Anxiety Support Group
Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...
A year and a half ago I had a major motorcycle accident that shattered my tibia and fractured my fibula. I was home bound, sitting in a recliner in front of the TV for 4 months. When I was cleared to drive my car again, I noticed that I was having major anxiety when I when I got into the car. So bad that, I wouldn't drive out of our small town. I have since been diagnosed with PTSD and I have been seeing a therapist and she has helped me emmensely. Here is the problem... I cannot figure out how to get my husband to understand PTSD and to support me. He feels as though the anxiety should be gone by now and I should be feeling better. He purchased a bicycle for me for my birthday. I told him I may not be able to ride it. After talking to my therapist, she suggested I get a training stand and put it in my living room so I can practice and feel more confident. I did that. Afterwards, I found that this may be harder than I thought and that it may take me alot more time to get used to this bicycle. When I discussed this with him, I got his normal "you need to let this all go" attitude. I have asked him to research PTSD and high anxiety online so he can try to understand what I am going through and it is obvious that he doesn't want to, so instead, we continue to fight. I am exhausted from my anxiety already, and all this makes me want to just curl up in bed and stay there... how do i help him understand?
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I haven't written in my diary on my computer since May because I thought that my computer was dying. I got away from writing but my computer is hanging in there. I think that I will start writing in it again. It's so therapeutic.
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Years ago, I won a mirrored armoire from my job. It's in my bedroom but I rarely stand in front of it. Yesterday, I had to have a dexascan done so I had to change into a gown. There was a full length mirror in the changing room. I'm aware that I gained 5 to 7 pounds over the last year from cheating on Keto but I didn't know what it looked like. It was a reality check.
First of all, you can NOT help him. He has only his experience with anxiety to compare and draw his perspective from. It is NOT up to you to try to change his mind. Accept his help as it is, and use it to help you find your strength.
Instead of standing on this hill, battling his views to understand yours, choose to understand that he has to deal with his own feelings in his own way.
Look at the positive of the things he's using to help you. He's helping you with the physical recovery of your natural balance and that's a huge part of healing. Being able to move, being able to take the first step, being able to be 'you' again.
Yes, with him, 'let it all go'. He does not need to try to do more-he's doing the best he can with what he has in his own toolkit.
In your toolkit, you've gained a lot of perspective in dealing with the effects of PTSD. Learning how to use your anxiety to help you heal is important so that when you face a PTSD moment, you have the ability to stop, pause, breathe, option, repeat until calm and clear-headed.
You are the only one who can move through the recovery for your well-being. No one else can do it for you. That's why it feels so hard. Instead of 'thinking', 'do thinking'.
Other folks here have some great suggestions that may help you find an easier path, too.
You're not alone in this. Best wishes as you find your better balance.