What to do?

[bigmouth strikes - again]

Hello! It's been a very long time since I was here and coming back is a bit of a last resort and i feel like a bit of an intruder, although I do recognise some people.

So my daughter is nearly five, I split up with her dad about 3 years ago and he has moved abroad. I work full time and get on ok at work and have god hours which mean I am free to collect my daughter from school.

The problem is that I spend most of my time and energy being ansanely anxious and worried about just about everything. One part of me knows that half of my worries and irrational, but I am scared of pretty much any slightly unfamiliar situation.

I rarely socailise, I don't let my daughter's friends come and play because i'm too afraid to speak to their parents, I get almost hysterical if I'm asked to do anything slightly different at work and i feel like an utter failure because my house is a mess.

i don't think i am depressed, because I get so much joy from being with my daughter but the anxiety is making it really hard to carry on functioning. And for the first time in a long time my thoughts are drifting to SI but I know that it won't 'really' help. I feel like I need help, but is there actually anything anyone can do?

It feels like they'll just turn around and say you made your bed, now lie in it.

[Sefka]

I'm not an expert, but anxiety and depression seem like very different things, but equally destructive. Have you looked for professional help at all?

[bigmouth strikes - again]

Thanks a lot for the replies. I am starting to realise the underlying causes of my anxiety, so I guess I can start to take steps to address them and make things better. Honestly life isn't about battling my own mind every single minute!

Dash, i was on here I think about 4 years ago, what was your name? I'm sure I do know you. I have ood memories of this place! It was the best company I had for a long time :)

[popcorn]

No, life sure isn't (or isn't supposed to be) about battling your own mind all the time! There are lots of meds, and some strategies, that can help with anxiety. It certainly sounds like the anxiety is really interfering with your quality of life, so that is something that definitely bears addressing. So many times, just knowing intellectually that something isn't reasonable does not make it go away-- if only it did! But, why suffer if you don't have to? There is absolutely help/relief, and I hope you can get some, soon! It will be good for you, and for your daughter, to have a mom who isn't feeling scared and anxious all the time. What would you want your daughter to do if she were feeling constricted by anxiety?

[bigmouth strikes - again]

Yes! :) I know you! nonstopnoise - wow! It seems like another lifetime. How are you?