Relapse! Coping, Symptoms and Tips.

[Carnation]

Sue, I think you did manage it well and correctly and I will explain why.
You stayed there. (you might have made an excuse to leave. Not feeling well, getting over a virus etc)
You could have spent long periods in the bathroom, playing for time.
You stuck it out. Ok you might have been going over what happened and why, but that's better than running away,because you are actually running away from yourself.

[pulisa]

Wouldn't it be lovely if you could actually run away from yourself? Or leave yourself at home when you have to go to these social events!

Does anyone really look forward to and enjoy family gatherings anyway? Maybe your sister was talking endlessly to cover up her own anxiety, Sue?

I don't think you should overanalyse what happened. The fact is that you dealt with your "wobble" and carried on regardless. It doesn't matter how you achieved this..you did it. It will happen again and you will cope with it again-that's success. You don't have to do it by the book -just by what works for you. And I agree with Carnation, even people without an anxiety disorder would have found your recent trip challenging so give yourself huge credit for what you have achieved xx

[Carnation]

'wobble', I like that description Pulisa, it sounds less scary.
And let's face it, we are all allowed to have the occasional wobble.
Nice to see you back posting Pulisa.

[pulisa]

My life is a series of wobbles but so long as I am still standing at the end of each day that's ok! I'm sure the published "experts" would disagree with this but we all do our best whatever the circumstances and I'm sure even the experts have their off days and have days when they aren't able to follow their own advice because they are only human after all.

[DustingMyselfOff]

Wow, I love you guys! You've got me all choked up and feeling so much better about this battle we have and will continue to conquer!

[pulisa]

Maybe try not to see it as a battle and more as a series of challenges, Sue? It's all about managing day to day life and I reckon you are doing pretty well on that score!

[Carnation]

Well, it looks as though I have picked up that pesky virus. :( treatment for that? Plenty of fluids and lots of rest. Huh, that's a good one. Women never get any rest. It's not what you need when you are preparing for moving, but it is probably the reason I got attacked by the virus in the first place. :(
My lovely next door neighbour brought me a box of chocolates, which unfortunately I can't eat at the moment because of a bad episode of acid reflux, but they will get eaten when my stomach settles.
I had a smidgen more energy today which is a good sign, but my throat feels like it's housing several razors. :(
Mr C is also not himself, so we went out to stock on supplies just in case.
Two properties to view tomorrow and I'm not sure if I am excited or just going through the motions, but I'm hoping for that wow moment.
Surprisingly my anxiety is very calm at the moment, I hope it's not building up to a massive crescendo.

[Darksky]

Tell yourself you are excited then if any symptoms show up you can chalk them up to excitement. I hope you get the wow factor, something you know instantly could be your home. I think the moment you walk in somewhere, you know.

Trouble with me, if I found somewhere I knew was 'home' I would spend weeks thinking it was all going to fall through. Bloody negative thinking but looking from a fatalist point of view, if it doesn't happen, it was never meant to happen. Whatever is going to be yours is already moving towards you, right now, this very second. I read that somewhere and I quite liked it.

[Carnation]

I like it too Darksky

[Carnation]

An eventful day yesterday.....
Felt a bit better from my virus hit and hoping it's on it's way out and managed to get some more chores done around the house.
Then Mr C had an appointment for physio on his arm and obviously I went with him. I stayed in the reception while he was being mutilated and found myself uncontrollably talking the a*s* off the reception. poor woman kept turning her head away, but not taking the hint, I kept going for the whole session that Mr C was in for.
I talked about buses, weather, brexit, housing, injuries, shops, villages and if they wasn't enough, interrogated the woman with questions in where she lived, how long had she been there, what did she do before? All in half an hour.
I was clearly nervous, but I couldn't stop. Mr C said he could hear me all the way down the corridor, which reminded me how loud I get when I go into one of these verbal spasms.
We had to go for drink in a cafe afterwards Because I was so dry.
Then we had our two viewings. Ah, let's blame my nerves in that. The first one Mr C thought was too small, but I liked it. This is how I think now. I could be in the kitchen while using all the white goods and only need to turn my body a couple of steps. I can walk through all the rooms without fear of big open spaces. I don't need a gardener for the postage stamp garden. The man two doors down looks fit enough if I need any help. It will be cheap to heat because it is so small. We can rid our clutter, because there's no room for it and Mr C will have to spend more time with me because there's no other room for him to disappear too.
Seriously though, it was perfect for one person, but two?
The next property was weird.
It was an old cottage style bungalow, but the current owners had messed about with the rooms and put an extra box, sorry meant to say bedroom in there and made an open plan kitchen, diner, sitting room /dining room that ran in a 'S' shape and it just didn't work. There was no wall to house a sofa because of all the so-called features and bends in the 'S' shape. Also, their idea of putting a conservatory on the back of the box, sorry bedroom, well I don't know how I stopped myself from laughing.
The garden was a mess and well, we just didn't like it.
But I went, I conquered the viewings and I actually managed not to ask the estate agent nonstop questions.