First time poster. Help would be really appreciated

[elevenoclock]

Hi everyone :-) I've had anxiety for a long time, mostly health related and I've found reading this site so helpful. Thank you to all. I'm quite shy on social networks, much more so than in 'real life' which is why I haven't posted before. I'm driving myself crazy with this worry atm though. We've recently moved to a new house. It's a 1930's house but has been done up. Well,my worry is with lead paint. It only dawned on me the other day that there could possibly be lead paint under the paint on our wood work. It looks like the wood work has only been painted over and there are lots of cracks on the paint work. The worst bit is in my daughters room. The old paint underneath is quite powerdy too. As soon as the thought came I put sellotape over it (only thing to hand),but she has been sleeping, playing, bashing the door with a basket ball for 8 weeks and I'm terrified I've poisoned her. I googled (yes I know worst thing to do) lead poisoning and it's horrendous! I think I've aeen some symptoms in her too :'(
I'm a mess atm. My husband is not worried at all. I've ordered a lead paint test kit. If it's confirmed lead paint,ill take her for a blood test. We moved for a better life for our children and now I feel like worst mother in the world :-(

[venusbluejeans]

Hiya elevenoclock and welcome to NMP

Why not take a look at our articles on our home page, they contain a wealth of information and are a great starting place for your time on the forum.

I hope you find the as site helpful and informative as I have and that you get the help and support you need here and hope that you meet a few friends along the way

[DancingWilliams]

Hi there.
The trouble with anxiety is that we can always find something to terrify ourselves with. In your case, at the moment, its lead in paint. There will be a little space in your head that knows if it wasn't the paint it would be something else.
Yes, lead was added to gloss paint in the past - but the fact it's within the paint means it's effectively locked in. Each sucessive coat of normal paint after that locked it in further. It's only when sanded or actually ingested it becomes a problem - mainly to the person doing the sanding if their full time job was sanding lead paint.

Sometimes when I get very wound up about "house worries" - there's a new thread in itself I try to think it through to the most impossible nonsense I can. If it was my door I'd try thinking "what if my daughter ate the entire door! Then settle back to being just wary about the paint but not obsessed.
I think the therapy lingo calls it catastrophising when we assume the worst about everything. I'm not much use at positive thinking, but I have found it useful to deal with a real obsession by trying to make it as absurd and silly as possible. It sometimes even helps!

[elevenoclock]

Thank you so much for your replies.
Thank you VenusBluejeans, I will take a look at the articles you've suggested.
Thank you Dancing Williams, what you've said does make a lot of sense, and yes I always think of the worst possible scenario in these situations. The thing that worries me the most is that there is visible powdery paint that has just been there left for her to breathe in (there are a few cracks in the top paintwork), and the neighbours said before house was done up people before didn't do anything for years. I do try to think logically, we had lead petrol about as kids etc and we're still here. And there is absolutely nothing I can now do about it. I just hope so much I haven't damaged my child. I've also had previous house worries too, so yes I agree, we could do a whole thread on that.
Thanks again for your replies, it really means a lot

[Catherine S]

A little confused. ..It says you joined in July 2013, is this a misprint? Anyways it's good to meet you

Cath x

[elevenoclock]

Hi Cath, I did join, but didn't ever post, too shy. I am just feeling so so bad about this lead paint issue, I really needed to post. I am punishing myself by reading the symptoms and I think my little girl has some. Feeling awful :(
Good to meet you too

[Tiddily]

Hi all new on here... I suffer with severe anxiety and depression currently on 3rd week of 10mg citalopram and omg feel so ill cant eat or anything ... Not sure what to do as ave been changed meds a few times recently.....at my wits end

---------- Post added at 21:59 ---------- Previous post was at 19:51 ----------

Sorry guys think ave posted on the wrong thread