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...
My anxiety is through the roof.
Finances are bad since my husband has been out of work since March....down 75% of our income.
He is also having hip replacement on the 23rd.
I am completely stressed the kids will be disappointed with their amount of gifts (WAY less than they are accustomed to), taking care of him, and hosting Christmas dinner for my parents.
Chaos in general causes panic attacks. My mother is now immobile so I'll have very little help with the day.
I already am sleeping even worse constantly worried about the day.
I have zero energy and almost no sleep.
Any suggestions on how to make it through the prep and day without going off the deep end?
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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.
Steadying support while you ride it out, My3. Easy does it. Vent freely. Vent often.
Worry doesn't rob tomorrow of sorrow. It only drains today of its strength.
Let the gifts amount be. That is one situation that you have done the best you can. Not a problem that it is less than 'expected'. And, do not apologize for it being less than you expected, either. Just let it be.
Christmas is about people, not gifts. In some households, people are using 'gift notes' to be used during the coming year for special outings since money is so tight everywhere.
If the children complain, offer them extra chores to earn for what they 'want' or 'need'.
Your caretaker duties can be shared with the kids-they are able to do chores, help with the extra things that 'dad' is unable to do while he is recovering.
Dinner for your parents is your gift to them. Keep it as simple as you can, with as much preparation done ahead of time as possible. We adapted our menu to minimize the chaos on Christmas day and set out things that everyone can do to help make the day special.
It's often the simple things that will give the most joy when a child sees that their work does make a difference for everyone to enjoy.
Whatever happens, keep your calm and even voice. Do not raise it, do not yell, do not scream, just stop, pause, take a breath, and be gentle with yourself.
It's just a day. It's just time together. It's a tradition that makes a special moment matter, simply because you are together doing things together and giving of time together.
The lack of sleep makes you feel more tired, so take the time to write out, like you have here, and to be gentle with yourself!
The kids will definitely be on major help patrol. They are old enough to understand ill need it and they do seem to enjoy it because I thank them endlessly.
The 3 of them did all the Christmas cookies yesterday while I tried to maintain my anxiety with just breathing. It ended up ok.
I need to try to stop thinking and stressing about the future for sure
Homemade holiday cookies are sure show stealers in my entertainment tastes.
Nummy! ! ! Let the spirit ring! ! !
Baking cookies puts everyone in the holiday spirit.
Just being together as a family is the most important thing. Even playing games would be fun and having dinner together. Enjoy your day and don't stress. Keep doing some deep breathing it helps!!!
If you can==purchase ready made foods for your Holiday -sometimes they make a feast that you can purchase--and you can just add your special touches--or do the Chinese restaurant thing if you have to. We kill ourselves making holidays--esp. Christmas into this HUGE thing when it can just be easy. My mom was a Christmas maniac...and it pretty much traumatized my brother and me...lol....simpler would have been better. If you aren't going to do any of that...lol.....at least make a large portion of your feast ahead of time! Start 3 days before--just a couple of dishes a day....freeze if you have to! serve as a buffet...
It's all self inflicted and that's the most frustrating.... i can't convince myself out of my own stress UGHHHHHHH
My first ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) workshop was at the VA with other military trained veterans who were quite adept at taking orders. Once we were all present and waiting, the workshop facilitator walked into the room and ORDERED us to go out into the lobby and fall in love. Once we got past the shock enough to start tittering nervously, she told us that the point of that exercise was to show just how little control we actually have over our emotions. The heart goes where it goes. What do logic and discipline have to do with it?
The overall focus of the workshop was how to use mindfulness in letting ourselves be comfortable with processing our emotions while staying on task with the demands of our day. Life really is simpler when I accept my self-inflicted stresses as simple proof of my own humanity. Letting myself be myself, warts and all, helps me stay on task far more easily than the self-flagellation I used to inflict on myself for the crime of being human.
I is what I is, and my heart goes where it goes, whether I currently understand myself and my emotions or knot.
I used to entertain a lot--but I'd torture myself for days before hand--cleaning the house, making sure I had every little thing anyone could want-I'd be making ice like an idiot. Then one time I had my friends over for a brunch--I burned the bacon, didn't have something to make the ambrosia salad I wanted, one of the guest's chairs just slowly sunk to the ground as the leg gave away (lol, never spilled a drop of mimosa--which is something we still laugh about today) and I went into the kitchen to mope a little and heard everyone laughing up a storm (as I was watching the clouds get darker and darker-we were outside) and I realized that these people weren't gonna go anywhere, that no matter what happened we all just had fun together and that was the important thing...and we could have fun in a remote cave with no food and just a few sticks for entertainment. I am gonna guess that would be the same with you guys....
ps--they peeled the bacon right off the pan...lol....and they loved the other simpler fruit salad I'd made....lol...
So have yourself a Merry Little Christmas and keep laughing!