Here we can all be heard for a little while. Part 3

dandy-candy

Feeling very agitated today. I can't stop my mind working against me and I need to find something to occupy myself but I can't settle. Last night when I tried to sleep every time I closed me eyes I imagined spiders which I hate and make me feel sick. Today my head keeps imagining upsetting situations that aren't even real, and I already set myself a task that I know will be hard and frustrating. I hate my brain, it's supposed to help me but it is doing everything it can to make me feel ill. I don't understand these things because I'm supposed to be in control of it but it really is like someone else is working it. It seems to deliberately try to find ways to upset me.

Gingernutty

Oof. Tough one. Anxiety. No idea what to say, but I couldn't read and run.

Sorry to hear you're having a bad day dandy-candy.

Izadora

Dandy, sorry you're having a rough day.

I have no suggestions for how to ease it but I can sympathise, it's rubbish when your brain decides it hates you and is going to spend its time taunting you.

whitewing

MU, I am pleased about your assessment.

dandy, did you watch

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/old-peoples-home-for-4-year-olds/on-demand/64374-001

last night?

It is brilliant. Hamish is my favourite old fella. It may distract you from your anxiety for an hour. (The second episode is on tonight).

WaS, if you are hovering, I think you would be able to watch it without being triggered but maybe check with WaSp first. Hope you are well enough to say 'hi' at some point.

System

dandy-candy wrote: »

Feeling very agitated today. I can't stop my mind working against me and I need to find something to occupy myself but I can't settle. Last night when I tried to sleep every time I closed me eyes I imagined spiders which I hate and make me feel sick. Today my head keeps imagining upsetting situations that aren't even real, and I already set myself a task that I know will be hard and frustrating. I hate my brain, it's supposed to help me but it is doing everything it can to make me feel ill. I don't understand these things because I'm supposed to be in control of it but it really is like someone else is working it. It seems to deliberately try to find ways to upset me.

Anxiety is horrible.

Something that works for me when i'm anxious and my brain isn;t behaving is a technique called grounding. Basically you think of 5 things you can see (a clock, a window anything really), 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste. I know it sounds crazy and you do feel a bit silly doing it but i do find it helps a lot with anxiety *though more with the panic attack side of it). Sometimes you need to take yourself away from it all and focus on your surroundings. When you're thinking of spiders can you tell your brain "no"? Again sounds silly but when i have bad thoughts i try and tell my brain to behave, tell myself that x isn;t real and it can;t hurt me. Would that help? Sorry you're feeling so anxious.

lobbyludd

hi everyone,
I've been lurking on your thread for years, and have anxiety and depression -

Dandy -what works for my anxiety if it's starting to ramp up is (and I know this sounds ridiculous, but I have to say it out loud AND do the actions!) is to put my hand out in front of me like I'm directing traffic in a "stop motion" and firmly say (out loud) "Stop" at the same time.

My brain invariably segues into singing either "stop, wait a minute, mr post man" or "stop in the name of love" or a number of other songs with "stop" in the lyrics.

If it doesn't I sing the damn things out loud and repeat the action until it does - the absurdity of this sort of jolts my brain out of the cyclone of anxious thoughts.

Easier to do in private though! I've done it so often now that just humming the tune, or thinking about how bonkers it would look to someone else if I did this in the middle of the street or a meeting is enough to pop me out of an anxious thought spiral sometimes.

back off to lurk.

onomatopoeia99

HI lobbyludd and welcome to the thread :hello:

System

Slightly worried about the assessment i have, or rather where its taking place. The guy who threatened my friend with a knife trying to get my loctation so he could kill me has serious psychiatric problems and my friend told me he goes to the place where my assessment is (hes apparently registered at my doctors too though thankfully haven'y crossed paths), i' now scared shitless of going there and him being there. Causing me a lot of anxiety. Any advice?

dekaspace

What a last few days, last minute hospital appointment where it was all but confirmed I have sleep apnea but can't officially do it until I have an appointment in about 2 months to pickup kit that monitors me when I wear it.

It explains the poor sleep as even when I go to bed I often feel like I haven't slept at all so thats why one day I may be lucky and drag myself out of bed after 8 hours and feel ok all day and another time barely be functional after 9 or 10.

Sure mental health/anxiety too but as I have said in past its a vicious cycle, even when I was at my lowest before the family member died a good night sleep meant I didn't feel tired all day and could at least be glued to a movie in a good way, or go for a walk as felt refreshed, these days I feel asleep even when awake.

Izadora

MU - I know it's probably no help but, considering the amount of people who must use the assessment centre, it's highly unlikely that you'll both be there at the same time.
Getting the assessment is a good thing so try to focus on that rather than something which probably won't happen.
Good luck x