Sit down, write it out. Keep writing it out.

Sometimes, sitting down, and letting the eyes rest allows me to 'nap' for a few moments.

Can you all help me today please.?
I’m sitting here crying.
I know what I’m supposed to be doing to help myself.
I am reading the book
I just want the night ti come so this day can be over.
I think knowing I have no one to vent to this week causes more anxiety

You actually have yourself to vent to.

I've had a conversation with myself in which I explore, expose and reveal every single feeling in my journal. There are a lot of times that I delete it after writing it out. If I'm not ready to delete it but I'm not ready to share any of it, I keep it as a draft.

Try and take things one step at a time. You don't need to deal with the whole day right now, just the next thing that's in front of you.

Try to stay our of your head. Right now, your brain is not your friend. The brain wants to think, it wants to ruminate, it wants to spiral into the thoughts and create turmoil. None of that is helpful. You want to find things to focus on outside of the thinking. If reading is too much then maybe going for a walk, or watching birds, or playing with your dogs (I think you've mentioned walking dogs in the past).

You can do this, and you can vent here as often as you need.

Yes I have many things to do but my brain just keeps going. It never stops. I willl think of things that may happen , I think of things that are happening. It doesn’t stop.

The book is not a cure all. Self help books are just one source of info. There are all kinds of ways to try to redirect or calm overthinking. In fact, for me, some books actually make me feel more frustrated and agitated. So I would try something else for a bit if you can’t focus on the book. Come back to it later. That’s kind of the key for me, to keep applying different things and see what helps. Sometimes I have to change it up all the time, multiple times throughout an episode or day or however long it is.

No one knows all aspects of what is happening in my life, not even my husband. I am more an internalizer vs someone who vents. You do not need to say words out loud to another person to help calm your mind. It helps maybe but it’s not the only game in town. Writing it out, venting here can also serve that same purpose. So can screaming in a pillow or in the car (been there and do that from time to time).

What if you took this moment to write out a plan for how you plan on spending your days outside your home? Volunteering, working, whatever it is. That way you get to engage other people which sort of forces you to spend less time in your head. Seems you could start working towards just figuring out what you want to do with your time.

Try practicing meditation even for a couple of minutes. Do it several times a day if you have to.

Get on a bike or treadmill or go outside for a walk. I find draining my physical energy helps reset my brain a little.

These are just a few suggestions. There are so many things to try.

So try whatever you can try. No excuses. Just try.

It always helped me to write in a journal when I am upset. Its not a cure but it is helpful. Medication would probably help. Can't remember if your on any.

Yes I’m not constantly reading the book. I am trying on one way to help myself with the book.
No one know all I’m going through except my therapist. I don’t talk at home about it.
I just left the house and my husband doesn’t know how I feel. Mainly because he would say keep busy that’s your problem and on and on.
I internalize at home when he is there. And yes I have cried in the car and asked why do I feel
like this to God many times.

Marian. Today is the day you start letting the thoughts run rampant and do nothing about it. Face them but Do not respond to them mentally, do not judge yourself for the thoughts, do not judge the thoughts themselves. Start now, tell yourself they are just thoughts, nothing more. Let them happen don’t fight with them. Accept that they are there and surrender yourself to them. That’s how to get started with the method. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just do it and tell yourself they are just thoughts, nothing more. Give it a go!

I like that, surrendering and accepting. This is actually a form of giving it up to god, a higher power, etc.

mtd I will try. You’re right that I have no choice on a day like this.

I have stuff going on today that has me thinking about bad outcomes in the future. I am really in a bad space.

Marian,
If you are struggling with sleep, I have found some success lately with taking Unisom.

I also take a hot shower before bed, and fall asleep while my husband watches TV. The sound of the TV helps me to drown out some of my endless thoughts while trying to fall asleep.

Do you take any medication for your anxiety Marian? It might be a route worth looking into.

I don’t have any problem falling asleep and even if I wake up like 1 or 2 I go right back. It’s when it gets to be closer to morning that ruins me and I can’t fall back.

I have benzodiazepines for anxiety. I was on lexapro and weaned off months ago. But I am in the process of thinking it’s time I start slowly to get back on. I’ve been on antidepressants before. I’ve been on different ones, never like the way I feel.

One thing that helps me sleep with anxiety is guided sleep meditations. I’d recommend Jason sephensons youtube channel. He is excellent and very relaxing.

The brain thinks. It's what it does. It's all it does. But, as has been said, you don't have to pay attention to it. Try to think of it as a television in another room... it's background noise... chatter. Something interesting might come on and you pay attention for a bit, but only as long as listening is serving a purpose.

I know this is much easier said than done. Believe me, I know. But you can't keep looking for something outside yourself to make it stop. It's up to you to accept that the brain is going to do it's thing and practice being okay with that.