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SofiasMami

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Last Friday I took a day off work to use up some vacation hours (that I would lose otherwise) and that was probably a terrible idea.
I spent the day puttering around the house, doing chores and watching Netflix, alone. The problem with that is I start to ruminate about all the issues in my life that are always there but get pushed out of my mind when I'm at work.
I worked myself up into a huge lather and by last evening, I was feeling really down and could hardly think straight.

I feel like my body is literally inflamed, my face is red and I'm itchy.

I'm trying to take care of myself by eating extra healthfully and I went for a walk during lunch today. Tomorrow it's supposed to be sunny so I'm going to sit in the sun for awhile.

But I didn't sleep at all last night and I still feel truly awful.
My daughter is still her same old happy-go-lucky self. I wish I could be like that!

Any tips for dealing with bouts of anxiety would be appreciated.

-Teresa
 
I try to do something to occupy my mind, reading or writing, anything to distract those kinds of thoughts. Hard to escape as they are.

Why not try observing your daughter if she's this happy go lucky person, you might learn what makes her so happy go lucky. I used to work with a kid who was very happy go lucky, it was fun to talk to him and his take on life. Refreshing in a way.
 
Teresa, I had a friend who would put jigsaw puzzles together to keep her mind off of her thoughts. Also, she installed Scrabble on her computer and played against the computer and she loved it. In fact, I play the same game, thanks to her, and it does keep my mind occupied when I'm going through my "feeling sorry for myself/mad at the world" bouts.
 
Thank you both, I really should try to find something to distract my mind. I love Scrabble, I'm going to check that out.

-Teresa
 
Give yourself 45 min to feel your feelings. Cry. Pound your pillow. Ruminate on the past. Set your time. Then when the timer goes off.....get up. Go about your life. Take your daughter for a manicure. Play with your pet. Cook a meal.
 
This is totally my personal experience and everyone else's mileage may vary but I've found that walking doesn't do much to produce noticeable physiological benefits (and I live on a steep hill that I have to walk up pretty much daily). It was only when I started running again a month or two ago that I saw big improvements. Skin looks better, eyes look shinier and clearer, lost most of the flab around my stomach and feel like I have more energy a lot of the time. I really recommend it.
 
I work a job where I have to sit most of the day. I almost decided today to again join a gym and use the treadmills to run off my nervous energy. I used to go to the gym and workout all the time. But exercise isn't a priority at the moment. Maybe I need to make it a priority since I feel better after moving around.

-Teresa
 
SofiasMami said:
Last Friday I took a day off work to use up some vacation hours (that I would lose otherwise) and that was probably a terrible idea.
I spent the day puttering around the house, doing chores and watching Netflix, alone. The problem with that is I start to ruminate about all the issues in my life that are always there but get pushed out of my mind when I'm at work.
I worked myself up into a huge lather and by last evening, I was feeling really down and could hardly think straight.

I feel like my body is literally inflamed, my face is red and I'm itchy.

I'm trying to take care of myself by eating extra healthfully and I went for a walk during lunch today. Tomorrow it's supposed to be sunny so I'm going to sit in the sun for awhile.

But I didn't sleep at all last night and I still feel truly awful.
My daughter is still her same old happy-go-lucky self. I wish I could be like that!

Any tips for dealing with bouts of anxiety would be appreciated.

-Teresa

I am sorry you feel so bad, Teresa.
I don't think staying indoors all day helps especially on a day off work.
I would have gone somewhere if possible. I am not sure what you have, maybe a walk in the park or a cycle ride or maybe go and see something of interest. Get outside in the fresh air, some exercise. I usually find that helps !
 
SofiasMami said:
The problem with that is I start to ruminate about all the issues in my life that are always there but get pushed out of my mind when I'm at work.
I worked myself up into a huge lather and by last evening, I was feeling really down and could hardly think straight.

I deal with this all the time. I always want to take the middle day of the week off so that I don't have that long to ruminate. My boss always questions me about it. And I use the excuse that I do it to get errands done. But how do you say, "I need to take the middle day off because my life is so horrid that if I take the weekend plus one day I will be an anxiety mess."

Agreed about doing something to break up the time. We often get consecutive days due to snow. For me that is horrible because I am trapped in my house. Getting out for a little while is great.

I sometimes go to a bookstore or a library. Go the movies. I try to reserve my Netflix for the nighttime when I am probably not going to do anything anyway.
 
For me the big thing with thought is to make sure the thought is productive.

You can ruminate all you like, as long as you don't stew. Going over the same things over and over again just won't help anyone.. solutions don't come unless you mix something else in.

So.. there's things on your mind. Do you have anything in practice to help solve it or was it more events that have passed that have your mind going in circles? In that case.. you could try to put something into action that stops history repeating itself.
 
I don't have anything better to add from what others have said but I just wanted to say that I wish you all the best and hope you're feeling better. *hugs*
 
I tend to do this too. It's worse in the quiet moments when I'm alone.

I don't really have any tips. I usually annoy my friends and whine about it to them. Or find something to distract myself until I have to sleep or go back to working.
 
The manifestation of stress and inner turmoil is a hard thing to go through. You have my prayers and well wishes that the inflamation and other issues subside quickly.

If one can figure out how we can stop, be ourselves, and not have to stay constantly busy to avoid things cropping up then that person would be rich.

Hope you feel better
 
"The problem with that is I start to ruminate about all the issues in my life that are always there but get pushed out of my mind when I'm at work."

When you start ruminating, tell yourself, "Thinking about those things does me no good, whatsoever. It just makes me feel bad, so why do it?" Then show gratitude for the good things in your life, even if it's just to appreciate nature. Another trick I discovered is to keep your eyes as still as possible when you're anxious or start ruminating. It tends to quiet the mind.
 
I always try and have something to look forward to every day.
Every day I am going to enjoy something.
Tomorrow is a work day but after I am going to the river and take some photo's of the sun going down.
So I will look forward to that while I am work taking honeysuckle from a load of wankers.
Thursday - watch my new dvd The Martian
Friday - fish and chips and a football match
Saturday - football and my 3 days off
 
SofiasMami said:
I work a job where I have to sit most of the day. I almost decided today to again join a gym and use the treadmills to run off my nervous energy. I used to go to the gym and workout all the time. But exercise isn't a priority at the moment. Maybe I need to make it a priority since I feel better after moving around.

-Teresa

Sending you a hug and hoping you feel better and sleep better tonight. The gym is probably the right answer. I am sitting here right now thinking to go to the gym but not going. I almost got my sneakers on to jog just now, ( I really despise jogging ) and here I am on the computer instead.

Finding motivation is hard. I have zero. Anything productive i do now is fully against my will and Im only doing it because because i recognize what I should be doing or feeling.

I have no desire to jog, it horrifies me, I hate it.

Wishing you a less stressful day.
 
Thank you so much to everyone for your kind words and practical advice, it means a lot to me. I've already tried some of your tips.
I started reading the first book in the "Outlander" series and it looks like a good book so far.
TB, I read The Martian a few weeks ago and it was good, I heard the movie is good too.
I sat out in the sun during lunch today and that boosted my mood a little.

I'm stuck in a rut and need to shake things up a bit.

LonelySutton, we'll have to start a co-op for old ladies someday where we all live in close proximity and make sure we're not losing our marbles lol.

-Teresa
 
Meditation and visualisation:

"Lie down in a comfortable place and position.

Imagine your body all nice and warm, feeling heavy, really heavy, getting warmer and sinking into the ground.

Now think of the sea, inky black to the horizon, with a dark sky: and from the darkness emerges a perfectly-shaped apple (the colour of your choice).

Imagine it in rotation (focus your mind upon it) - visualise its texture and colouring, its pattern and scent.

Stay with this until you feel yourself relax and become sleepy.
Often, you will drift into sleep. This is good. You will awake refreshed."

- this is what helped me in the 70s, when I was an anxious-ridden teenager.

It was one of the first things I learned on my self-help journey and the knowledge was passed on to me by a trusted teacher and friend.

I was always being told to "come out of my shell" but it was getting back into it (and discovering the power of the mind that ultimately gave me the strength to overcome a crippling anxiety), and I hope it works for you too.
 
SofiasMami said:
Thank you so much to everyone for your kind words and practical advice, it means a lot to me. I've already tried some of your tips.
I started reading the first book in the "Outlander" series and it looks like a good book so far.
TB, I read The Martian a few weeks ago and it was good, I heard the movie is good too.
I sat out in the sun during lunch today and that boosted my mood a little.

I'm stuck in a rut and need to shake things up a bit.

LonelySutton, we'll have to start a co-op for old ladies someday where we all live in close proximity and make sure we're not losing our marbles lol.

-Teresa

Teresa - The Martian is a great film !
 
I almost saw The Martian in the theater but, alas, it left before I could see it. I loved the book though, I read it in two days. I'm not sure if I'll read it again, if anyone here wants it, I'd be glad to pop it in the mail, just PM me.

-Teresa
 

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