Dealing with anxiety

No need to apologise Cinnabar_wing  because you are welcome, just as much as anybody else, to say what’s on your mind and to ask questions. 

I’m sad that things have been getting too much for you, but I’m glad that you have said.

Apart from medication prescribed by the doctor, these three things help me the most.

Going for a long, fast walk and using my senses to focus on what’s around me. Seeing, listening, smelling, feeling (the air temperature, the ground through my feet, bark of a tree etc.) Tasting the water I might be carrying.

If things really unsettle me, it is impossible to sit with my usual way of meditating in silence. This happened recently so in desperation, I resubscribed to Headspace, just to have a voice talk me through some specific meditations for anxiety. It helped better than I had thought.

The other thing that helps is if I set a timer for 4 or 5 minutes and do squats or something else as fast as possible. The idea is to push to the limit so my heart rate is raised and I’m out of breath, then stop. When I’ve caught my breath I do a breathing exercise counting so many breaths in and a longer breath out.  This technique is on Headspace and I found having a voice pushing me to keep going when I’m exercising helped me put in more effort.

I have a bit of a lack of exercise at the moment, so that is probably having a big impact. 

I think that is one of the benefits that people with dogs have -they have to get out rain or shine, where as when you don't, there never seems to be the time for it. 

I was actually a lot fitter (and probably in a better head space) when I lived in a town and walked everywhere to all the baby classes I used to take the kids to (if I'm doing something for someone else I find it much easier). Living in the country I ironically walk less now.

The youngest is trying to be fitter, which means she expects everyone to run around with her, and as much as I don't want to, she's getting me moving more so maybe it will help. They last few days they've been getting back into tennis, and I have to admit it was good to do something again, though I'm very unfit. 

I have a bit of a lack of exercise at the moment, so that is probably having a big impact. 

I think that is one of the benefits that people with dogs have -they have to get out rain or shine, where as when you don't, there never seems to be the time for it. 

I was actually a lot fitter (and probably in a better head space) when I lived in a town and walked everywhere to all the baby classes I used to take the kids to (if I'm doing something for someone else I find it much easier). Living in the country I ironically walk less now.

The youngest is trying to be fitter, which means she expects everyone to run around with her, and as much as I don't want to, she's getting me moving more so maybe it will help. They last few days they've been getting back into tennis, and I have to admit it was good to do something again, though I'm very unfit.