On a bad day - what do you turn to for comfort?

Yes - when I’m really anxious I don’t want to do anything or go anywhere. It’s probably what I SHOULD do though, it would probably help. 

Yes - I’ve tried mindfulness and meditation, but they only seem to help when I’m feeling reasonably ok - when I really feel overwhelmed I can’t engage with them. It’s like you say - the quietness is just too intense and it’s just too much. I’ve found the writings/recordings of  Eckhart Tolle quite helpful too - but again it’s not very helpful when I’m struggling the most. Weirdly really shallow stuff on YouTube seems to help more than mindfulness - I suppose you could describe that stuff as ‘mindlessness’! It’s about all my mind can cope with when I feel like that. 

Yes i can relate i like re watching old tv cult shows love watchink monk its so silly but good at the same time its like meditations over thinking things can cause huge anxietys to the state i dont want to leave the house .

Hi Sloan.  Your brain is like my brain, by the sounds of things.  If I don't feed it something healthy to ruminate upon, then it wanders into realms of the god-knows-what !  Accordingly, I think of my brain as a giant funnel that I need to feed with something....anything.....to prevent it turning to depressive or dark thoughts.

I normally have 3-4 things on the go at any one time.  I used to beat myself up about it...now I know it is better for me that way.

Have a lovely Wednesday.

Number.

Yeah I don’t know if quiet is actually a positive. It’s like my brain is so overwhelmed it needs the quiet but then that gives way for overthinking to happen! I guess like mindfulness could be the way forward, although I have never ever been able to do this! Have you ever tried it? 
ah for me it’s rewatching greys anatomy or friends! I much prefer rewatching something to something new. 

Yes, I remember drinking to be sociable as well or more to reduce the stress of a busy environment as I still wasn’t very sociable. 

Thank you so much - these are great suggestions and I really appreciate you taking the time to share the things that you find helpful. All good ideas that I will try. Thank you :)

Do all the jobs you put off doing with headphones on listening to some fantastic music and or audio books all help to distract showers somtimes make my brain go into overdrive but head phones are a god send dont get distrracted by anything helps a very good focus whislt doing long work tasks or when not feeling motivated keeping your fitnees levels help a lot as it a good positive distraction that perks you up  fingdining the things you like is the  key to happiness  gud luck  you will sucseed

I go very quiet, and need quiet, but I’m not sure it actually helps me. What tv programmes do you find comforting?

Thank you. I must add though that I still do drink a small amount - usually a small glass of wine every evening. Or one bottle of peroni. About 3 years back I’d have a large glass and a half every evening, or a cocktail or two. So I drink less, but I still have some. When I was student (many many years ago) I drank a lot in order to be able to socialise. It helped me to relax and talk to people - and it really was helpful in that way at that time in my life. 

Glad you were able to notice that it’s not the answer for you. 

Quiet, routine, structure and planning.

or watching my favourite tv program that is comforting and familiar. 

or some feel good safe food like cake. 

I think it took me a long time to work out what I need in that sort of situation, especially as it varies so much depending on what it is I’m overwhelmed by. I’d try and variety of things and see which is most affective! 

For me alcohol used to work better than it does now for some reason. It used to do a better job of blurring the edges of life a bit. Now it often makes me feel a bit low. It’s not the answer for me these days. 

I used to try and do that with old birthday cards from friends but it didn't seem to lift me much. 

I’ve been enjoying never mind the buzzcocks and it’s not something I’ve watched before so got plenty of episodes to go through! 

I tried pre diagnosis in hopes that it would help and it did not. 

pre diagnosis as well I would take a lot of prescription pain killers to ‘numb’ and make myself sleepy. I’m much more aware of why I feel like that now and it’s massively changed my life. 

If we go to a city we try to get there really early and enjoy that time of day when it’s nice and quiet. For example going on a Sunday at 8am and places we like (like Oxford or Cambridge or Bath) are deserted and lovely and you can wander around in peace. Then we’ll have breakfast somewhere and probably be leaving by about 11am. I know what you mean about wishing to feel stronger and less vulnerable - I feel that way too sometimes. We have other qualities though, that maybe ‘tougher people’ might not have. And deep down you’re probably stronger than you realise. 

Hey there ...... like I said earlier today ........ you and I are SO, SO very alike mate.  Another member introduced me to this nifty little number this morning......and it was played on repeat for about 2 hours ?!   I really dig the lyrics too.  Probably not to everyone's taste, but I was delighted to for the introduction into something way outside my normal eclectic range.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3venzR3TnQ

He’s such a lovely man as well as being so funny. I listened to his autobiography on Audiobook - it was so interesting. 

Thank you.