Setbacks?

[James911]

Hello my name is James and I have been dealing with anxiety for the past 3 months. I was on the upside (or so i thought) i felt like I had a good grasp on this and had a few good days in a row and then out of nowhere I felt like I took a huge step back, like square one. I'm also afraid about how depressed is setback has made me. This is common and what is the difference between a setback oppose to good day and bad days?

[BonnieSue]

I would call a setback a time when you don't improve right back where you were 2 days ago. Like you go backwards yesterday and today you're still there and tomorrow and so on...you know you've gone backwards and you have to fight all the way back to where you were yesterday. A bad day is exactly what it sounds like: 1 bad day sandwiched between 2 good days. Nothing lost but 1 day. You bounce right back the next day.

May you have only bad days and no setbacks. And may your bad days be few!

[James911 in reply to BonnieSue]

Thank you for the encouragement

[Itsjustmeagain]

I would say it is common. And we all have setbacks and good bad days unfortunately I would compare depression and anxiety to a antibotic resistant deisease what works for a while sort wears off and we have to just keep trying until the right combination is achieved and still there will be small set backs.

If you can try not to let it get you to down you will have better day.

Take care,

[James911 in reply to Itsjustmeagain]

Thanks for the response.

[BonnieSue in reply to James911]

So James, what would you say you have had...a setback or a bad day? Or neither?

[James911 in reply to BonnieSue]

I've definitely had a setback. It's been about three days now and I feel like I'm back at square one trying to figure what to do.

[BonnieSue in reply to James911]

But it's still possible you'll hit a point where you jump forward because you've already covered some of the territory. You just have to wait and see.

[James911 in reply to BonnieSue]

I really hope so. I've heard that the progress you make doesn't go away when you have a setback.

[BonnieSue in reply to James911]

Exactly! No one can erase that from your mind!

[James911 in reply to BonnieSue]

Thank you for that. I do feel like my emotions took a big hit, I'm afraid I'm developing depression or maybe I'm just sad that I took steps back??

[BonnieSue in reply to James911]

It would be natural to feel down that you "lost" a few steps. Who wants to lose progress? But sometimes we don't always move forward but we don't necessarily lose big steps because we still have our memories of what we gained. It's a tricky business. Confidence is still ours to be had.

[James911 in reply to BonnieSue]

That makes a lot of sense. Thank you very much.

[James911 in reply to BonnieSue]

What is your advice on depersonalization?

[Paulleo]

I am not sure if this is the same thing so please forgive me if I have this wrong. When I have bad days I have very bad days which can last between 2-5 days where I am very low in mood and I cry and not a lot makes sense. I have had these days which happen about once a month for the best part of 20 years. I have bad periods then I go back to a higher happier state of mind. Is this similar to what you go through?

[James911 in reply to Paulleo]

So you anxiety only last for 2-5 days and then your anxiety free? This is my first setback, so I can't really comment on how it's going to feel when it passes. But for me good days, where I was almost anxiety free the whole day and bass days I had anxiety the whole day. This feel worse than a bad day and it's been about 4 days of consetent anxiety and low mood, similar to the early days of my suffering if not worse. I hope that answered your question.

[Paulleo in reply to James911]

For me that seems to be my pattern where I am in a really low mood and very anxious because I feel emotionally vulnerable. But from I understand what you have said you are feeling low and feel you are not coming out of it like you usually do?

[James911 in reply to Paulleo]

Yes, that's what I've been going through now. Like it's one really long bad day that won't end.

[Paulleo in reply to James911]

Well if I were you I would want to seek professional help and ask them their opinion. But if talking to people helps you then please stay in touch.