things worse
3) we made a deal at work we would put a couple of pounds to charity instead of having to sit writing endless number of cards
4) im not buyiing all that extra food you end up binning and im not buying all different kinds of drink just incase someone pops in and i havnt got what they want theyll have to have something else
5) the most important one is christmas is about me my husband and boys spending time together and if dinner is a bit late then so be it its not the end of the world

[gypsywomen]

anyone else please take survey