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...
Good evening from Greece dear fellows.
I've always suffered from OCD, anxiety and periods of depression due to obsessive negative thoughts. However the last year has been really harsh on me. I lost my partner 7 months ago from aggressive cancer, he was only 36 years old and from diagnosis to death it was only a matter of 3,5 weeks, as you realize it was an extremely traumatic shock for me and I'm still grieving. 2 months ago my grandma passed away, I've got to be strong for my mom who is a widow (my dad died from cancer when he was 53 years old twenty years ago). As if all these were not enough, the last 3 months I experience severe pressure at work, the management has changed and unfortunately the new manager is totally incompetent, we changed building, offices, plus there are some new cooperators who are really insupportable. I used to love my job and I was really very good at what I was doing, my boss called me workaholic several times, but after all that has happened in my life the last months every day feels like torture, I wakeup with severe anxiety, going to work feels like nightmare, I have to pop 2 xanax before leaving home to go to work. I see my psychiatrist he is trying the best but this period of my life is really extremely hard for me, I am on antidepressants and benzodiazepines but still I feel so sad 24/24. I used to go to the gym, do kick boxing etc but now I don't do anything, I know that working out helps a lot but I don't have the mental nor the physical enwrgy to do anything if you know what I mean. My psychiatrist insists I am extremely neurotic and that I don't have depression, I don't really know, my mind is a mess , and the anxiety is so severe almost debilitating, I spend most weekends lying on bed where is the only place I feel "safe". I guess all the things that happened the last months have triggered my OCD, my depressive mood and my anxiety in high levels. I have to be strong for my mom who is grieving for grandmas death, I have to be strong to do my work well plus I have to be strong for my self, I am really trying but I feel exhausted both mentally and physically.
Sorry for the long post but I am really in the verge of a nervous breakdown, my world has turned upside down and I think I can't handle this extreme stress and anxiety. Any advice would be appreciated, my blessings and hugs to all of you , I wish to all of us peace of mind.
One of the things you have to put into life is walks by the river, or some such. You need the space to unravel. Any waterway you can lay your hands on really, and trees are better than no trees... at a pinch, a forest walk? Something at least 2 hrs long, once a week.
You've wound yourself down. You've undone the things that keep you sane, and now you're not sane; and are taking addictive pills to fix that. Kick boxing is better than an addiction to benzos. So stop, take stock. Don't make your next big problem by the way you handle your current problem. Don't give yourself collateral damage.
As to this 'staying strong' business. I think you need to confront that. Go have a chat to mum and find out exactly what 'strong' she requires from you. And what 'strong' even means. Is china strong? Is leather strong? What's the difference between them?
Chat to mum. I think you might be surprised at her point of view. Of course, I don't know your mother, but I suspect that by the time she's made it to her seventies she's no longer some princess who has to be kept in an ivory tower of luxury and protection from reality. I suspect she can handle the truth... In fact, I suspect she might have some she can offer you. Old people can surprise one.
And offloading your worries to your mum, if you can, is a wonderful thing to be able to do. Brothers and sisters are as good...
I've had my beautiful, happy job knocked for six by a new woman who came 2 yrs ago, and who was a nightmare. Bashed her way in, ignorant, arrogant, demanding and controlling. And of course she was one of my superiors. I went home from work for the first year mostly in tears. Mostly anxious, stressed, I started looking for other jobs.
That actually helps - looking for other jobs. Except that I couldn't get anything else in the price range I wanted... But even knowing that helps you endure.
Two years later I am still getting by and earning respect of one superior by the way I handle her. She has infuriated and insulted most people in the building, and doesn't know what she's doing - and they are all pretty much over her. The rose tinted glasses are off, she's about to be put under a bit of pressure.
I would say it was worth the torment. So hang on in there. Just get through your work well, and get back to the kick boxing and kick the living snot out of that punching bag. Time is your friend. Time, endurance, and not making your next big problem while you handle this problem.