Dont want to go back down that road again

[tricia56]

sorry for posting yet again ive had anxiety for a over 4yrs now and i was really bad with it at first always up the docs had all the symtoms going with anxiety and i wouldnt go out on my own anyware but it got easyer and i mananged to start to go out alone even tho i was anxiouse , but the last few weeks my anxiety has got really bad again and im anxiouse all day long and cause im anxiouse i dont want to go anyware or do anything if i can help it because of my anxiety and i dont want to be like i was before as i can just barely cope now with it. also when im so anxiouse i start to think i cant do this or that because of my anxiety so am i keeping my anxiety going thinking like this and can i stop myself by going back to how i first was with the anxiety can anyone give me aliitle advice please thks

[debs71]

Tricia, I was just like this at the end of last year.

My anxiety really flared and I spent all day - from the minute I woke 'til the minute I went to bed, feeling on edge, jittery, nervous. The less I did as well, the more anxious I got, so I made a decision to force myself out of the house to do something, ie. go shopping for food.

It was so, so hard and I was sweating buckets. The first time I did it I failed and had to turn around and come home as I started panicking before I even got in the shop. I was so cross with myself. The second time, I managed it, albeit sweating and with a racing heart and anxiety, but I proved to myself that the only thing making me feel that way was me, and I could do it if I forced myself. The reason I did it was that I knew that if I didn't, I would be going down the route of avoiding everything and towards agrophobia, which I dreaded happening.

Unfortunately, it is a vicious circle with anxiety, because we stay at home because we are anxious, but the more time we stay at home doing nothing and going nowhere, the more anxious we get as we have time on our hands to feel anxious. It is a case of breaking that cycle. I find that being busy does help. It is just the hardest thing ever to convince ourselves that we can do something, even though we are highly anxious.

I do think distraction of any kind is crucial as it diverts our minds from anxiety. Crosswords, internet games, tv, cleaning the house, ANYTHING like that.

I have had anxiety for 7 years now, and when it flares it still scares me, but I now have little methods of trying to deal with it - breathing techniques, distraction methods when in public (like looking for 10 black things in a shop, or singing a song in my head). They sound silly but really help.

You can get through this hun. It is just finding the tricks to do so.

xxxx:hugs:

[blueangel]

Brilliant advice this - and the thing I'd add is that you need to think of distraction as the thing that helps you let go of your anxiety, rather than trying to push it away. You actually have to accept the anxiety's there - but that it's no big deal. It isn't the sort of thing you can do instantly, but it is achieveable.

[shadowgirl]

I agree. I accept the anxiety exists and almost treat it as a seperate entity. I just try and laugh at it and say "I know you are there but ha ha, you won't get me this time, i am going to ignore you by going to work, calling a friend etc"

I found accepting rather than ignoring has really helped me.

[tricia56]

Thk u both u have been a great help to me so thk u again

[KayleighJane]

I am finding it really hard to accept that its just anxiety, keep thinking all sorts of horrible things are wrong with me :weep: its such a drain.

I want to accept it but just can't seem to at the mo, i have only had this since january so i guess in the grand scheme of things its early days still.

Kayleigh x