Constantly worried about safety of loved ones

[Etiennefayth]

Hi, I am new here. I have had generalised anxiety disorder for three years. It came on after a hugely stressful period in my life in which my mother was suicidal and my grandfather died.

Now, every time something happens that reminds me of that year i get extremely anxious. Tonight, my mum is refusing to eat because she has a cold. The only other time she refused to eat was when she was suicidal. I am so worried she s suicidal again but not telling me. Part of me knows it is stupid, because there are no other signs but i am driving myself crazy with worry,

Even day to day, i worry about my boyfriends safety snd my mums - i worry that theywill be mugged or in a car accident or anything that will take them away from me. Its got to the point where i get palpatations and shap chest psins and panic attacks several times a day. I dont know how much longer i will be able to continue working being like this. I don't know what to do :(

[raggamuffin]

If there's no signs she is feeling depressed then try your best not to worry. Keeping up fluids is most important when you are ill. If she has a sore throat the last thing you want to do is eat lots. Soup is often best for such situations.
Worry and fear is what anxiety feeds off. When you worry lots about life, health and wellbeing etc this can just as easily be about yoruself and others too.

You need to understand anxiety, the stresses and triggers causing it and try and reduce them. Through understandign yo remove the fear and worry. This is what fuels the anxiety. When these are minimized and eventually removed your body can begin to heal itself.

The chest pains are from excess adrenlaine due to the fight or flight response. All the worry causes this response to kick in lots almost at the drop of a hat. This causes the palps, the ahces, the pains. your body is worn out from the stress and send s out these pains and symptoms to let you know ti wants rest.

Check yoru diet, change it to remove processed foods and sugars, No junk food or sweets. WHolefoods, wholegrains, fruit and raw veg. It won't be an overnight cure but it's a start. Look into therapy. CBT is effective for giving you the right tools to help overcome your anxiety.

Hope you feel better soon.

Ed

[em1]

Hello there and welcome to the forum :) this is such a gr8 place to get Advice and meet people who are going through the same things as you,this is a very Typical way to think when you have anxiety,I do understand why your thinking this as its not been gr8 in your past,I don't eat nothing when I have a cold as I can't taste anything etc so I can understand why your mum don't want to,so please don't worry about that I'm sure your mums fine and it's just a cold,we all
Worry that things will happen to a loved one etc,but what you think will
Happen will not and I know it's scary as your thoughts do scare you but that's all they are and that's thoughts,the next time you get the thoughts in your head say to yourself ok whatever as if that's going to happen,when it call it out and accept that they are only
Thoughts they in time will fade and go :)

[Etiennefayth]

Thank you so much for your reply. You are right - it is just my anxiety, she probably is not depressed again. She wont even eat soup though - shes just gone to bed.

My body definitely wants a break from the worry. I have forgotten what it s like not to be anxious.

I cannot afford therapy at the moment, but have been looking into mindfulness. I find it extremely difficult but i will keep trying. I have never heard of the yoru diet - i will check it out.

[Etiennefayth]

Hi Em1, thanks for the welcome :) i ave been trying to learn to accept and then let go f my thoughts, but finding it very hard. I will just have to try more.

[em1]

Hi Em1, thanks for the welcome :) i ave been trying to learn to accept and then let go f my thoughts, but finding it very hard. I will just have to try more.

It's a hard thing to do I know how you feel but this forum is a massive help :)

[raggamuffin]

Do you live in UK? If so you can get therapy on NHS. There is a waiting list as expected but it is worth a shot. Failing that check the stickies on the top of the forum here. There's CBT worksheets.

Ed