Relapse! Coping, Symptoms and Tips.

[pulisa]

I'm back and the fridge is still intact..Thanks for the good vibes, carnation xx

You've put yourself through a lot post-covid with the Jeff Beck gig and work, catkins. Try and have a good rest over the weekend?

I can't remember when I last had a dream. What does that mean if anything?

[Carnation]

Yay Pulisa. And the fridge behaved itself.
Don't know why I wrote Yay, but I take it it's an expression.
I wonder if it's yes and day combined, like a 'Yes Day'?

The dreams are actually exhausting because they feel so real in the head. All that searching, walking, running. Not actually flown yet. I had a period of driving in my dreams. That seems to have stopped now I am driving again.
So I'm about to get off to sleep and thankfully I do that quite quickly. Hoping if I dream for a calm and peaceful setting. You never know.

[Darksky]

You sleeping any better yet Mrs.C?

Just thinking of you.

Mr.D spent the night arguing with a plumber who was robbing us of hot water. Said plumber looked like Lewis from Enders.

[Carnation]

Thanks Darksky x
Unfortunately, no, still waking constantly with several dreams in between. It was hot in the night as well so that doesn't help.
Interesting piece of info I read on the Internet. Apparently you are more likely to dream if you face North. But even if I lay facing South I still find myself waking in the North position. How true this is, I don't know, but I am dreaming a lot. And maybe I am meant to dream.

[.Poppy.]

I used to have very vivid dreams when I was on antidepressants. It was nearly every night and I felt like I was watching a movie while I slept. I don't get them as frequently anymore, but after waking up this morning I slept a bit longer and ended up having a really bad dream, nearly a nightmare. I think it's tied to me feeling unsafe as of late, as the dream was very similar to fears I've had anyway. But it was disconcerting. I try to sleep with the TV on now as it makes me feel a little bit better.

I hope you are able to get some sleep soon.

[Carnation]

Thanks poppy. I think it is due to light sleeping. As you said you after waking up and falling back to sleep again, that's when it seems to happen. Although if I fall asleep on the sofa with the tv on it doesn't seem to happen.
I could probably put together a great sci-fi movie, lol.

[Carnation]

My anxiety has been up more than usual and I think it's down to the heat. I don't like feeling hot at the best of times and in the winter you can control it. With heatwaves and, high UVs it just sends out continuous alarm bells. Alarm bells that I have to be safe. I know I am safe because I rarely go out if the temperature is over 23c and I've been caught out a few times and I've been ok, nothing bad has happened, just anxiety being up. But I still feel anxious if I stay in and not in any danger, not that I'm in any danger anyway. I can't seem to relax until the temperature comes down and by then my anxiety has been fuelled to a point where I am on edge and probably full of adrenaline. It's exhausting. I do find doing something to keep myself occupied helps alot because it's my mind going into overdrive. I have a past trauma which doesn't help me either because I became dehydrated as a baby which I obviously don't remember but was told by my mum. I think this may have something to do with it and wished she hadn't told me, but she did and I can't change that unfortunately. Any tips from anyone how they cope with the heat?

[Catkins]

If I get dehydrated I sometimes get migraines, so I do get anxious when I'm too hot. I just try and make sure I drink plenty, I'm not very good sunbathing, so I stay in the shade, cool showers, if I'm on holiday I spend a lot of time in water. There have been times when I've been in very hot countries, unable to hide in the shade etc and I have been known to walk round with a wet scarf on my head and every now and then I damp it down again. Natural fibre scarfs work best. I'm pretty sure I did the same at Glastonbury festival once when I was younger - I'd got heat stroke the day before and felt really poorly, but the wet scarf really helped.

There's lots of other things I do; running cold water over the inside of my wrists, if I'm sitting working at a desk I'll put my feet in a bowl of cold water, big hats, loose floaty clothes made from natural fibres, a cold compress on the back of my neck. I might sound like I spend a lot of time looking ridiculous - I probably do! ��, to be honest I don't care anything is better than feeling like I'm going to overheat. It may be a good thing I live in Cumbria.

[Carnation]

Thanks catkins. There's some really good tips there.
I have my wet damp flannel at the ready. The bowl of water for my feet will be there as a cooling off. I'm going to try and find a film that's set in the Antarctica, lol. Got a magnum in the freezer for later. Fans are out and blinds are down and curtains mostly closed.
I'll also put some water out for the birds. We've got a young family of blackbirds which are so tame. They come right up to us. Oh, and the cat is staying in today, just haven't told him yet.

[Darksky]

Yes it’s too damn hot that’s for sure.
I do the cold flannel at the back of the neck. A fan going by my chair..and bed. Curtains closed if they face the sun, windows closed until sundown. And basically stay in.
It will be better tomorrow.

not speaking to my cat…he’s unearthed a robins nest. Tiny little babies just hatched. I kept him in yesterday hoping he will forget but he loves to be outside. Spends all day in the woods and only comes back occasionally to check we’re still alive.

Also I’ve just remembered when you have your warm shower in hot weather, at the very end let it run cool. I did this yesterday..it’s a bit of a shock but my goodness it cools you down.