Anxiety about being home alone/health anxiety

[Braylie]

Need a little advice.

I've recently started being terrified of being home alone again, it's happened before and I've been fine for a while but story of my life it's back again. My fiance works about 45 minutes away for the next few weeks, I'm just a ball of nerves until he comes home and then I have to go in my room alone to calm down after he gets here. It's crazy, it's irrational and I don't know where this is coming from. How am I supposed to manage this? No one can come over and sit with me, and I don't want them to this time I want to see if I can beat this alone. I'm afraid that it's hurting me being nervous like that all day, it's like that on the verge of a panic attack but one never comes so I can't ever really get over it.... I'm afraid it's hurting my body with my heart "racing" all day.

How do I manage this??

I've thrown in the towel and got on meds, maybe they haven't had time to work yet and I've got therapy in a few weeks.

[zperry4]

Hey, how are you. Sorry to hear this is happening I've definitely had days (and years) like this. Are you working currently, or have something big in your life to work on? I know that being off work, or not really having projects or anything can drive me crazy, but also not having anything purposeful and fulfilling to do messes me up to. Also are you able to get out much, at least relatively? Obviously it's hard nowadays, but I've literally never found anything as effective as leaving my property for changing my mood.

So I'm pretty sure that the actual effects of the heart racing thing aren't too bad in the short run, like as far as doing serious damage. Of course, anxiety aggravates and causes some health problems, so you want to stay on top of it, but by itself it's not gonna wreck you. And definitely don't be ashamed of the meds, you have a health problem and you're being responsible by taking medicine for it, no shame there.

Do you have any sense of what's worrying you? Is it an anxiety around your husband, or other people? Is it something you understand that's just a persistent worry, or is it less clear? I think it's important to unearth this stuff and talk about it. Hope it helps.

[Braylie in reply to zperry4]

It's just being home alone at the moment, I'm not real sure. I've got all 3 of our boys all day, I'm a stay at home mom so I don't get out or do anything that doesn't evolve around them at the moment. He can go to the store or so side jobs for a few hours but he is so far away at the moment it's just taking a toll on me. We just moved an hour away from my whole family so I think it's just feeling like I have no one here if my panic attacks get out of control or something. Which in turn thinking about it makes me anxious ALL DAY, when he's gone. I can't barely get up off the couch because I'm afraid of raising my heart rate even more than it already is. Therapy can't come quick enough !

[zperry4 in reply to Braylie]

Yeah jeez that's a really tough spot. Have you had panic attacks before? I've had some nasty ones, but I know that they're different for everybody. Do you feel unsafe if you were to have one? Do you feel like you have some good coping skills for them, or connections you can reach out to? I definitely understand your feelings around this.

[Braylie in reply to zperry4]

Yeah I usually call my dad to talk me down, but I'm almost 30 and I hate that I've come to this so I try not to. I love the town we're in, we're all happy and healthy no outside stress really. I'm just so insanely scared of my panic attacks and anxiety, that I don't know what to do anymore, I've been fine for the last few months but it always hits in cycles like this.

[zperry4 in reply to Braylie]

Yeah I can see what you're saying. I don't know, I think I've been realizing lately that life is too short to not accept help when it's there, even if it's not perfect. I get the feeling, but I feel like that's 0% weird or unhealthy in general and especially in these times. But yeah, hopefully you can find people who are down to help wiht that.

I get the being scared of panic attacks thing, they're just so shattering and intense. I tihnk it helps to no that they're not dangerous and obviously that they pass and that the body physically can only sustain them for so long. I think it also helps to have a clear plan that you always follow, whatever it is, but just to have a super clear protocol so you don't have to think, you just do it. But yeah, sorry the cycle has been coming back for you.

[Laurennnnnnn]

I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this 😔

That’s how I’ve been all of a sudden for the past few weeks when my boyfriend is working and it’s horrible. I hope you get some good advice (that I can borrow lol) 💙

And if you ever think talking to someone might help the feeling of being alone, feel free to message me!

[Clarrisa]

I have always had chronic anxiety but this is the first time my heart has raced as a result of it. The Attending Internist on a telemedicine appointment told me that they have been swamped with (anxious) non-corona patients. He commented on how we are social beings ... So it sounds like it is not just us, we have company.

I just finished wearing a patch that monitored my heart rate for 14 days. Will be interesting to hear the results. Alexander sessions on Zoom have helped me the most. They are taped so I can listen to them again if I choose. I’ve found deep breathing the most helpful.

[12234]

This is exactly how i feel.

Nervous wreck. Alone most of the time. Panic anxiety and depression. I need this to stop.

[StressedAF72]

Same here. Most of the time, I am OK. But then something will throw me off and wham - anxious, nauseous, on the verge on panic. For me, the anxiousness and panic attacks started last Friday. My only reprieve is that I work with my brother and he lives downstairs from me. But if he is going out - even just for his walk in the morning, I get all kinds of anxious.

I've been dealing with this for years. I take meds daily. I finally made an appointment with a therapist. I'll meet him next week. He's got all kinds of creds - MSW, LCSW, ACSW, CQSW. Fingers are crossed!

Can your boys distract you? Maybe doing little projects or playing games together?

[Braylie in reply to StressedAF72]

Yes! We try, go outside and play some games, sometimes it just gets too bad. I started some meds as well so I'm hoping it helps quick!

[StressedAF72 in reply to Braylie]

Good luck!!