View Full Version : Feeling Stressed
Hi, I haven't started a topic on how I've felt for a while, but recently I've really been struggling.
My old "friends" the shaking muscles have come back to haunt me and these are a sure sign that I am stressed. Last week there were a couple of nights whern I didn't sleep all night (I dozed between 8 and 12 instead) and another night heard a 'voice' call my name, so my mind must be in a right state!
I did not do my voluntary work last week, and have been limiting my going out as much as possible, but food has to be bought, and yesterday I drove the mile to the supermarket. It was not easy, with a lot of muscle tension and felt awful when I got back. I phoned the No Panic helpline and a lovely lady calmed me down a lot, suggesting that I exercise more to relieve the stress - sound advice that the GP and others have given.
Last night I had a reasonable sleep and even got up a bit earlier than usual, although I did feel wobbly on getting up. I thought it would be a good idea to take the bus into town (2 miles), chill out with a coffee, and take a walk around. I did just that, and was there for an hour and as I just missed a bus, walked two stops nearer home. When I sat down in the shelter, my anxiety attack started which I managed to contain as you do. When I got home, I felt worse that when I left the house - so much for the idea of my afternoon destressing me!
I rang the helpline again, and the volunteer emphasised the importance of relaxation - I have a tape so am going to try that twice a day for the next two weeks at least - once shortly before bed. I do have a real problem in relaxing, and that is why I have the yoga DVD, which because of how I've been feeling the last few weeks, I haven't started yet. She suggests I go out just a short distance tomorrow (its only 5 min walk to the local shop), but as a long term goal suggests exercise such as swimming too. As much as I used to enjoy swimming, the thought of serious exercise freaks me out - I just don't have enough belief that I'll be OK! So I see my psychotherapy as a first line of attack, and the serious exercise later!
I suppose I have had various things going on in my life this year, helping with my Dad's inheritance (not THAT much lol) and then his power of attorney probably have significant meesages in my mind, knowing that his health is OK (he was unwell in Jan.) and thinking of others. I've also tried to step up my social life a notch, and when I've encountered people I don't know from Adam, that has been difficult.
Its very frustrating not be able to get a quick win (well, there isn't one) and not knowing what to do for the best when you have these attacks. I should know better by now, but I still get these reactions and need for reassurance.
I'm planning to go on a day trip on Eurostar next Tuesday. I wonder if I'll be able to make it?
Thanks for listening :-)
Ray
http://www.anxietyrelease.org.uk/
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.
~Mark Sanders and Tia Sillers
Hi Ray
Im so sorry your going through a stressful time.
I think the trip on Eurostar will help lots & will certainly be a nice break for you to get away from it all.
I know how hard it is to relax & try to sleep when you have lots on your mind but the tapes will help you.
One thing i would say though is steer away from the coffee
Maybe have a hot cocoa if you can before bed it seems to work for me if i can't sleep.
Thinking of you
(((HUGS)))
Take Care
Alex
Many People Will Walk
In & Out Of Your Life
But Only True Friends
Will Leave Footprints
In Your Heart
Cheers Alex, but I do have decaf and Fairtrade tea and coffee, although I was a bit naughty with the latte when out today. But I don't normally get a reaction to the odd cup.
Ray
http://www.anxietyrelease.org.uk/
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.
~Mark Sanders and Tia Sillers
Hi Ray
Ive cut back on the coffee in take i admit. Decaf is nice & i love latte's.
Take Care
Alex
Many People Will Walk
In & Out Of Your Life
But Only True Friends
Will Leave Footprints
In Your Heart
Paddington
28-03-06, 22:35
hi ray,so sorry you had a wobbly day.it's good to talk about it tho and as you know the way anxiety works[no quick win]you know that this is just a blip.BUT THEY ARE SOOO VILE AREN'T THEY!Maybe you pushed yourself too much?As you had to'control the panic'you weren't in control at all and this does make you feel ill and down!Be kind to yoursel Ray,you have done sooo much,and will continue to do so.I should have gone out today and bottled it,it has left me feelin very down and usless,BUT it will pass,and your bad day will too.love mary-rose.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
we are all in the same boat and can guide each other ashore
Hi Ray,
I know how your feeling at the minute, as you know my anxiety has me again, and I seemed to have got lost, so I am trying to find me again.
At the minute I am even considering going back on my meds, which I really don't want to do, but I am fed up feeling crap again.
Hopefully the lighter evenings and the warmer weather will help to lift all our moods again, we are just having a blip mate.
Catch up with you on msn soon, give me a shout hun.
Lots of love
Trac xx
'Live your life with arms wide open, today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten'
Hi Ray
Sorry to hear you're having a blip at the moment.... but that is all it is I'm sure. I think we let things slide sometimes and just don't keep up all the positive things we do to get ourselves better on a regular basis and then it's so so hard to do them once we get into an anxious phase....
You do so brilliantly and help so many other people too (which might be a pressure on you to be ok?). Are you affected by SAD? possibly the absence of sun and pleasure in being outdoors has taken its toll - I know it has on me.
One of my long term goals would be to get on the Eurostar alone and go... well anywhere!!! If I could crack that then I could move onto flying lol!!! A girl can dream, I can't get out of Brighton on my own yet!;)
The shakes is one of my favourites too (although not had them full on for a while) and is horrible cos you think other people can see it, but oddly they never seem to notice.
I think the 5 minute walk is a good idea and what I did when I was like that and trying to build towards exercise was just speed up my walks, so I only did the same amount of time but got further.... and ever so slightly raise my heart rate[:O] Scary stuff... I am managing to get to the pool and get in and paddle about at the moment but can't cope with raising my heart rate in there!!! It's a right old game eh!!!
Back to basics - remember to eat well, drink lots of water, try not to beat yourself up, check your breathing, keep a journal blah blah.... and give yourself a big hug from me!!!
Take care mate x
Fee xxxxxx
www.like2like.com
Why live life anticipating the bad things when you could be anticipating the good?
Good and bad things WILL happen!
Hi Ray
Sorry you are struggling a bit at the moment. You have been doing so well and I am sure this is just a blip.
Remember all the positives you've achieved recently with getting out and about more, attending social occasions, setting up the support group and all the support you give people here.
Start to build up again slowly and you will soon be back on track.
<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">A girl can dream, I can't get out of Brighton on my own yet!;)
<div align="right">Originally posted by feege - 28 March 2006 : 23:50:40</div id="right">
</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">
We'll soon have that sorted Fee! After we've met in Brighton we can maybe meet somewhere just outside Brighton, a little nearer this way and gradually build on this. I wouldn't have believed 18 months ago that I'd have driven all over the country to some of the meet ups last year.
Karen
Happiness is not a state to arrive at but a manner of travelling.
You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough ~ Christine Cagney, Cagney & Lacey
Hi ya hun,
Well it seems a few of us are having a little tremble then doesn't it!!!
When Nic did her post recently I felt I could have written some bits of it myself as spending as much time on here as I have been doing was obviously a little too much[:I][:I] I am trying to balance this now with other things cos although I love being here variety is the spice of life and all that.
I do feel cheerful in myself but have had more ectopics and palpitations recently and lovely hot waves of panic here and there and everywhere. None of this has stopped me doing what I normally do but I would much prefer not to be feeling this way.
I was telling Trac that I have started the Nopanic telephone recovery course and I met some nice people all in the same boat. One of the things the leader kept reiterating last night was the need to listen to muscle relaxation cd's everyday if not twice a day. I must admit I haven't done this in ages. Often we let slide the very things that help to keep us calm once we are calm and that's a mistake.
So I am gonna start this very day to make sure I do make time for my relaxation cd (mine is the Glenn Harrold Complete Relaxation one). I think we have to get the tension out of those muscles and I agree with her totally about that one.
Don't worry about the yoga yet petal - when you're ready that will come.
When I was scared of heart attack city I did exercise with great caution and still do but much less so. Like Fee says start with the walking and make little increments there.
Big hug my lovely:D
Piglet xxx
"Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?" said Piglet.
"Supposing it didn't," said Pooh after careful thought.
Thanks for all your lovely messages:)
I played the First Steps to Freedom muscle relaxtion tape yesterday evening about 6, and then again about 1am just before I went to bed.
I got this about 18 months ago and all I was capable of doing was curling my toes, but this time I managed the whole sequence!
I did feel positive, especially the late night one in a darkened room.
This morning I woke a daybreak as normal, but also as normal my eyes were so heavy and my whole body without energy. I eventually got up at 1pm. All this mental stress.[|)]
I took a banana up with me last night, so I could have something to eat before I got up - a tip given to me by the helpliner under the "little and often" strategy.
I know the tapes will take several days to have an effect, and so will continue - they're much less daunting than yoga lol.
Piglet:- I'm so glad you are taking the No Panic Recovery Course - it must be so good have real live people to speak to on the phone.
Fee:- I did consider buying an SAD lamp earlier in the winter, but decided not to as I was doing fine until Christmas. I suppose winter mood must be a factor, and we are more likely to suffer as the dark and dull days accumulate through the season.
Thanking you once again
Ray
http://www.anxietyrelease.org.uk/
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.
~Mark Sanders and Tia Sillers
Hi Ray, Sorry to hear you are having a bad time lately, I am also having a wobbly day but I know it will pass and I have to think that "tomorrow is another day" but it is hard to get through sometimes. I have just been packing my hospital bag ready for the birth and the reality is beginning to set in that in a few weeks I will have a baby and am worried that something will go wrong or that I won't be able to cope and the thought of the return of my panic attacks and depression is never far from my mind. I keep waking up in the night feeling panicky and unable to get back to sleep and I just feel absolutley exhausted the next day but then again I suppose I will have to get used to that when the baby is waking in the night to be fed!!
I am sure this is just a temporary blip for you and hope you feel much better soon and hope you enjoy your trip on Eurostar.
Take care
Love Lisa
Hi Click, sorry I wasent here last night, you know why. just replying now, dont need to say much, as you know where I am.
I hope my problems arent affecting you, but weve already discussed that.
I am trying to keep pretty low key msn wise as I know the way others feel can affect us, so Ive chosen to stick to my posting where people have the option to read or not.
Sorry not up to phone call, hopefully soon.
Hope this makes sence to you.
take care.xxxxxxxxx
Ray,
I have exactly the same , the whole tiredness and no energy, I have to drag myself out of bed every morning because of the kids, but if I could stay in it I would quite happily.
Who ever invented this anxiety needs bloody shooting LOL.
Oh and one more thing lets sympathise with the other people who are doing the phone call with Piglet, they are so not going to get a word in edgeways [}:)] I have trouble on MSN LOL
Keep your chin up mate, it will get better again.
Love
Trac xxxx
'Live your life with arms wide open, today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten'
Hi Ray
Keep going with the relaxation as doing it regularly will help.
<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">This morning I woke a daybreak as normal, but also as normal my eyes were so heavy and my whole body without energy. I eventually got up at 1pm.</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">
Perhaps you could slowly start to try to get to bed a little earlier each night and get up a bit earlier. I know how hard this is because I seem stuck in a natural pattern of being up all night and then only getting a few hours sleep during the day. Getting up early to go to the clinic throws me completely and I wouldn't sleep at all without my sleeping pills - but that's not a good way to go about it either.
Keep pushing ahead slowly and you'll get there. These blips hit all of us from time to time.
Karen
Happiness is not a state to arrive at but a manner of travelling.
You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough ~ Christine Cagney, Cagney & Lacey
<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">Ray,
Oh and one more thing lets sympathise with the other people who are doing the phone call with Piglet, they are so not going to get a word in edgeways [}:)] I have trouble on MSN LOL
Love
Trac xxxx
'Live your life with arms wide open, today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten'
<div align="right">Originally posted by trac67 - 29 March 2006 : 18:48:35</div id="right">
</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">
:D:D:D:D:D Soooooo not true!!! Actually the funniest times are the things we do with all the little winkies (sorry dont know the real name for them) all the little creatures and motifs that we make dance. We crack each other up over those don't we - or is that just me - I'll get my coat!!!!
Love Piglet xx
Hi Ray,
really sorry to hear that you are having a tough time of it lately.
Stick with it mate. Plan things, try and do them. I found the walking a great help. It worked for me on a few levels...........gets you outdoors, fresh air, it's a great way to build up to other forms of exercise. As Piglet says, we often start to drop the things that have helped us once we start to feel better. Humans are such creatures of habit left to their own devices!!
It will turn around, bear with it.
Cheers,
Trev :D
Piglet,
What would we do without out winkies in the day to cheer us up mate.........how old are we again ?????[}:)]
Love
Trac xxx
'Live your life with arms wide open, today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten'
I was told 22, but my memory is not what it was. [:o)]
Ray
http://www.anxietyrelease.org.uk/
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.
~Mark Sanders and Tia Sillers
Ray hun will have to add you to my msn - do you think you can cope with me and Trac at the same time.
We do great things with graphics - I can make a whole line of hamsters and badgers mix in with dancers, it looks like a groovy night clubbing doesnt it Trac and usually what my partners look like anyway :D:D:D
Love Piglet xx
Hi Pet,
Sorry your not feeling too good, you were doing so well, keep up the tape and the positive thoughts you'll get back on track soon im sure,
I think as karen said maybe trying to get to bed a bit earlier and getting up earlier your prob not getting enough daylight,
a 10 min walk is all you body needs to get its daily vitamins,
Think positive your trip will be good and you will enjoy it,
oh and not dark chocs i dont like them xxxxxx
kairen x
Ray thinking about you and i am sure you going away next week you will be fine. PM me if you want my mobile number and i will help you all the way.
Big hugs babe.
Love Sal xx
Dont mess up the best things in your life, just because at present you are unsure who you are.
"Life is a distance and to travel that distance you were given the strength and guidance to do so".
Piglet, even we can't cope when we are together LOL, actually if Ray joins us for a conversation it will make him realise how sane he really is [xx(]. and we are the winkie masters aren't we mate, even my kids look at me as if to say, mother what are you up too [:I]
Ray, of course we are 22, well we both look it - well a girl can dream can't she [}:)]
Thanks for the chat the other night Ray, it was really good to have a good old natter and know I'm not alone with the way I am feeling at the minute, we will get there mate :D
Love
Tracey xx
'Live your life with arms wide open, today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten'
:D:D:D:D:D
Love Piglet xx
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