Relapse! Coping, Symptoms and Tips.

[Carnation]

The pub thing went quite well.
I had a lovely meal and sat still for nearly 2 hours!
Two things were apparent....
I couldn't stop talking and I felt the adrenaline rush through me a few times.
I had one hot flush incident, but that was because it was very hot in there and came after drinking strong coffee.
I don't drink coffee anymore, just a latte occasionally as I find it exasperates the adrenalin.
Apart from that, I felt quite normal for a change.
And I got treated by my wonderful neighbour who says I help her a lot. I actually think she is an anxiety sufferer herself, but hasn't come out of the closet yet.
I'm very pleased it went well and only a day to my soiree and noticed the forecast is heavy rain, so maybe no one will come.

[Carnation]

So tomorrow is my big day!
Everything is ready, as much as it can be for my party of twelve. Yes twelve! Big thing for me and I am very interested to find out whether I get through it all unscathed. If I do, it will be a major achievement.

[Aquilega]

Good morning @Carnation my friend you are like a breath of fresh air,I had I little job yesterday sorting some wiring out,I got so engrossed in it that my anxiety just disappeared for 30 minutes,what a lovely feeling it was but it returned but wasn't so bad,this morning wow went to Tesco's and the paper shop,wanted to run out but stood my ground(don't know how)(LOL) and now feeling xxx ,have a lovely weekend and stay strong

[Carnation]

Aquilega, you did well to stand your ground, keep up the good work.

---------- Post added at 11:23 ---------- Previous post was at 09:56 ----------

Woke up in the night with the dead arm syndrome. I had to use my other arm to bring it back to life. I don't get worried when this happens because it's something that happens from time to time and I've had it since I was a teenager, it's just annoying.
Isn't the brain amazing how it wakes you up to warn you and tell you this? This is when our brains are doing their job properly.
Right, better get myself ready and composed for the big event. My first thing is to find something to wear that feels comfortable. Better be prepared for the bedroom to become a bombs hit it.

---------- Post added at 14:26 ---------- Previous post was at 11:23 ----------

Well, I've already had 3 hot flushes and that's before they are here. It's chucking it down and the wind is getting up.
Everything ready, so done my bit. Looks though I am having a lot of cake this weekend.

---------- Post added at 15:54 ---------- Previous post was at 14:26 ----------

What have done!?!

---------- Post added at 19:46 ---------- Previous post was at 15:54 ----------

Survived it. Very on edge all the way through.
No panic attacks, a bit of adrenalin and over talking, but I was OK.
Would I do it again?
No. I'd rather go to one than host it.
Too much work, waiting and hanging around and no escape.

[Buster70]

Well done on hosting the soirée hyacinth sorry carnation , remember when party's were just fun not hard work , you should have another you got through one so maybe the next will be easier until you actually look forward to it , I find it hard to enjoy anything planned it needs to be spur of the moment or my mind ruins it .anxiety is the worst party pooper .
Aquilega it is a nice break to lose yourself in a job of some sort , welding is a good one for me once the helmet goes down you have to concentrate totally or get burned , the other day I spent hours working in the sun on my vans engine, the job in hand was all I thought about for that period , distraction is what we all need from this affliction.
Well done guys .

[Carnation]

Hyacinth??? what do you mean by that Buster?
That I nag my o/h, scare everyone or think I am posh? Not sure what you are referring to?

[Carnation]

I couldn't get off to sleep last night, so the extra hour was pretty pointless to me.
I was worrying about stuff and conscious about a possible dead arm situation and kept moving it in different positions like tending to a baby.
Fortunately, I didn't get a dead arm and I have a confession to make... I did what we shouldn't do and Googled. Oh my, I am getting brave. Anyway, it is not dangerous and apart from the obvious of laying on it and going dead, which didn't apply to me as my arm was above my head, it can happen if you have too many pillows. Apparently it can be caused by your spine being out of alignment. And as I had added another pillow to my crèche making a total of three, it didn't take me much thought to throw it out. I was only using three to help with my sinus issues, but as they have cleared up, I saw no point in sleeping on a raised level. It may have been the reason or not? But interesting concept.
Just wanted to share another tip for when you feel overwhelmed or anxious.
Imagine you are a kettle boiling and the top of your head is the lid. Place your hand on the top of your head and breath in for the count of 3 and when you breath out, imagine the kettle coming to the boil and as you take your hand of, breath out slow and long imaging every last bit of steam coming out. There, you have just let off steam and released your boiling point.

[Carnation]

My head and stomach is struggling with the hour change.
I eat at regular times and get grouchy and panicky if I don't. I also have the mental thought that the time is really 2pm and not 1pm.
So, I have adjusted my eating times so I am eating half an hour earlier. Hopefully in time, it will settle.
Dark afternoons are also setting in and I am making a point of finding projects to do to keep myself occupied.
Recently I have been struggling with being over sensitive. I have always been inclined to take things to heart or the wrong way, but lately I have been well over the top with feeling offended to the point of making myself miserable. I tend to think people don't like me or make fun of me. If something is said, I will automatically take it to heart in the most negative way. I feel very self conscious anyway and it doesn't take much to make me feel hurt.
I was hoping as I grew older I would feel more confident and more resilient to negative comments and people, but I haven't. The thing is, you feel just the same inside whether you are 18, 30, 40 and so on.
I have come to the conclusion that you are the way you are no matter what age and it comes down to how you deal with these things. I'm yet to find my coping mechanism with this and until I do I will remain sensitive and delicate.
In the mean time what I can do is put my sensitivity in to projects. Things like painting a picture, writing a poem or story, making music, baking, singing? Sometimes these things need a touch of sensitivity. Some of great achievers in society has come from sensitivity and as I often say, "Something good comes out of something bad".

[Buster70]

Hyacinth??? what do you mean by that Buster?
That I nag my o/h, scare everyone or think I am posh? Not sure what you are referring to?

None of the above just got a mental picture of you flitting around wanting everything to be perfect but thinking its all teetering on the edge of disaster , only for it to turn out fine , clear as mud

[Carnation]

Like I said Buster, I am sensitive.
Thank you for your clarification.