Hello Ready2. Welcome to DS.

Here's to hoping that posting here will have a more solid impact. Maybe it will help to know you're not alone.

I've yet to pull an anxiety management tool and have it work as smoothly as loading a new program onto my computer's hard drive, and I am not implying that getting a new program running to my needs is ever as easy as advertised. It takes lots of fine tuning and practice. Tips and encouragement from my peer support network helps allot. DS is one of the nodes on my peer support network. Hope it serves you as well as it has served me.

Welcome aboard. Hope you find stabilizing companionship here.
You are not alone.

Welcome to the anxiety board at DS.

Keep writing it out. You're not alone.

Please hang in there, maybe once you're able to get ahold of some medical marijuana it can help your anxiety. Just try to use it as something to look forward too. I'm not sure if that will help you but when my anxiety is at its worst having something to keep going for, no matter how small is at least a little helpful. Right now times are really uncertain but there are lots of people on here that are happy and willing to give you support. I know you can pull through this!

Wow, I am so sorry you have to feel this stress and difficult feelings.

Anxiety is so difficult, as is any mental health issue, but I have found what often made me feel better is that somewhere out there there is someone feeling much the same as me. It doesn't need to make you feel as though you're not allowed to feel what you feel, but it helps to know that others have survived and found ways to cope, which gives you hope for yourself.

It helps to help other people, too. Though first and always take care of yourself. When rumination got the worst for me, and there was so little I could do to help myself, often I would sit and think until it felt my head would explode. I came to a place, after much treatment for depression and anxiety, to understand that no matter how much I sat and thought, it wouldn't change anything. Cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy really helped me. For as little time as I spent in office learning techniques, I went forward on my own, downloading free worksheets online, and watching a few great Youtube channels about mental health. You can also search the term "Radical Acceptance" and read a bit about it. Check out Kati Morton, who is a practicing therapist that makes very informative videos on what you may be feeling.
No, you can't fix anything in this moment, and it sucks hardcore. But you can take a few steps toward alleviating the pain you're feeling. What helps is to remind yourself each day that you are taking steps to make life more livable. Write what you do down on a piece of paper, everyday. Write your plans for the next day to address your anxiety. After some time, these plans will expand to fit your needs when you find what begins to work and what doesn't.
Take a walk, draw or even just scribble in circles. Put the energy somewhere when you can't hold it all inside. But I remember watching a few philosophical videos on what anxiety actually is and it blew my mind. Nietzsche really lays it all out there.
Good luck to you! Take care!!

Thank you for your replies. You have no idea how grateful I am to feel your kindness through a screen. I will apply these things every day and see.if they help. I am INFP which I think makes anxiety even worse. I am a giver and am now finding that most of my friendships are one sided(them wanting help and not truly caring about me). Both the reality of that in turn with giving far too much of myself has made this time very dark. I have always been resilient and don't know why this virus has shaken me so much. Maybe it's the lack of human contact and people not taking the virus seriously? I'm sending you all hugs because while I am here complaining you are all here too for a reason. I don't yet know your reasons but I appreciate your help and am here if you need someone to talk to as well.

Many hugs

I too have been feeling like you! This virus has me a hot mess as well. I started out ok and then BAM! It just took a mental toll on me. I have a caring supportive husband but always feel like I'm overwhelming him with my anxiety. He asks me everyday "how you feeling today?" You would think that's enough to lift your spirits but it's so short lived for me. I find myself so consumed with my own thoughts and have also tried various suggestions. Yoga, meditation, calm app, etc. But end up finding myself just laying in bed or sitting around watching mindless TV. I am struggling to find what works. I know I'll get there, but patience is not one of my strengths. I wish you well and hope we both see the light soon in what seems like a never ending hamster wheel right now! XOXO