Now I'm just getting annoyed

[Emmaisworried]

Thanks - my lovely husband also doesn't understand. He thinks I can just forget about it and carry on...I wish! If only it was so easy. Until being in this situation I didn't fully understand

---------- Post added at 19:04 ---------- Previous post was at 18:53 ----------

Same - my husband can't understand it either. But then neither could I before I experienced it - I never thought for a minute it would happen to me. It makes me feel so weak. Which I know is ridiculous!!

[desertraven]

Thanks - my lovely husband also doesn't understand. He thinks I can just forget about it and carry on...I wish! If only it was so easy. Until being in this situation I didn't fully understand

---------- Post added at 19:04 ---------- Previous post was at 18:53 ----------

Same - my husband can't understand it either. But then neither could I before I experienced it - I never thought for a minute it would happen to me. It makes me feel so weak. Which I know is ridiculous!!

Same story here! My husband has rarely ever been anxious in the 18 years I've known him. Falls asleep in 5 minutes like not a care in the world. He is definitely sympathetic about my HA but doesn't truly get it.

[Emmaisworried]

Can anyone recommend ways to distract - ways to take you out of the negative cycle of thoughts?

[desertraven]

Can anyone recommend ways to distract - ways to take you out of the negative cycle of thoughts?

I have found a few things that decrease my anxiety a bit:

Music
Being outside
Going to the store (sometimes this can increase my anxiety but other times it helps to distract me)
Holding my dog
Hanging out with my 11 year old son
Watering plants/trees in our yard

[pablo0977]

Can anyone recommend ways to distract - ways to take you out of the negative cycle of thoughts?

What normally distract you? That would be my first recommendation. But sometimes you really need to just stop and gather yourself and say, "I don't have time for this right now." Music is good for me. I have two albums that can really calm me down. Good luck.

[Emmaisworried]

That's the thing - I can be doing things, keeping busy but still worry!

I think stopping and recognising it and telling myself to stop might be worth trying.

[katniss]

I have a suggestion. This is not so much a distraction, instead it's a way for you to get your life back. Prioritize and get sight of what's really important. I know this idea may not work for everyone but it is currently working for me.

Organize your life and set goals. I recently picked up a beautiful planner from Indigo and have been making to do lists as well as setting some personal goals for myself. For ie. One of my goals is to finally start on my cooking blog and start exercising three times a day. I also have tonnes of thing's to do while being a stay at home mom so this allows me to make daily to do lists and weekly lists. At the end of the day I literally have zero time to think about illnesses. Mind you it's only been two days. But I have seen a huge improvement. This particular planner also allows you to fill in days from 6am to 9pm. So I have filled it with lots of tasks and have slotted some time in for personal development Hope this helps some of you. I know it may not be for everyone. Just thought I'd share

[Emmaisworried]

I have a suggestion. This is not so much a distraction, instead it's a way for you to get your life back. Prioritize and get sight of what's really important. I know this idea may not work for everyone but it is currently working for me.

Organize your life and set goals. I recently picked up a beautiful planner from Indigo and have been making to do lists as well as setting some personal goals for myself. For ie. One of my goals is to finally start on my cooking blog and start exercising three times a day. I also have tonnes of thing's to do while being a stay at home mom so this allows me to make daily to do lists and weekly lists. At the end of the day I literally have zero time to think about illnesses. Mind you it's only been two days. But I have seen a huge improvement. This particular planner also allows you to fill in days from 6am to 9pm. So I have filled it with lots of tasks and have slotted some time in for personal development Hope this helps some of you. I know it may not be for everyone. Just thought I'd share

I think this is a really good idea. I've found myself acting like an ill person to some extent over the last month. Longer acrually though it's been more subtle. I was going to the gym 3/4 x per week last year and then in Ctover we had news that a close family member was ill. I didn't react well to this (inside - no one knows about my anxiety on the outside!) and stopped going to the gym. That, for me, was the first step to letting anxiety about my health consume me. I just couldn't make myself go anymore and pretty much haven't since.

Over the last month when things have been particularly bad, I've found myself not wanting to do as much around the house. Rather than do housework I've sat and watched greys anatomy! No one else has noticed as my house is pretty clean anyway. But I have noticed. At the weekend I got up and did lots and actually I FELT BETTER!!

I've been really achy since last week and I'm wondering actually if it's becatse I'm sitting all evening in bed watching tv once the kids go to bed. Certainly my anxiety hasn't been helping as I think I am so tense that it affects my muscles.

---------- Post added at 08:13 ---------- Previous post was at 08:13 ----------

Sorry for typos! On bus on way to work and can't see the box as clearly!

---------- Post added at 08:14 ---------- Previous post was at 08:13 ----------

Sorry for typos! On bus on way to work and can't see the box as clearly!

[Blonde123]

Emmaisworried, I totally agree. The problem with a lot of HA and most anxiety sufferers is they go about their daily business with a smile on their face and look like they are fully functioning. What people can't see is their struggles on the inside. It's a shame that your mental health nurse doesn't recognise that. Being a nurse myself, I thought she would be one of the most prominent people to recognise this! Maybe it's her own work constraints but that's such a pity. Stay positive xx

[Emmaisworried]

I think she does recognise it. But I also think she thinks a lot of my feelings are normal given the trauma we went through, and therefore that over time they will get better. She is probably right but I don't want to stop seeing her. Although I'm not sure how effective the sessions are. I thought there would be more to CBT?

Today I am worrying about a different health condition but I am going to try and tel myself that life is for living and I cannot let this fear dominate me.