Countdown to Christmas Anxiety
Hi Guys,
Thank you all so much for the positive feedback as always on my last blog post.
Now I'm sure all of you are aware its only 3 weeks until the big day. For most, Christmas can be such a fun time surrounded by family and friends opening your presents under the tree and eating too many mince pies.
Unfortunately for some of us Christmas can bring its own anxieties and stresses.
I have GAD or Generalised Anxiety Disorder which means for me and fellow sufferers there is usually either no triggers or very few but the main one I seem to have is supermarkets. I think maybe its the crowds of people that trigger my anxiety, I don't ever remember having claustrophobia but since being diagnosed with GAD it has become a big problem for me.
So feeling rather brave on Saturday I ventured out to the big bad supermarket to do some Christmas shopping to which I lasted about an hour. I tired so hard to ride it out whilst in there to pull through the dizziness and the sweating, thinking everyone was looking at me thinking what a freak I am but in the end it just got too much.
I spent the journey home getting angry with myself and feeling disappointed in myself that I had to give up and go home. For a while now I have been able to manage supermarkets and fight through it but this time it got the better of me. Later on that evening I was speaking to a friend who made me realise I shouldn't be so angry at myself or disappointed I have still come a long way from where I used to be. Back then I wouldn't of made it past the front door of that supermarket so rather than beating myself up about it, Its still a victory.
Christmas can also be a very lonely time for people, whether its because they have no one to spend Christmas with or they feel alone with their mental health. I have experienced the later so many times, you can be in a room full of people but if no one understands what your going through its almost like your in that room alone.
If you know of anyone alone at Christmas and you have the spare room I really urge you to invite them round, whether its family, a friend or the old lady next door who lives on her own. You could really make a big difference in someones life even just for a few hours.
Over the festive period try to remember and practice your self care tips and just in case you have forgotten them I have made a list below of my own.
Talk to someone you trust:
Talking to someone you trust about what's making you anxious could be a relief. It may be that just having someone listen to you and show they care can help in itself. If you aren't able to open up to someone close to you, the Samaritans and Anxiety UK both run helplines that you can call to talk to someone.
Look after your physical health:
Try to get enough sleep. Sleep can give you the energy to cope with difficult feelings and experiences.
Think about your diet. Eating regularly and keeping your blood sugar stable can make a difference to your mood and energy levels.
Try to do some physical activity. Exercise can be really helpful for your mental wellbeing.
Practise your breathing exercises:
Mindfulness is the perfect way to do this, try looking up some videos on YouTube.
Or for immediate relief from anxiety try breathing in through the nose to the count of 5 and out through the mouth to the count of 4 this helps regulate your hearts natural rhythm.
For more self care tips visit the Mind website.