How does one cope with loss and uncertainty?

[cdp2727]

Hi fellow members. I live in Arizona (native) and it’s my first time reaching out for support. In December of 2019 it felt like everything I’ve worked for in my life began falling apart and it’s been critically impacted by the virus. I’m losing my home, most of my financial assets, and feel fairly hopeless. As a result of anxiety, I can’t sleep at night without medication and only manage a few hours at that. My brain and body are exhausted and I’m worried about the long term effects of daily sleeping pills and lack of sleep. I can’t seem to get the energy to move ahead and feel like there is nothing to live for. It’s odd because I’ve usually been positive and able to cope with uncertainty. I know I’ve got to stop projecting into the future and berating myself for past mistakes but it’s hard to stop these thoughts from surfacing. I’ve never felt this depressed or suffered from insomnia and anxiety like this. Just hope to sleep better and start feeling more positive. Any advice for coping would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for listening.

[Sasical]

Hi there

Sorry to hear you are feeling this way. I know exactly how you feel. Even though it's very difficult to move when you are feeling like so low I find that some form of exercise really helps even if you only start with 5 mins a day and gradually increase. Another useful thing for me is an app called Insight Timer, it has hundreds of free meditations, I can't manage long ones, so I do short ones, I'm currently doing an 8 minute one of positive affirmations for health anxiety, he says, change the way you think and you will change the way you feel.

I hope this helps a bit x

[cdp2727 in reply to Sasical]

Many thanks. I do find exercise does help. I’ll check out the meditation app, sounds helpful.

[BlueSky125]

I have found the idea of acceptance to be helpful in getting past issues that I tend to get stuck in. Acceptance doesn’t mean condoning or resigning to the a situation. It’s a starting point of accepting things as they are and not how you would like them to be. This can create opportunities to respond to situations in a new way that are less painful for yourself and for others. I try to get to the question “what are my options given this current situation”. as quickly as possible. I find that by accepting the situation as it is , my thinking opens up and I see things from a different perspective. Non-acceptance is getting stuck on thoughts like why or how come that leads to ruminating thinking which is the root of anxiety and depression.

Here is the best book that I’ve found related to acceptance

amazon.com/Gifts-Acceptance...

[texasbonnet]

I am so sorry you are having such struggles. I know it hurts. My son is going through the same thing. He will find out this week whether or not he is loosing his house. Whenever I speak with him, I remind him how many others are in the same boat. I say it not to take away how he is feeling or make him wrong for feeling as he does, but just to remind that he is not a hopeless person because of his losses. We are are not possessions, although advertising would have us believe that.

I hope you get some relief soon and that you can get some rest.

[cdp2727]

Many thanks for reaching out. I hope things improve for your son.