My mother worried about everything. She had Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
It drove her crazy also. But she wasn't willing to go to therapy to help herself.
I don't know if that is your problem. Write down your thoughts about the dogs in a journal may help you see things better. And hopefully your therapist can be helpful. I also have GAD and know how awful excessive anxiety feels. Hope you feel better in the near future.

Yes Tired. It is exhausting. And the dogs are obviously underfoot always.
It’s not I don’t love them but it’s overwhelming sometimes
Like now. I’m sitting in my room crying to get away a couple minutes
And I’m worried about the one who was sick.

I love my cat, and he is a calming creature for me BUT he also stresses me out so much. My pup was the same. I was always worried about their health, the noises they made, etc. I still worry but i try to catch myself in the process. You are not alone! I have GAD along wth a few other fun spicy things. I hope you find some relief soon!

I am at rock bottom again. I feel like I did months ago.
The episode with the dog just pushed me over the edge.

I feel like I am going to explode. I don’t know what to do or where to turn.
It’s like I sit here and wait for him to vomit.
People’s dogs probably vomit during the day and they’re working and don’t even know.
This is horrendous.

Yes. I am at the worst I have been in a very long time.
With the dog getting sick in the night, now I can’t even look forward to going to bed.
I did call my vet and I told them he was sick once and his stools are fine and he wants to eat. So they said to just watch him and if it were to continue to call.

But of course I am a complete mess today. This just pushed me over the edge I was already teetering on.

I think I feel a burden that I don’t have help with in so many aspects of my life.
The dogs are just a perfect example of it.
And that’s when I think about all the people on the country heck the world who have pets. Not everyone acts like I do with them. So I know it the way I react to things. I think I sometimes would like someone to step in and help me, just once ! It would be that feeling of relief. As I’ve said before if I were alone I would be sure it was just myself in my living quarters. I don’t think I can handle much more.

Not dumb at all. I adopted a dog and the bond is strong. I get worried about him a lot and when I was away just for a week I got so anxious about him I thought I was losing my mind. I still think I am losing my mind sometimes.

So interesting you brought this up. We took a vacation this past summer with my two young adult children their significant others my husband and I. I board my dogs at a tip of the line facility. (Not bragging at all just saying how neurotic I am). While they were their I called to check on them and one of them had diarrhea and one wasn’t eating properly. Of course I ALLOWED this to ruin my time away with my family. When the place has been in business like 50 years and I have boarded their numerous times before. They have vets on staff and use 24 hour facilities for emergency. They administer meds etc. so the dogs are probably safer their than at home. Meanwhile, yes, I allowed hearing some things that weren’t all positive and allowed myself to dwell in it.
I feel I am just a sad sack.
The other side of all this is I didn’t ask for this responsibility. I of course take it seriously and give the best care possible. But it is driving me a bit insane.

My dog stresses me out too. He has a skin condition and his meds are so expensive. Sometimes he goes on hunger strikes and worries me. Today is vet day for us. Just a check up and maybe bloodwork and he is reactive and aggressive with other animals so I’m stressed about that. I have to give him Trazodone before we see the vet and that is stressful. I am home with him all day usually but on tooof all this mt car was hit so I have my sister is taking us to the vet and I left his seatbelt clip in my car which is at a shop.
You’re not stressing over nothing is what I am trying to say. As much as I love him my dog does cause me a lot of stress but I would rather have him than not

Sorry about your car situation. Just what you need is more of an issue for the day.
I think I just feel like dogs probably aren’t for someone with my personality type (which is anxious, worrier) and someone who has to kind of do this alone. If we had the dogs and I wasn’t the primary caregiver, I certainly would be much calmer having them.
And to be clear, when we got the dogs I didn’t know I would have ALL the responsibility on my shoulders. At that point in my life I kind of had a choice. Things aren’t as they are now. I would have passed on the pets if I felt at all as I do today.

The dogs don’t give you anxiety. You give it to yourself. All that’s going on is you are overwhelmed with your own emotions over the dogs. Literally making mountains out of molehills. Chicken Little at his finest. Your thinking and emotions and your reaction to the thinking and emotions is what is causing your issue. It’s not the dogs.

I get that. I am also the primary caregiver for two other dogs and two cats. I take them out to potty, take them to the vet, feed them. My parents financially care for them all but mine but yes. It can be frustrating. Most days I am ok with caring for them as I don’t work or go to school but when I am super anxious or depressed I get very frustrated with them. I also have a diagnosis of bipolar but the animals help me stay busy. When I am depressed or anxious I resent having them. I yelled at my dog the other night cause I was in the phone and he wanted to snuggle and I wanted him to leave me alone. But he kept pawing at me and trying to get in my lap and I felt so guilty.

Is it possible you can rehome any of your dogs? I know how stressful they can be and if you aren’t capable of caring for them maybe you can find them a home that is better equipped to deal with them? Or are you just venting? Which is absolutely ok I’m just offering suggestions

Sunshinegirl, I would not rehome the dogs. We have 2 one is 8.3 years the other 5.3 years. So we have had them a long time. Again, my young adult kids ,who aren’t at home (live in apartments and work all day) love the dogs and if they are here (holidays or whatever) will take them out. So I would not consider rehoming.
I am capable of caring for them , as a matter of fact , since they are Labs and I’ve had 2 Labs in the past, I am equipped to know when something is wrong etc.
I just feel they are a level of added stress and give me more anxiety.
And as mtd said above, of course I am giving myself this additional anxiety. I am in such a place where anything happens, I feel like crumbling to the ground.
But again I will say, my personality type is one that could do without more living beings that need constant care and look to me for all of it.

Oh I see. So you’re just venting. Deep breaths. I hope the anxiety settles sooner rather than later.

Well I am venting but they do worry me. They are just another issue for me to gear my worry toward and they are a huge responsibility. But I couldn’t get rid of them. We’ve had them both since they were babies so they are part of the family. Hence that’s the other issue it’s like having 2 other children really.