Advice about relapse

[gemmatobin]

I've had anxiety and depression for around 15 years,
I have been fine for a while, quite a long time, moved in with my boyfriend, living 20 mins from my parents.
This week, I've relapsed.
I'm worried about everything, I'm finding myself back in the cycle of just wanting to sleep, not wanting to eat, or do anything and I'm scared.
How can I snap myself out of this?
My parents go on holiday next week for 10 days, and even though I have moved out, I'm frightened.
I've tried breathing techniques and it works a little, but I'm back in the cycle every day when I wake up
X

[Olive Yew]

Get some magnesium oil to put on your feet and tummy. Aromatherapy helps me a lot too. Reading over the list of anxiety symptoms to remind me that i've got anxiety and not a horrible fatal disease. Eat realky healthy and avoid augar. Drink a lot of green tea with honey (not augar). Aslo Stress Relief Tea with Kava by Yogi brand. That stuff slices through my anxiety like butter. Exercise: even just a 20 min walk. Make yourself eat but space it out throughout the day. So lots of snacks rather than three big meals. Make sure its nutritious and not just like... twinkies. Lol. I find that prayer helps me. I got one of those fidget cubes that helps me a TON. Talking to people, journeling, voicing your concerns out loud and letting yourself rationalize rather than catastrophise in yoru head. Non-stressful movies at night to help you sleep (disney is my life). A warm bath with epsom salts. Listen to music. Read. Color. Stay busy to keep yourself distracted.

[Anne1221]

I have two things, depression and anxiety. But my depression is always secondary to my anxiety. But you have symptoms of both; When I hear you say "not wanting to eat" or "just wanting to sleep", that's more in the depression area.
Worrying about everything, that's anxiety. Can you go see a doctor or counselor?

[ivanmiller]

Try looking for anything that you changed in your lifestyle right before the relapse and change it back. Maybe you did the change gradually over several weeks or months.

[gypsylee]

I've had anxiety and depression for around 15 years,
I have been fine for a while, quite a long time, moved in with my boyfriend, living 20 mins from my parents.
This week, I've relapsed.
I'm worried about everything, I'm finding myself back in the cycle of just wanting to sleep, not wanting to eat, or do anything and I'm scared.
How can I snap myself out of this?
My parents go on holiday next week for 10 days, and even though I have moved out, I'm frightened.
I've tried breathing techniques and it works a little, but I'm back in the cycle every day when I wake up
X

After 20+ years of this, I don’t know if there is a way to “snap out of it”. For me it’s a real organic process which has its own timeline. There are definitely things that help though and for me the main thing is being open about how I feel rather than trying to act like everything is ok. For example, at the moment my anxiety is bad because on Saturday my 16yo daughter is coming for a week and it’s always very stressful for me (especially the week leading up to it) because I have some kind of Complex PTSD thanks to my abusive ex-husband. So this time, rather than pretend I’m fine, I’ve told both my parents and my bf that my anxiety is bad and they are all being supportive.

Another thing is being kind to MYSELF and realising that anyone would be stressed out in my position. I’m a real perfectionist and have spent way too long beating myself up for not feeling good about things. In the past I would do anything to not feel bad, and that included drinking like a fish to drown out the anxiety. That ended up with me being hospitalised twice for Pancreatitis which was my “rock bottom” and I’ve been (mostly) sober from alcohol for about 7 years.

Anyway, that’s my rant for the day! Take it easy :)

Gypsy x

[Anne1221]

Yes, no one feels good all the time. Even those without anxiety, well, they feel bad and stress out about other things. Everyone in my circle of life has some type of issues.