Highs and Lows, I feel messed up

[hippychick]

So this time last week, God I can't believe it was so long ago! I went to London to visit my friends. On the train down I had a panic attack and it kind of started from there. I would say for the whole weekend I was away (Thur-Monday) I was on kind of an anxiety high. Never fully relaxed. The thing I was attending was in itself something to be nervous of. I didn't eat a lot, maybe a packet of crisps and a few cereal bars a day. Despite this I would quite easily say it was the best weekend of my life. I did everything I wanted to and more and even met a girl I kinda like.


Now I'm home I'm having a lot of issues. The Tuesday I was back was fine, although I was coming down with a cold. i went out and ate some pizza and for tea some pasta and slept for 10 hours and it felt fabulous. But yesterday? Yesterday was hard and today is getting harder. I feel like I don't know how to switch the anxiety off at all. I feel so jumpy. I should also mention that as well as having a bad cold I also got my period very heavily on tuesday. A lot to cope with right?


I just feel jumpy like ALL the time. I feel like I can feel everything I eat sitting in my stomach. I don't know how to eat properly again and I am exhausted tired. My thoughts never let up. I guess what I want to know is how do I come down from all this. The last week has been spent anxious (but happy) and with food issues. How in the heck do I get back to normal life? On the Tuesday I was out doing a lot but today and yesterday I have done nothing and found my anxiety has shot up. Is it because I'm doing nothing? My body feels tired, tired of thinking, tired of being ill, tired of panicking how do I just...stop. I don't feel like me right now I feel.....crazy, maybe cos I've done so much the last days. How do I get back to just being ....me?


The weekend was crazy busy, Wednesday was the first day in a week I had to myself is this why I found it so hard? Because I had no where to put my energy? My mind is just a mile a minute and I need it to stop. Any ideas?


This weekend was easily the best of my life, I was attending something most people would be nervous of and I achieved a lot. I was at a convention for The L word, God it was scary hehe meeting some of the celebs, but I did a hell of a lot to be proud of, including asking a question at a mic in front of a room full of people.


I just feel like...during the day especially I'm having trouble just...relaaaaxing lol too many thoughts for this lil brain.Edited by: hippychick

[willow2]

Hi Hippychick!!


Firstly I am so glad you had a fab weekend and enjoyed yourself. And whatever it was your were attneding - it sounds like it was a bit of a challenge for you and you came through on top!!


I don't really know why your anxiety would be so high now. Maybe you just need to come down from your anxiety. Sounds like you have had a busy weekend and maybe now the trick is too relax!!


I also wanted to say that you need to keep eating. I leart not so long ago if we don't eat our bodies realise adrenaline, it releases glucagon which we can then breakdown into glucose. The adrenaline is the very thing that makes us feel anxious in the first place - therefore, low blood sugar levels means high anxiety!!


I wish I could offer some structured support but I don't really know what to say. Just keep focusing on the positives - give your self a chance to chill out and honestly, you will feel better. I completely understand what you mean about 'jumpy' it's not the sort of anxiety that will be fixed with deep breathing! You just need to see the bigger picture and give yourself time


Best Wishes


K x

[tayda]

Like WIllow, I don't really have any kind of organized support, BUT,


I'm really proud of you for accomplishing so much this weekend! Asking a Q on a mic in front of people can be nerve racking for ANYBODY... and cause anxiety, but you did it! WTG!


The train thing... I know how ya feel... kind of felt like that going to salem... I just kept my eyes closed and tried to think of big open sv*-free places!


Maybe you're still anxious b/c your brain is still processing everything that you've done this weekend and saying OMG Louis, I can't believe you did that! SO maybe you are still subconsciously stimulated or anxious.


Hopefully it goes away.. GL

[liriodendron]

I used to be on a somewhat erratic work/sleep/eat schedule and I think
it was getting me in to trouble. To sum it up, I was staying up all
night, didn't know when to stop working and when to start relaxing and
there was a lot of stress scattered throughout the day. I'm proud to
say I got myself on a much more structured schedule and it's been less
stressful.

First start with sleep because it sounds like that's a problem.
Determine when you need to wake up each day and figure on going to bed
8-9 hours before that time. This gives you some time to watch TV before
you have to go to sleep. Of course, in order to get ready for bed, you
really need to start to go to bed 10-11 hours before you need to wake
up. OR at least I do because I shower at night and like to have a
snack. So now you know when you need to sleep and you have to force
yourself to stay on that schedule no matter what for a month or two
before you can break in on occasion to stay up late on the weekend for
something. I sleep with no window coverings so when the sun rises, it
shines in, damn near gives me a sun burn and it's time to get up. I
don't even use the alarm clock.



As for work, school and other obligations you have, try to schedule
them for the hours from the time you wake up to 18:00. Then after that
time, it's play time. You're free to do whatever you want. If there's
any work you're tempted to finish, it's just going to have to wait
until the next day. (on occasion you can break this routine once you
get get at staying on the schedule)



Lunch time is at 12:00 Force yourself to eat then whether you are
hungry or not. During your first couple of months, if someone wants to
go out to lunch at 13:00, you're gonna have to do it at 12:00 or
don't do it at all. Once you get off schedule, it's very easy to do it
from then on out.



Dinner time depends on when you will be going to bed and it's very
important to keep it at the same time during the first couple of
months. If you want to go to bed at 01:00, then be done with dinner by
21:00. And stick with it.



Obviously these are example times, you would set your own to suit your
needs. But I'm serious about sticking to the same times for the first
couple of months, that's very important.



As far as nutrition goes, I'm not really one to talk but I do force
myself to eat regular meals every day and I eat until the portion is
gone. One way I might suggest doing this is to check out some of the
frozen dinners that might be available where you are. Maybe you have
Stouffer's products over there? I get two identical dinners. You just
pop them in the oven. They are generally pretty nutritious and the best
thing about it is you don't have to cook anything or dirty up the kitch
or waste a lot of time doing things that aren't fun like cooking and
cleaning.



If you have doubts about what foods you should be eating to stay
healthy, go to google.com and do a search for the "USDA food pyramid".
It shows you all the various food groups and suggests servings. I don't
know anyone who has that many servings of each food group each day, but
it's a good guide to keep you on track and eating healthy.



So what does this have to do with panic attacks, you ask?

Well, ever since I went on this structured schedule, my stress levels
have gone way down. I have time to relax and I know what I'm supposed
to be doing and when. I eat properly, poop at the same time every day,
stay regular so there's not a lot of uncertainty about what kinds of
stomach discomfort might cause me to worry. You no longer find me
buying office supplies at 03:00 or eating dinner at 22:00 and waking up
at 16:00. I almost feel like a normal person.



Give it a try, you'll be glad you did.

[kate1966]

Hey, I know how you feel...i go through periods of feeling like my whole life is just all messed up and feeling so panicky and it can last anywhere from a few days to months......it just never lets up and it's so frustrating trying to deal with it on an everyday basis.....the food issue i have also...some days i can eat like a pig...other days only a few bites....for one thing my stomach usually feels like i am 9 months preg!! and i am not...but like today when i got up i felt like i had a rock in my gut. I can't explain it any better than that...and i have to burp alot....so who knows...but it's something everyday with me....i completely understand your feelings on trying to relax....it's hard. But it will pass i am sure...just keep the faith and just get through one day at a time...good luck to you and let us know how you are soon...

[liriodendron]

OK thought of something else while making my sandwich.

Since you will be managing time better, you will find time to do
things. This time is a stress-free zone and you got to fill it up with
hobbies and other interests. I'm a man of a million hobbies. I seem to
find a new one each year. That'd make me a million years old. Anyway I
start big projects to finish.



Staying on schedule has enabled me to keep busy. And keeping busy has
always been successful for me in dealing with anxiety, panic and
unhappy thoughts. If I find myself feeling anxious, I look at the
watch, see what time it is and what I *should* be doing and I go do it.
Works every time.

[meercat]

I don't know why, but i have this strange feeling, this has something to do with your period. You mentioned it being a "heavy" month, so it's VERY possible your hormones are driving your anxiety levels right now. Happens to me on my heavier months too! It's like you're on auto-pilot and you can't take over the controls!!

I sure hope you're back to eating normally, and eating GOOD foods at that! Fruits, and especially GREEN veggies (which are high in calcium, fiber, and folic acid, which we women NEED during THAT time of the month!) I'm hoping also, that by now, you're feeling more like yourself! :-)

Paula