Not Trusting Your Own Mind / Body

[kozza 6]

How you get over your first bruch with anxiety/meltdown? I had my first last july, ended up a right mess with insomnia, health anxiety, fatigue etc etc

 

Now I just feel vulnerable. I still get anxiety physical symptoms which I am dealing with but its the general worry that I was so knocked down by it, practically a blubbering mess for weeks and still 7 months later not feeling right.

 

How do you get rid of that general feeling of something is wrong, the general worry that you are worried but not 100 percent sure what you are worried about.

 

I have a young family and so want to get back to my enthusiastic, joyful self. I sometimes feel like I am just putting on a front.

 

I have counselling lined up mid march (first free apt) and pinning my hopes on that.

 

Any advice would be welcome

[Sunnybunny 289]

Hi Kozza.  Time, practice, routine, habit.

 

I completely relate to what you are describing.  Vulnerable is a good word for it.  It's like we got beaten down from the anxious episodes and it is going to take time to rebuild our confidence and create new routines and habits.  It's hard to believe right now but it will come.   I've been in this place before and eventually it just went away.  Almost like a bad memory that just gradually faded.  Or maybe a bit like grief after a loss.  One day I realized it had been a couple of days since I felt off.  A few weeks later I realized I had been feeling good for days.  Then one day I caught myself singing on the drive to work and looking forward to an event I used to dread!  Eventually the vulnerable feeling became a distant memory.

 

The counseling will definitely help but time and continuing to accept and not avoid the anxiety and symptoms will help even more.

[kozza 6]

Thanks Sunnybunny

 

Last year my husband and I were talking about making a life changing decision which would be rewarding for us all, children included. Part of my anxiety was that it is stressful path to get there, now we are at the finish line and i worry after what has happened that I am not up to it. But if we dont go ahead i might regret it forever. We only have one life.

 

My episode with stress and anxiety has really has sucked my energy and confidence.      

[lonesailor14 653]

I know this feeling well! Lack of confidence and yes, vulnerable is a good word. I found doing things that I'm really good at helps. It reminds me of my self worth, that I am a capable, clever person. When I do something that makes me edgey like driving, I remind myself of all the times I've done it before and how calm and confident I was. This is not just a fleeting thought, I dig deep, find that feeling of confidence and try to hang onto it. I use self talk telling myself "I am awesome, I am more than capable, I am a powerhouse!" And really mean it, because I am!! I really am awesome, I can and have done things a lot of people can't and won't do and I can do them competently.

Working out or playing sport helps, it reminds you how strong and healthy you are. But a lot of it is ignoring that whiney "I can't do this" voice and getting angry at it, telling it back, "be stuffed I can't! Just watch me!" Anger helps sometimes.

It does take concentration, but after a short time you see that vulnerable feeling disappear and regain confidence. It did help that pre-anxiety I was a pretty self confident person anyway. I just had to find that again and remind myself. Even something that sounds simple like fixing my Mum's tv antenna. I had to get in and on the roof, rewire things, but it's a skill I have and am good at. It also made me feel good I could help Mum. I also imagine myself sailing. I can't actually do it because I don't have a yacht, but I think of when I was sailing, imagine my grace navigating the boat, changing sails, manoeuvring the boat, how good I was at it. Maybe something like that will work for you? Remember times where you were calm, cool and totally in control of a situation. Hold onto that thought and remind yourself you still are that person.