PAWS? Too much stress? Feel crazy. Help....
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Where I’ve longed to be all my life…..here, now.
Posts: 7,338
PAWS? Too much stress? Feel crazy. Help....
I’m feeling crazy. Nauseated. Can’t afford counselor.
How do I cope?
35 yo brain injured, homeless addict daughter in jail
Struggling to keep current house.
Interviewing long distance, quality of life may decrease/increase not sure
Off work from surgery, faced going back to toxic work environment
Broke up with ABF. Feeling stupid missing him and proud ending it.
WTF
Ambivalent. About EVERYTHING.
please advise. Please. Overwhelmed with anxiety.
😞🤯😢
How do I cope?
35 yo brain injured, homeless addict daughter in jail
Struggling to keep current house.
Interviewing long distance, quality of life may decrease/increase not sure
Off work from surgery, faced going back to toxic work environment
Broke up with ABF. Feeling stupid missing him and proud ending it.
WTF
Ambivalent. About EVERYTHING.
please advise. Please. Overwhelmed with anxiety.
😞🤯😢
Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
It's that time of the year and things can definitely get overwhelming. Diagnosed GAD sufferer here too so i can very acutely understand the feeling.
First step I always use is to just stop and breathe for a minute. Take a walk, take a breath, even try some very simple meditation if you can.
Once you can catch your breath and calm down, try to take an ojbective look at what's going on. The anxiety is self perpetuating and what you are experiencing is called "catastrophising" as some might say. AKA - you are actually making things worse by compiling a list of all the things you can find wrong with your life right now, which makes the anxiety even worse - which makes you worry even more and make the list bigger...and you get the point ;-)
First off - you can probably cross a whole bunch of things off your list because you have absolutely zero control over them - most things in life are that way. Ever read the serenity prayer - its a pretty practical tool actually.
The "river of thoughts" concept can apply here too. Think of all the thoughts in your head as flowing river. They are always there and always will be, but you do have the choice to just let them go by. If you are feeling up to it, you can stick your toes in and deal with one or two - but if you dive in over your head you might drown, right? But try to think of yourself as visualizing those thoughts as something you have a choice over...acknowledge, ignore, deal with later, etc.
Next, you can try and remember that you can only deal with so many things at once. And it's perfectly acceptable to let things wait until you have time. One of the phrases I learned from my counselor is "It's not for me". I have the choice to decide what's for me and what's not - and if I think about it first, most things aren't for me.
First step I always use is to just stop and breathe for a minute. Take a walk, take a breath, even try some very simple meditation if you can.
Once you can catch your breath and calm down, try to take an ojbective look at what's going on. The anxiety is self perpetuating and what you are experiencing is called "catastrophising" as some might say. AKA - you are actually making things worse by compiling a list of all the things you can find wrong with your life right now, which makes the anxiety even worse - which makes you worry even more and make the list bigger...and you get the point ;-)
First off - you can probably cross a whole bunch of things off your list because you have absolutely zero control over them - most things in life are that way. Ever read the serenity prayer - its a pretty practical tool actually.
The "river of thoughts" concept can apply here too. Think of all the thoughts in your head as flowing river. They are always there and always will be, but you do have the choice to just let them go by. If you are feeling up to it, you can stick your toes in and deal with one or two - but if you dive in over your head you might drown, right? But try to think of yourself as visualizing those thoughts as something you have a choice over...acknowledge, ignore, deal with later, etc.
Next, you can try and remember that you can only deal with so many things at once. And it's perfectly acceptable to let things wait until you have time. One of the phrases I learned from my counselor is "It's not for me". I have the choice to decide what's for me and what's not - and if I think about it first, most things aren't for me.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Where I’ve longed to be all my life…..here, now.
Posts: 7,338
Thank you my northern neighbor!
After a couple hours of crying. I had to let it out. And speaking with my girlfriend in Florida. And my sister in Michigan. I feel better.
Your words of wisdom are great, a wonderful reminder of my tendency to catastrophize.
After a couple hours of crying. I had to let it out. And speaking with my girlfriend in Florida. And my sister in Michigan. I feel better.
Your words of wisdom are great, a wonderful reminder of my tendency to catastrophize.
Blue Belt
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Soberville, USA
Posts: 4,174
Free,
My drinking paws/ptsd has gotten better. I use AA principles all the time. I pray many times a day with gratitude. I also accept that I made this mess and I can work it out.
This might cause some folks grief, but i need to offer this. I believe in God and believe that if someone doesn't believe in God they are at the will of the negative other half of that situation. Those voices can be quelled saying and believing the Lord's Prayer. It is the most powerful prayer.
Honestly, that is the key to my strength. Everything else is ancillary.
My sobriety gives me the confidence to face anything knowing I am all that I can be without chemical dependence.
Many of my coworkers are hungover every day. The stock market is tanked. Folks are under tons of stress. I got out of the stock market over 2 years ago. It is being manipulated and folks are losing their life savings.
Not me. I haven't lost much and I focus on safety and health. I try to watch out for crazy drivers and eating my veggies.
I also make lists of what I need to do so I don't have to remember. Last night I skipped a party because I was coughing and didn't want to spread germs.
Doing the right thing.
My paws was acting up a bit because I took some zyrtec and 12 hour cough syrup. I have no fear of drugs to help me cope anymore. If I need it , I take it.
The main thing is...I am stone sober and it makes me fundamentally happy.
Never drinking again. Booze is poison.
Hope this helps.
Thanks.
My drinking paws/ptsd has gotten better. I use AA principles all the time. I pray many times a day with gratitude. I also accept that I made this mess and I can work it out.
This might cause some folks grief, but i need to offer this. I believe in God and believe that if someone doesn't believe in God they are at the will of the negative other half of that situation. Those voices can be quelled saying and believing the Lord's Prayer. It is the most powerful prayer.
Honestly, that is the key to my strength. Everything else is ancillary.
My sobriety gives me the confidence to face anything knowing I am all that I can be without chemical dependence.
Many of my coworkers are hungover every day. The stock market is tanked. Folks are under tons of stress. I got out of the stock market over 2 years ago. It is being manipulated and folks are losing their life savings.
Not me. I haven't lost much and I focus on safety and health. I try to watch out for crazy drivers and eating my veggies.
I also make lists of what I need to do so I don't have to remember. Last night I skipped a party because I was coughing and didn't want to spread germs.
Doing the right thing.
My paws was acting up a bit because I took some zyrtec and 12 hour cough syrup. I have no fear of drugs to help me cope anymore. If I need it , I take it.
The main thing is...I am stone sober and it makes me fundamentally happy.
Never drinking again. Booze is poison.
Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Where I’ve longed to be all my life…..here, now.
Posts: 7,338
Thank you so much everyone!
Today was much more manageable. I did cry a few times but those two or three times that I did cry were very limited and I was able to keep my composure or regain it fairly quickly.
I think allowing myself to feel such deep sad emotions without self anesthetizing with booze was a very amazing yet very horrific experience .
I begin my morning with several things to do, choosing where to find a place to get my daughters oil leaking BMWs oil changed, to calling the prison in Minnesota and finding out about my daughter. Her public mug shot was terrible. That’s what a few months of homelessness does to you, along with drinking and drugging.
I worked at figuring out what part of everything was “mine“, and also only tackling a few tasks at a time. Thank you very much it was great advice. I did not dive into the river and drown today.🏊🏼*♀️😬
After calling several people at the prison and trying to figure out things, I was able to talk to her probation officer about the fact that she needs to be in a place that promotes mental health or in a Traumatic brain injury facility—not on the streets with 5°F temperatures and not in a prison where she will probably die .😰
My son is having a get together with a bunch of friends downstairs, and him being on the “spectrum“ makes it that much more special. He went from not talking at all as a young child to stuttering terribly to hardly ever talking to anyone and now he’s very social. Very blessed . He is proud to be here in my home.😀
His twin sister is adorable, mature, and sensitive. She is absolutely wonderful as well.😇
I have been trespassed against. I have allowed it. 😳😶And I think reciting the Lords prayer is on my agenda for tonight because that is a very good idea to say every day, I agree. 🙏🏼
A person from my past—re-entered Into my life—— “a safe person“ told me that I am a wonderful person and that the people I need to surround myself with should also treat me that way.
And I just want to thank everyone here for treating me that way .
I am grateful for all of you.
Thank you
Today was much more manageable. I did cry a few times but those two or three times that I did cry were very limited and I was able to keep my composure or regain it fairly quickly.
I think allowing myself to feel such deep sad emotions without self anesthetizing with booze was a very amazing yet very horrific experience .
I begin my morning with several things to do, choosing where to find a place to get my daughters oil leaking BMWs oil changed, to calling the prison in Minnesota and finding out about my daughter. Her public mug shot was terrible. That’s what a few months of homelessness does to you, along with drinking and drugging.
I worked at figuring out what part of everything was “mine“, and also only tackling a few tasks at a time. Thank you very much it was great advice. I did not dive into the river and drown today.🏊🏼*♀️😬
After calling several people at the prison and trying to figure out things, I was able to talk to her probation officer about the fact that she needs to be in a place that promotes mental health or in a Traumatic brain injury facility—not on the streets with 5°F temperatures and not in a prison where she will probably die .😰
My son is having a get together with a bunch of friends downstairs, and him being on the “spectrum“ makes it that much more special. He went from not talking at all as a young child to stuttering terribly to hardly ever talking to anyone and now he’s very social. Very blessed . He is proud to be here in my home.😀
His twin sister is adorable, mature, and sensitive. She is absolutely wonderful as well.😇
I have been trespassed against. I have allowed it. 😳😶And I think reciting the Lords prayer is on my agenda for tonight because that is a very good idea to say every day, I agree. 🙏🏼
A person from my past—re-entered Into my life—— “a safe person“ told me that I am a wonderful person and that the people I need to surround myself with should also treat me that way.
And I just want to thank everyone here for treating me that way .
I am grateful for all of you.
Thank you
Member
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 462
That looks gorgeous Free, today sounds like it has been a bit of a better day. I'm sorry things are tough for you at the moment but as you say, you have a lot to be grateful for too 
Sending you big hugs, enjoy your cosy fire
Sending you big hugs, enjoy your cosy fire
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