I'm looking for kind support, I suffer from generalized anxiety and major depression. I'm going through a ton of anxiety at the moment due to stress from work and problems at home. I have a tendency to go over things in my head constantly to the point where I exhaust myself and my mind. I end up going into full panic attacks from thinking the worst (losing my job, losing the place I live as examples)
I don't have anyone really to talk too, I have a couple of friends but I feel I come off negative or annoying or just stressful to listen too. I can't seem to just 'vent' and go on about my day, I just worry and worry.
I've tried watching tv. or listening to music or just keeping busy with chores going for walks/exercise meditation but I can't seem to focus on anything.
has anyone found something else that has helped? I even try hard to read inspirational quotes and agree with them but then after a few minutes the stressful thoughts and worry start again.
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MoonDreaming
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I could have written your post myself, can relate to everything you shared, what we do with our mind is exhausting, right
I awake most mornings with a lot of anxiety
Today seems to be a rough day for me, probably because I’ve been having car issues, getting divorced...basically over thinking everything..worst case scenarios
Hey thanks for sharing those tips, I've tried them already but it doesn't seem to stop. I started taking some anxiety medicine but I don't want to rely on them as they make me feel weird. I'm going to try sketching/painting to try to get my focus on something else but i'll keep doing those tips too thank you.
i will be your friend too your not alone i went there and right i agree with you it is not fun once you do that and i am sorry your devoriced how do you feel?
For distraction from worries, I find that PC video games sometimes do the trick for me, especially open-world type games that aren't stressful, where one can just get lost in the virtual environs and forget reality for a spell, while also being engaged by the gameplay. And if it's a cooperative game that can be played with a friend, all the better because then one doesn't feel so alone.
Hi MrMonk thank you for the advice, which games do you play? I wouldn't even know where to look. I'd like something I can play on my PC versus my smartphone if that's even a thing anymore lol.
Since I'm not very skilled at games (pretty inept and slow on the uptake 😸), I gravitate towards games that aren't necessarily very challenging, but are more relaxing and immersive (I don't like most competitive player vs. player games). As I mentioned previously, I enjoy open-world games, especially those with survival and crafting/building elements (sandbox-style in the vein of Minecraft), but also stealth-based games, and almost anything cooperative that can be played with a friend.
My go-to games at the moment with which to unwind at night are Catlateral Damage (a hoot if you've ever wanted to sow household chaos as a cat...it's oddly therapeutic swiping odds-and-ends off shelves and counter-tops 😼), Red Dead Redemption 2, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and The Elder Scrolls Online.
In addition to that last one, other cooperative games I enjoy playing with a friend range from titles like Don't Starve Together, Lego Worlds, Ylands, Cat Quest II, and Portal Knights to games like The Forest, ARK: Survival Evolved, 7 Days to Die and State of Decay 2 (nothing like surviving a zombie apocalypse to take one's mind off a global pandemic 😼) -- oh, and can't forget Tabletop Simulator for playing innumerable board games!
Are you familiar with the Steam gaming platform for PC? It would definitely be the best place to start if you're interested in taking up video games as a hobby -- not only do they have the largest selection of games available online by far (with frequent sales for decent discounts), many PC games require activation on Steam, anyway, so it's worth checking out; here's the link to its site with more info:
I've been using Steam for more than ten years now, and can vouch that it is a safe and secure service. Let me know if you have any questions about it or if you'd like to play a game cooperatively sometime! 😺
Something that’s helped me is animals! Getting pets and throwing myself into making their lives great and playing with them is distracting, fun, and calming for me.
I have four cats, I clean up after them feed them make sure they have their water and play with them but my anxiety is so bad that a lot of times I have to stop and sit down because I get into a panic. It's my mind that goes and goes and I cant' seem to focus on something more than a few minutes. It's really torture. I try to breath and meditate but it's like I have ants all over my body, it just sucks
G'day my lovely, I've just had two weeks off because of my anxiety. I can tell you, your definitely not alone. As Freedom said above, I could have written your post myself! When I begin to ruminate about things, it's difficult to switch them off and sleep. If it's bad enough, I feel that my brain is trying to figure it out and make sense of it all but it ends up going round in circles and can't switch it off. Therefore, I like to get up and write it down. That way I can tell my brain that I've completed a task, it's recorded and I don't need to try and remember it now. With that done, I try to go to bed and just focus on my breathing until I fall asleep. I actually don't watch TV as I find it makes my anxiety worse and I've decided to drastically cut down on it's apparent replacement- youtube. Which I've been watching far too much of since my sick leave. I'm replacing it with tasks that keep my hands busy. For me that's remaking my wardrobe of clothing which I haven't replaced in a number of years now with all natural fibres. First step - knickers!
Yes!! that's me in a nutshell, I can't focus, my mind goes in circles and I can't stop it. My therapist sent me a work sheet that sounds a lot like what you do, writing down what's going on and my feelings and positive outcomes. It helped so I'll keep doing it.
I need to clean out a lot of things like my closet and our garage lol but I don't have the time as I'm still going to work. I wish I could take a few weeks off because of my anxiety/stress but I don't know how to go about it and i'm afraid of the stigma at work.
I've actually been clearing out stuff for a while now. I do it in bits. I go through a box here and there, get rid of a few things. Than I might go back again a few months later and get rid of a few more things. I find that as time goes on, I realise that things I thought I needed to keep at the time, on the second or even third go, I find that my feelings about them have changed and it's easier to let them go. As time has gone on, I've found that I have more time to do the things I enjoy because I have space to leave them out rather than having to set up and pack away each time. I'm not constantly working around boxes of things that I 'might get around to one day'.
I understand what you mean about the stigma. I've always been open about it, not as a 'woe is me, give me your pity' type thing, more of a 'this is just the way it is sometimes' My team mates understand and have often picked up on signals before I noticed them. But I have others that I don't work with as closely, including managers, who don't understand, don't take the time to understand and make me feel like I should be able to deal better when I just need them to meet me half way sometimes.
I would have a read of your work policies. Perhaps talk with your HR department and see if they can offer any suggestions. If your getting to the point where you can't cope, you may simply have to take some time to recoup and there isn't anything wrong with that. Your work can only get the best out of you if you are at your best.
It's useful to pin point the issues that are physically causing the anxiety as taking time off means very little if you can't sort some kind of solution. A chat with your manager might be worthwhile? If you can take a list of issues to them and discuss ways of resolving them that could lower your stress levels, and prevent the need to take time off, they may see that as a better alternative. At the very least it should mean that they can't say that you haven't tried to tell them.
It's often a load of small things, for me it ended up being an email that I recieved which finally broke me down to the point of needing to take time off. Not even directed at me personally and not horrible. Just asking us to collect some equipment. It was all of the little things that came before it which built up.
I have been here and was in bed for a full year til my dr put me on medical cannabis. It has changed my life and me I’m stronger now and am able to defend myself and the anxiety has disappeared it still tears it’s ugly head but I know how to make it go away now. I’m not saying this will work for you but it’s done wonders for me.
I suffer from the same issues. Sometimes it seems overwhelming. For me at least, I found Faith in God. As the Bible states hand every problem to God. It helps when you realize God will take care of you no matter your past, present and future no matter what you have done. It is very difficult for many to believe there is someone who is greater than themselves. I love the very early mornings as the birds begin chirping to greet the day. Really how you handle it is up to you. But at least for me Faith and a Christian based councilor is a God send to deal with anxiety and depression. I found out recently that on top of it all I am terminally ill. There is a small chance at a cure but it is a very dangerous cure. I know where I am going after death where there is no anxiety and no depression just the greatest Love I will ever know. If you are so inclined ask God to forgive you and accept Jesus died for your sins past, present and future. You don't have to change into a Bible thumping maniac or stop anything he accepts you for what you are. Time will take care of what God wants you to become. If he could forgive King David (adultery) Thomas (a doubter) and Saul who murdered and hunted down Jews he can forgive you.
I just found this site a few days ago and your experience sounds a LOT like mine, overanalyzing every work encounter until you find a misstep and then amplifying it, or heaven forbid you actually make a real mistake. That can send me into full-blown, no appetite, no sleep panic for days. I found something on this site that REALLY HELPED ME. Do a Google search for "real event OCD" and see if that fits. Because the treatment is different than standard cognitive behavioral therapy and everyone I've talked to on this site so far (you make 3) was like "Wow. I think I have that." Anyway. Journaling does absolutely help me, right before bed, to clear my mind and process the day. But I'm hopeful that finally distinguishing between productive remorse and the obsessive, destructive thing I do when I (either real or perceived) make a mistake will help me fight the latter and let go of the former.
Hey overwhelemdalways thank you so much for the response, I will definately look into that "Real event OCD"
I love journaling, but lately i've been so overworked that I end up just falling asleep when I come home and I don't journal. I'm going to try harder to remember to do it though, because I do feel that just dumping the day on a page and ending it on a positive/realistic note helps.
Hi there, thank you for sharing. I recommend trying grounding, it is a process where you use your senses to be more present in the moment. You can google the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise, its been helpful for me when I am very anxious. Mindfulness may be helpful too; noticing thoughts, labeling them as thoughts and continuing with whatever you are doing. I hope you can find support from people in your life. You are not alone.
hi moon dreaming, i followed you and you can text me when ever you want if you feel like it, i will be your friend, and you can be , mine i know we are going through some tough stuff but you know the best we talk about it the better right?? anyways i am here for you
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