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panicdiva
03-04-10, 22:45
My husband has been offerred a job abroad with a fantastic salary that would set us up for the rest of our lives. ( he only wants to do it for 3 - 5 yrs) Both our kids are getting near the age where the possibility of University is looming (and the eldest really wants to go). So this big salary would help us alot. He is in a job but all the benefits and extras have gradually been taken away over the years and my husband sees no future there.

However, I have suffered from anxiety since my 2nd child was born almost 12 yrs ago. I have had lots of bad periods, but have had lots of good periods too. Every single holiday we have went on here & abroad has been an ordeal for me as my anxiety levels go through the roof. Although, I always go through with it.

So, 2 things are looming before me. Our holiday at the end of June which requires us to take an 8 1/2 hr flight. And my husband wishing to accept this job which will mean he will be away for 3 months at a time. We could all go but eldest son sitting his highers next yr so can't do that.

This has all been going on since middle of Jan. and my anxiety has gone through the roof again. One minute I'm ok about it all & feeling positive, the next I am totally negative again and I have been crying alot!!! I do not want him to go and I don't want to go on holiday. But, my anxiety is getting worse because I don't want to stop my husband and I don't want to let the kids down about the holiday (last yr we had to cancel due to husband not getting bonus at work). But this year we have saved so money would not be reason to cancel.

I have had 3 visits with a hypnotherapist and been trying all kinds of things to help me through this anxiety.

Things all came to a head tonight when both kids were out. I have been having thoughts that I wish I could go to sleep & never wake up, because I can't face any of this anymore. I can't fight this anymore. I can't stand having these constant flucuating moods but equally I can't stand the thought of letting my family down. So I told my husband my thoughts and I have not been able to stop crying since. He has said that we will cancel holiday and that he does not have to take the job. (every time in the past few weeks that I have told him I would rather he did not go, he has told me that it will be ok and that I will get used to it and the long term benefit will be good for us all.)

But I feel even worse now because he really wanted to do this and the kids really want to go on holiday (my daughter keeps telling me how excited she is about it).

So I still can't stop crying because I feel such a complete and utter failure and I'm so angry with myself for giving in to this!!! But I don't know what to do. I feel totally alone and feel there is no one to turn to. I know I could go to doc but he has never been good with my anxiety. and quite honestly it will not take away the anxiety I have about husband's job. I just can't stand the thought of him being away for 3 months at a time and only home for 2 wks. he kept saying we could go visit him for school hols but that would mean me travelling with kids on my own!!!! I find it hard enough to do that with him with me never mind without him. So my anxiety levels going up again. We are a close family and we have been married for 21 yrs so to say that it would be a wrench with him being away, is putting it mildly.

It's like he has never really realised just how bad anxiety can be. I have kept alot of it to myself but he does know how much my anxiety increases when we go away. I told him tonight that when we are on holiday I constantly fight the positive & negative feelings and often I have wished I was not here so I did not have to face these feelings.

I just can't stop crying because I am letting my whole family down and what kind of example am I for them? I just wish I could be normal. I just wish I could do what my husband said tonight and that is: what is there to be scared of? Just tell yourself I won't be scared anymore. Just change your thoughts. I said, if only it were that easy? Do you not think that if it was that easy that I would do that? Yes sometimes it does work, but when the anxiety really kicks in, my head just can't see clearly or think clearly so the negative thoughts win.

Have been wanting to write about his since he first spoke about applying for the job but kept feeling that if I did I would be giving in to my fears. As it has all come to a head tonight and I can't stop crying, I felt this was the only place to turn to.

Thanks for listening.

jill
04-04-10, 00:42
Hi hun :D:hugs:

My heart goes out to you :hugs: this must be soo dame hard for you right now :hugs:

I wish I had the answers you are looking for, but I don't hun, no matter what you decide to do, you have to TRY and be happy with that deccission and when you suffer anxietys, this can be sooo blinkin hard:hugs:

I do feel your putting all the presures on one plate hunny, please try and focus on one issuse at a time.

As far as the holiday goes, from what I know is, if you do something to make someone else happy, then your anxietys may just kick off because you don't want to be there for yourself, so YOU can have a good time, I know for myself when acute, abroad holidays never happend, I did however JFDI holidays in this country. It did take 2 years before I allowed myself to go abroad, but this was me, working on my thought pattens reagarding flying and being that far away from home, this took along time and even then, when hubby booked the holiday, I could back out at anytime, took the presure off where I could, this over time, worked for me.

As for your hubby working abroad, hun, what are your fears with this?

Hunny, we both these issues there is NO right or NO wrong in any deccission you make, as long as, you can talk things through with hubby and HE can support you with the deccession you both make.

I REALLY wish I could help hun :hugs:I really feel for you right now:hugs:

This will all sort itself out in time hunny, it will, YOU and your hubby will see to this and it time, no matter what you decide, things WILL work out, please try and see this, ohh I know its hard :hugs:

YOU TAKE CARE

LOVE JILL XX

Ronny
04-04-10, 04:43
Hello,I am in the same position,only I let my hubby go alone,he is in Dubai with work and signed contract for 2 years.he is away for 3 months and comes home for1.I am at this stage stuck here,due to my health and anxiety issues,but with all my doc's and meds hope to join him next time he goes back.Good Luck and Be kind to yourself.:flowers:
Rhonda

chrislot
04-04-10, 05:17
You could have copper overload which in some circles .is accepted as the cause of PND. Anxiety is hellish. Also research Pyroluria, another cause of relentless anxiety. lol

panicdiva
04-04-10, 08:58
Thanks all for your replies.

Jill, I no you are right about trying to please others makes the anxiety worse. But the thought of letting my family down is making my anxiety the worst it has been for a long time. So can't see a way out as I feel that I am stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Ronny, I take my hat off to you for being so brave, I really do. My anxiety always gets worse when I feel under pressure or stress. The thought of coping on my own with the kids (although they are 15 & 11) is making me afraid that I won't cope well and I am afraid that my kids will end up looking after me instead of the other way round!!! Up until yesterday my husband was going, but now he says he can't with me being so upset. I have barely slept for a few weeks now but last night was the worst. I just can't escape the feeling that I am letting my family down.

Chrislot, very interesting! I have never heard of Pyroluna so googled it and have been reading lots about it this morning. From what I have read, I can tick most of the boxes of symptoms!!! However, I get the distinct impression that it is not well known or rather well recognsided by most GPs. I am going to go to the doc this wk and ask for the test but knowing my gp he will say no way, that is if there is a test available on the NHS.

I do think I might make an appointment however, with a local gp who has his own holistic private practice. I suspect that he may be well aware of this disorder and may well be able to provide the test.

I still feel totally isolated and like i'm a total failure as a wife & mother, and I feel like it's all so hopeless. However, the fact that you have all replied and understood has made me feel a little better. So thank you for that.

chrislot
04-04-10, 09:38
Your average Doc will not know about this. If in the UK look at the Biolabs website for a list of Practitioners, but double check on booking an appointment. I get the impression that they may not all have exactly the same training. Lots of people using this site would benefit from thi info, but sadly very few trained Medics.

Idstain
04-04-10, 17:00
Hi :)

that's quite a little predicament you have yourself there. i can't really offer much advice specific to your situation but i can recommend a book called the mindfulness and acceptance workbook for anxiety. I have just recovered from GAD and Panic and am happier than ever. Think of it as a 21st century version of self help for your nerves except far more thorough and complete. I honestly can't recommend this book enough.

you can read most of it here (or buy it from amazon) http://books.google.com/books?id=UDYWZZYne54C&printsec=frontcover&dq=mindfulness+and+acceptance+workbook+for+anxiety&source=bl&ots=jw0wk3XhTR&sig=XzsbcSfq3jXSZTcnLZqn3RC3DHU&hl=en&ei=EbS4S7C_DoOj_gbR56XvBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CC0Q6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=&f=false

good luck :)

panicdiva
04-04-10, 22:06
WOW !!! thanks for tip about that book - had a read of the intro & first 2 chapters - FAB! THink I will order tomorrow. Thanks