Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi, I was talking to a lovely member yesterday about anxiety and I realised that I literally have no coping tactics for my anxiety and it's getting worse. I'm not sure how it is for everyone else, but for me it is terrible. Feel drained when I'm anxious, I'm tired all the time. I get the shakes in my hands. Upset stomach. Feel sick. And I become so jumpy and on edge. Like if the doorbell rings I become so scared and panicky that I have a panic attack, it's that bad. If I go out I'm the exact same and if I see more than one person the exact same thing happens. I have passed out before which makes it so much worse and embarrassing for me. I hardly go out now, if I do I avoid really busy places but I don't like to be alone either in case I'm attacked by someone. I have my dog who is also my best friend but she's not very protective so doesn't help this. I'm on edge and anxious now just writing this so I'm going to stop now. It's getting worse and I don't know what to do to make it better. There's always the doctor but that thought makes the anxiety even worse. I could call my old hospital but I don't know if they'll help me with anxiety and also talking on the phone is a trigger for me.
I'd be really interested to know what you do to cope with your anxiety, if you struggle with it as well.
I joined an art group that was sponsored and paid for by our loca healthl authotity, Although anyone could apply, it was aimed mainly at older people who were perhaps alone all day looking at the four walls, or others who were having 'problems' It's sort of like art on prescription. None of us are artists, some better than others, Art isn't just painting, we've done sculpture, writing & poetry we use materials you find laying around the house, in the garden, even rubbish picked up in the street, You can make abstract art out of anything. We met once a week until Covic hit, but still keep in touch online.
So in answer to your question, how to control anxiety...... go paint a picture. The last few i did, i got an old video cassette and cut the tape into little pieces and glued them onto the back of a cardboard box, into pictures ............ Art, A State Of Flow........ And all while sitting in the safety of your own home.
Hi Cullpepper, that sounds really positive for you and like it could have been good fun as well at times. I've not been out to do anything like that but I spent a bit of time in hospital after my dad died and there was a calm room there and I remember doing some arty stuff there, not painting as such it was putting some soft shapes in paint and then placing them on the paper. That was soothing and I have thought of doing it again but at home obviously, don't want to go back to hospital. I love the idea of using things around the house to be creative with, I'll have a look around my home this afternoon and see if there's anything I could use. I'm sure I'll find something :)
I have read before about distracting yourself to sort of block out anxiety and anxious thoughts and I guess it does work but some of my problems at the moment is that I have no drive, in the sense that I don't really enjoy things as much as I used to. But I will give art a go and see if it helps. Thank you for suggesting it!
Yes - it’s a bit of a vicious circle - you lose the motivation. I feel this too at the moment. Perhaps we just need to start and then hopefully we’ll get drawn into whatever project it is and get mo motivated as we go along? I hope so. I feel flat as a pancake at the moment! (A very scared and anxious pancake! )
Lol yes you're probably right. It's easy to sit and just be anxious, let it win... I have tried to be a bit more active this afternoon. I don't have any paint so couldn't do that but I do have pencils so I've done a little drawing instead and I'm not feeling super anxious at the moment so maybe that's a bit of progress already? I feel anxious and on edge but it's not making me feel rundown like usual.
Feel a bit sad though as my drawings are rubbish lol!