Relapse! Coping, Symptoms and Tips.

[YoullNeverWalkAlone]

Hi Carnation so sorry your feeling like you do and I understand 100% cause that’s exactly how I feel day in day out, yes I have better days but the anxiety and it’s symptoms are aways in the back ground. I had a very very bad day yesterday with anxiety and I think every symptom you could possibly get, the day started off not to bad but not good either, so I thought go for a walk and burn of some adrenaline, 10 minutes into the walk I fell, hard, end up at a & e for over 4 hours and have broken my shoulder in 3 places, that’s why I haven’t been doing the games...well you can imagine the anxiety was sky high, I’d had nothing to eat or drink all day and was exhausted, couldn’t sleep last night with the pain and having to stay in one position, and tiredness plays a big part in anxiety, if your anxious you feel tired and if your tired you feel anxious. I hope the anxiety eases down for you quickly Carnation and tomorrow is a better day xxx

[Carnation]

Oh God YNWA
How did you fall and then get help, you must have been on your own?
Oh bless, I'm sorry you are suffering like this.
Sending you lots of love. x

[Windywel]

Hi guys sounds like it’s been a really tough day for you both! So sorry about the broken shoulder - what a nightmare! And Carnation I know exactly how you feel - it’s really hard when we have days like that. But we’ll done you for the exposure thing even though it’s so difficult. A good cry helps and a vent on here to others who understand. It’s a very heavy cross we bear. But we must focus on the good moments even if they are few and far between and for the good things and people in our lives. And I always try and think of the people who I know are a lot worse of than I am with chronic disease or pain and what strength they must have. Tomorrow will be a better day - or at least another day! Thinking of you both xx

[Mrsmitchell1984]

Hi guys sounds like it’s been a really tough day for you both! So sorry about the broken shoulder - what a nightmare! And Carnation I know exactly how you feel - it’s really hard when we have days like that. But we’ll done you for the exposure thing even though it’s so difficult. A good cry helps and a vent on here to others who understand. It’s a very heavy cross we bear. But we must focus on the good moments even if they are few and far between and for the good things and people in our lives. And I always try and think of the people who I know are a lot worse of than I am with chronic disease or pain and what strength they must have. Tomorrow will be a better day - or at least another day! Thinking of you both xx

Hi Carnation,

sorry I haven’t been on for a while. I am so sorry to hear you have been having a bad time. I hope you have a better day today.

I hope you have a better night’s sleep as that makes a big difference to your overall mood.

i can totally relate to what you are saying too. I seem to have the opposite problem- I hate being at home. It’s where I have all my panic attacks and anxiety. I also beat myself up for sitting on the sofa for too long. I could have a really productive day, work hard at my job and achieve loads- but then I get home and beat myself up- I feel like unless I have saved someone’s life or moved some sort of mountain, that I have not achieved enough. I feel like every second counts and that we have to make the most of our lives and if feels so frustrating that we are stuck in this hole. We use all our energy and strength to climb up high out of the big hole but then lose our energy and fall down a bit again. Our arms and legs are aching and still we have to keep trying to climb out as the bottom of the hole feels like hell on Earth. It’s dark, cold and there are all sorts of nasty creatures down there. We don’t want to go back there again.

it’s just exhausting - battling how we feel each day. If we feel depressed- we feel like we need to fight these negative thoughts and that takes a lot of energy. If we are anxious- that is exhausting in itself and takes courage and hope just to get through every minute- which in turn is exhausting too. Maybe our approach is exhausting us and keeping us stuck in this big hole. Claire weeks says that we should just sit with how we feel. Don’t pressurise ourself too much as exhausting ourselves would keep us unwell and keep the anxiety alive. So it’s just about going about our normal routine with these feelings that are stuck to us- easier said than done. I would go further and say we should not expect so much of ourselves. If you didn’t go out for one day to face your fear of being in shops- it’s ok- you can do it tomorrow and try not to beat yourself up for not going. We are exhausted - and that is why we feel like we do. If we had a bad cold we wouldn’t think twice about spending a few days in bed to recover. We need time to rest in this too. It’s a long road though and sometimes I wonder if it will ever end- but it will xxxx

[Mrsmitchell1984]

Aw you never walk alone- so sorry to hear you broke your shoulder. I cannot imagine the pain and fear you must have gone through.

i really hope you make a speedy and full recovery mentally and physically from this. Will you be able to do the normal things in your life whilst you recover? I hope it can be a good thing in the sense that it allows you to relax and stop for a bit xxxx

[Mrsmitchell1984]

Oh I forgot to say Carnation- you mentioned dry mouth and digestive problems. I am getting that a lot at the moment. I thought it was down to the tablets- but it seems to be anxiety related if you have it too. I find it really annoying as it’s like an intense thirst feeling. I had it all day yesterday and no matter how much water I drank - it didn’t go away. It’s like one thing after the other. You get used to and accept one symptom and another one comes to cause problems!! I am hoping soon my body will run out of tricks! Xxx

[Mrsmitchell1984]

Lastly, maybe a few of you can relate to this article:

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.p...-boredom%3famp

[YoullNeverWalkAlone]

Hi Carnation, yeah was on my own so had to struggle getting up and then slowly walk back home with ripped tights and a bloody knee, felt a right idiot...don’t really know how it happened, think my foot slipped of edge of Kirb. Slept a bit better last night but was up at 6 so knackered now....How are you feeling today, any better?


Thank you windy well xx


Mrs M thank you too, no can’t do hardly anything at moment and what I can manage is done with one hand, carefully, and yes it’s certainly slowed me down, usually I’m like a whirlwind but now I’m going at a snails pace. Hope your feeling better today.

know what you mean about dry mouth, I get that when very anxious, mouth feels like bottom of a bird cage and no amount of drinks will fix it, just time....

lots of love to everyone and sending big hugs...xx

[Mrsmitchell1984]

Hi Carnation, yeah was on my own so had to struggle getting up and then slowly walk back home with ripped tights and a bloody knee, felt a right idiot...don’t really know how it happened, think my foot slipped of edge of Kirb. Slept a bit better last night but was up at 6 so knackered now....How are you feeling today, any better?


Thank you windy well xx


Mrs M thank you too, no can’t do hardly anything at moment and what I can manage is done with one hand, carefully, and yes it’s certainly slowed me down, usually I’m like a whirlwind but now I’m going at a snails pace. Hope your feeling better today.

know what you mean about dry mouth, I get that when very anxious, mouth feels like bottom of a bird cage and no amount of drinks will fix it, just time....

lots of love to everyone and sending big hugs...xx

Aw good to hear it is slowing you down a bit -maybe that is what is needed for you right now- the universe has a weird way of getting what it wants eh? I broke my toe once and it was so painful to walk on. Once I got over the distress, the pain and the shock- I realised that it was a good thing- and I even milked it a bit. Thank goodness for things like online shopping now too- which I hope helps with your Christmas shopping etc.

oooh you described the dry mouth so well- the bottom of a bird cage- that is exactly it and it even made me smile about it too! I will think of that when it’s bothering me. Lots of love xxxx

[DustingMyselfOff]

Hi everyone.
Just stopped by to check in and see how everyone is doing. Apparently not so good between the physical injuries, depression, anxiety, and fatigue. :( I wish there were a magical cure - I would certainly be sending it to all of you for Christmas.

I'm dragging badly today, and feeling anxious. I will go into work at the shelter in 1 hour and I know that will make me feel better. It forces me to get up and get moving, and I am so busy and distracted while there I don't have time to think about how I feel, physically or mentally. What I'm trying hard to do today is to realize and deal with the day I had yesterday. My habit (as explained to me by therapists) is to downplay all bad events, act as if all is fine, and shove them down somewhere, never addressing them or dealing with them. And the therapists are right: I have done that all my life. Some life events that would put others into a psych ward have had me simply saying "Oh, thanks for asking. My ex-husband broke in today and tried to kill me and destroyed my house until the police came, but I'm fine. So what's for dinner?"

Yesterday I got up very early and went into the shelter to do the morning medications and tasks. Yesterday was a huge holiday in the states so other staff and volunteers was very limited. I worked very hard for 3 hours, and also had a very traumatic experience while there which would probably really freak out most people just reading about it so I will spare you the details. Then when I got home I showered, changed, and headed over to my sister's house for our holiday family dinner, and even though that is ALWAYS a nerve-wracking, anxiety-producing experience, thanks to my sister who is totally toxic, it was worse than usual. Something was really eating her up yesterday and she was lashing out and yelling and attacking everyone all day. So after being up and about and dealing with intensely upsetting things for 12 hours, I guess that explains why I'm tired and anxious today.

So what to do about it? I don't know how to bring the trauma to the forefront and deal with it! All my life, starting as a very young child, I have just shoved it down and pretended it didn't exist. Am I supposed to re-live the traumas and play them over and over in my head? I truly have no idea so any suggestions would be appreciated.

Anyway, I'm very grateful for this forum and for all who share their struggles. It's so comforting being able to come here.... it feels like "home".
Sue