No cape

Walking helps me a lot. Sometimes that helps when other things don't. but I find the abdominal breathing helps me most of the time. In through the nose and out through the mouth. Either that or I turn around and come back home. Sometimes we just have to. So don't beat yourself up for something out of your control. And sometimes anxiety is out of our control.

I have a hard time letting others help me too. I don't know why I feel I got to go it alone. I guess I don't want to tell anybody my deepest and darkest secrets. Or I don't want to feel vulnerable. So don't feel bad over these things.

Maybe just once in awhile let others give you a hand, and maybe it will become easier for you. Just don't be hard on yourself, you don't deserve it.

I hope you feel better soon. Good you posted. Others will have ideas for you I am sure.

Hugs, Karen...

Hello Orange,

Kudos to you for going back to your therapist. Perhaps a once a month visit would not be a bad idea.

Also, I go to a support group for mental health, covers depress, bipolar, anxiety, PTSD and a few other dx's. Once I was use to the group, about 6 weeks. It started to help.

I use distraction skills when aniexty and/or flash backs are bad. Art [you do not need to be an artist], sewing, walking the dogs. Teaching myself to play piano, I am on the major cords now.

Reading, puzzles, fav music, etc... self soooth

Peace
Trina

Awesome for the ART!!! Good for you Oranged. I am an artist too though I haven't worked on it for a very long time. I have to be in the right mood.

I am proud of you for making it to work and staying there. Yea!!!

I hope you have a good day...

Hugs, Karen...

Oh, that's a good way to put the anxiety/stress in it's place!

Will this anxiety matter in ten years? In five? What about next week? Will it even matter tomorrow?

Definitely adding this to my toolbox!!

Good luck with the observation. These things almost always go well, unless there is underlying political stupidity. Breathe, patience, and don't be afraid of silences.

I quit my faculty job in 2013--for both political and personal reasons. LOL--the teaching was fine, it was everything else. Student apathy, faculty anger and interpersonals, lack of funding, lack of oversight.

Plan a present for yourself for afterwards, whatever makes you happy. It is a good tactic to make you look forward to successful completion.

You will do fine. Remember-5 years out--is this such a thing? We all feel like imposters--and we all feel incompetent--but we are real, and knowledgeable,and capable. It is just the brain that is badly wired not getting our awesomeness.

My last year in my job,when my depression and my colitis were at their absolute worst--I was waking in the morning with nausea and vomiting and diarrhea and low energy--I had an 8 AM and a 9AM. I couldn't eat much but did still drink coffee. Mid-way through the first classes' first presentation--I have to puke. Got up in the middle of a girl speaking, bolted down the hall.... a few of the nursing majors came after me. Most embarrassing day ever.