Hi :)

Hi Pru - I also suffer from anxiety and panic attacks. Like you I would like to be more sociable but tend - instead - to avoid too much contact with other people as it makes me anxious to be around a lot of people. I love classical music too (I like Bach, Rachmaninov, Mahler, early choral music, Gregorian chant etc) and I also find that getting out into nature is the best thing for my mental health. I like going on really long walks in the countryside with my husband and youngest  son (who are both also autistic).

We tend to keep in our comfort zone too (when we can anyway!) but lately I’ve thought it might be nice to have one or two friends. I came on here because I thought it would be a good way to start being a bit more friendly towards people - to connect with other people more.

so: hi! 

Hi Kate, it's lovely to meet you :) 

I'm so sorry you suffer from anxiety and panic attacks. Are you coping ok with this? I justo to confess I am not, I probably should see a doctor but the thought makes the anxiety and panic even worse! So at the moment I'm just hiding away to keep myself calm. I've been hiding for 4 and a half years so far.

I hope your anxiety and panic get better for you soon! 

Oooh you have such amazing taste in music. I love it all especially choral music there's just something so relaxing and soothing about it I think. When I was driving, stopped because of anxiety, I used to have so much classical in my car. Absolutely loved that.

I love walking in the countryside as well! It's so peaceful and relaxing. Aw wow your married and have a son, big congratulations to you Kate. I would love to be married and have a child one day. It must be nice that your husband is autistic too, I mean that in that he must understand a lot of how you feel and what you go through. It must be nice walking with them as well. Sadly I've no one to walk with.

I can understand that Kate. That's pretty much why I'm here as well. I've been away from everything and everyone for so long but I'm lonely and I don't think it does my mental health much good either. I've already met so many lovely people here today, yourself included in that :) so already I'm so glad I came here.

Hi Pru - to be honest I’m not coping very well with my anxiety at the moment. I’m doing my best to try all the strategies I have but am still really struggling. What do you do to help with your anxiety and panic attacks? I do definitely find that getting out into nature is one of the best things. Generally I love being at home but recently I feel I’m stuck in a groove of worry etc and being in the house all the time isn’t helping with that. We went for a walk the other day and just followed the public footpaths without really knowing exactly where we were going (other than a vague sense of direction) and it was lovely. We ended up doing an 8 mile walk - much longer than we intended! Both my son and I are struggling with anxiety so it does us both good to get out. We take snacks and drinks - it’s nice. 

I’m incredibly nervous about going to the doctor too - sometimes my husband phones them on my behalf because I find it so difficult - so I can really relate to that. I worry that I withdraw from things so much though due to my anxiety - as  I feel it can become a bit of a vicious circle - the less I do things the harder I find it to go back to engaging with some aspects of life. Part of me would like to go and live on a remote Scottish island - maybe then I’d be able to relax more?! Or maybe it would be worse and I’d just focus more on my worries? I don’t know. I do like going to places though - and so would miss being able to have a day out in Cambridge or wherever. I like to roam around interesting place. 
Talking of Cambridge - do you ever go to Choral Evensong? We sometimes go to cathedrals or University chapels to go to Choral Evensong - they have the most fantastic choral music and it’s totally free and anyone can go and enjoy it. Some cathedrals have a Choral Evensong almost everyday. It’s a great way to access free live music of a very high quality. 
I do feel very lucky to have met my husband and have two children (my eldest has their own place and a girlfriend now). To be honest I’m not even sure I’d still be here if it wasn’t for them - as I do struggle to cope with life and might have given up without my husband’s support and the fact I feel I need to be here for my children. I know some people view autism as a ‘superpower’ but most of the time I just find life very difficult and very stressful - I certainly don’t feel very powerful because of it. 
im sorry you don’t have anyone to walk with. Although sometimes I have gone on walks on my own and really enjoyed it - it can be nice can’t it? Are there any walking groups in your area you could join? Or do you prefer walking on your own? What sort of landscapes do you like to walk in? We like Derbyshire, the Lake District, and Cornwall. But also local walks too with are less spectacular but still nice - just your regular English farmland footpaths. Still good. 
I’m sorry you’ve been feeling lonely. You’re not alone - lots of people on here can really relate to what you’ve said here. People on this forum are very supportive and we can relate to each other’s struggles and ways of thinking. It’s so good to feel that isn’t it? We’re not alone because we are chatting on here. 

Hi Pru - to be honest I’m not coping very well with my anxiety at the moment. I’m doing my best to try all the strategies I have but am still really struggling. What do you do to help with your anxiety and panic attacks? I do definitely find that getting out into nature is one of the best things. Generally I love being at home but recently I feel I’m stuck in a groove of worry etc and being in the house all the time isn’t helping with that. We went for a walk the other day and just followed the public footpaths without really knowing exactly where we were going (other than a vague sense of direction) and it was lovely. We ended up doing an 8 mile walk - much longer than we intended! Both my son and I are struggling with anxiety so it does us both good to get out. We take snacks and drinks - it’s nice. 

I’m incredibly nervous about going to the doctor too - sometimes my husband phones them on my behalf because I find it so difficult - so I can really relate to that. I worry that I withdraw from things so much though due to my anxiety - as  I feel it can become a bit of a vicious circle - the less I do things the harder I find it to go back to engaging with some aspects of life. Part of me would like to go and live on a remote Scottish island - maybe then I’d be able to relax more?! Or maybe it would be worse and I’d just focus more on my worries? I don’t know. I do like going to places though - and so would miss being able to have a day out in Cambridge or wherever. I like to roam around interesting place. 
Talking of Cambridge - do you ever go to Choral Evensong? We sometimes go to cathedrals or University chapels to go to Choral Evensong - they have the most fantastic choral music and it’s totally free and anyone can go and enjoy it. Some cathedrals have a Choral Evensong almost everyday. It’s a great way to access free live music of a very high quality. 
I do feel very lucky to have met my husband and have two children (my eldest has their own place and a girlfriend now). To be honest I’m not even sure I’d still be here if it wasn’t for them - as I do struggle to cope with life and might have given up without my husband’s support and the fact I feel I need to be here for my children. I know some people view autism as a ‘superpower’ but most of the time I just find life very difficult and very stressful - I certainly don’t feel very powerful because of it. 
im sorry you don’t have anyone to walk with. Although sometimes I have gone on walks on my own and really enjoyed it - it can be nice can’t it? Are there any walking groups in your area you could join? Or do you prefer walking on your own? What sort of landscapes do you like to walk in? We like Derbyshire, the Lake District, and Cornwall. But also local walks too with are less spectacular but still nice - just your regular English farmland footpaths. Still good. 
I’m sorry you’ve been feeling lonely. You’re not alone - lots of people on here can really relate to what you’ve said here. People on this forum are very supportive and we can relate to each other’s struggles and ways of thinking. It’s so good to feel that isn’t it? We’re not alone because we are chatting on here.