Feeling the scary feelings...

My husband is leaving tomorrow and will only be gone two days. His parents are coming to stay with my son and I, but I still feel those scary unsafe feelings. They know I'm an anxious person, but I'm not sure they understand a panic attack. I'm already feeling lightheaded and kinda dizzy and keep wanting to cry and even though I know better, I feel like he's gonna leave and this time things will be different and something bad will happen to me. I'm so afraid right now.

Isn't MG awesome? She's right..... I, too, will stay on here and help get you through this.

I really want you to believe that this will be okay! Tell yourself that nothining bad will happen.

Pull out all your tricks... Have your medication handy, be ready to start employing your coping techniques and take comfort in the fact that your in-laws should be more than an ample healthy distraction for you. ;)

You've done this before you can do it again!

Post Edited (Cornell) : 9/28/2014 5:57:04 PM (GMT-6)

Hey :)

I don't know if this will help you or not but worth mentioning as an idea. I have recently been studying and was anxious about you know having a panic attack in the classroom....I think the idea of being stuck in a classroom and having a panic with people all looking at me made me so anxious that its bound to happen!!! The more you try not for something to happen like anxiety it usually will dish it up big time for you! So what I did to disempower that is I went and talked to the course teacher...I just told her straight "look I suffer anxiety and sometimes panic attacks at the moment, I'm working on getting it sorted but I just wanted to let you know that if I get up and leave quickly/suddenly...its not you or anything, I might need to leave to take some time to calm. She was like "yep ok no worries." So yes to date I've had a bit of anxiety at times in the classroom but just knowing I can get up and leave if I need to has taken the pressure off and to date I have not had a panic whilst there." You may have already explained to your partners parents but just tell them look if I get up mid conversation or during dinner and leave for a bit its not you guys I just need to take some time." I just know the more you fight against going into a panic then its sure to happen...so give it permission to happen and usually it wont.

Anyway help or not...you are not alone :)

2frogs, I have done that in different situations and you're right. It does help. Thanks for the reminder.

Merrida, I do have meds and I definitely plan to use them. It's only a couple of days, but it just feels overwhelming. I know I'll be ok, I just don't have the best relationship with them, so I'm not excited....

I feel like it's always ok to rely on Xanax when dealing with inlaws. ;-)

TSD,

My husband travels a lot for work. At first is was an adjustment when he started taking the business trips.

I got used to it though...they were all within the U.S., but then he started traveling internationally! He was just in the Netherlands and Poland last week.

At first, I was nervous with him being so far away, but I am comfortable with it now, knowing that he will be fine while away...and my daughter and I will be alright while he is gone.

I try to plan fun places for us to go out to eat/things to do while it is girl time together.:) (and I find I sleep extra well when I have the bed all to myself...)

I hope that you will find confidence in knowing that you will be just fine, and drawing upon your skills to get you through this time.

We are here for you!

S.C.

I had a vertigo episode once when my husband was in China.

My daughter and I were eating at her favorite restaurant. It came on suddenly, and I was worried that if it lasted, I wouldn't be able to get us home.

I immediately started to slow my breathing, and to tell myself postive things. (you are going to be alright, this is just anxiety/fatigue, ect...)

....and it passed. I ended up getting a migraine later, and this was part of the pre-dome symptoms.

My point is...I got through that by using my coping skills and postive thinking.

If I can do this...you can get through this as well.

We are not different. I don't have any magic skills! :)

You can and will be just fine. I have faith in you!

Keep posting...we will help get you through this time...but you do have it in you, so don't sell yourself and your strength short!

S.C.

Well, my inlaws have arrived and my hubby is getting ready to leave. It's so ridiculous that I get this worked up over such a short trip. I'm not feeling anxious today, but I am feeling like I could cry at the drop of a pin. That's just how I am though and it's something I wish I could change about myself. If I'm scared, mad, sad, angry, etc., I cry. You should see me at my therapists office. I basically walk in and grab the Kleenex. Anyway, venting to you guys is the only thing that let's me feel like I'm getting my emotions off my chest. I really hope the new therapist that I left a message for calls me back today. After my recent pregnancy situation, I just really want to talk to a woman who may understand the hormonal nightmare I just experienced. Ok, enough rambling. I'm going to the chiropractor to help relieve some of the pain I've been getting in my neck, which is another source of anxiety for me.

Thanks for checking in MG! Tonight has been so much better than I thought it would. I think I'll actually sleep tonight!

Of course today sucked! I was driving to a massage which should've been bliss, but I had a major panic attack on the way there. I doubled my Xanax and am finally calming down. I hate when it happens while driving!

The massage ended up being ok. I was able to calm down enough for it. My husband actually gets back tonight around midnight. There's a lot of delays at O'hare, so his flights keep getting pushed. Thanks for continuing to check in on me. It feels so much better to know I'll get a response from someone who knows what I'm talking about.

It's weird because I've been having these chest pains and random head pains, and I feel like normally I would flip my lid, but I really do believe it's all from the stress lately.

There are still delays unfortunately. Sounds like I won't be home until late tonight. Unfortunately I'm at that's point where the feeling of anxiety makes me want to cry, but I just can't breakdown in front of my inlaws, so instead I'm gonna try and calm down with a glass of wine!

I am a crier too....over anything and everything. it's so embarrassing at times....I try to relate a story to someone and I start crying in the middle of it....they really must think I'm nuts. Anyway, i'm glad you're hubby will be home and give you time to work on this fear for the next time he might have to travel. You DID get through it even though it was tough and with each hurdle, you will get stronger and stronger. If not, trust the ole Xanax to get you over the hump...I do at times and yet I've never become "addicted" and have even quit for years at a time when anxiety was gone, and I've never suffered any side effects.