Topic Tuesday// Managing your anxiety during uncertain times - with WayAhead // Tues 25th August, 7-8:30PM AEST

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@eth wrote:

Evening all @SallyMartin @Former-Member @SageSolid @Shaz51 @Tan1 @Wicked @Marion1 @Snowie @Lalala @BlueBay @MDT

I've had various multiple anxiety disorders over the years and have lived with complex and chronic PTSD for many years too. Also diagnosed with bipolar 1 in 2009 at age 46 tho I probably had it since my teens. All my life I've had huge anxiety - social, panic attacks, agoraphobia, OCD at times ... the list goes on. One thing I learned relatively recently is that most anxiety disorders are about 'what if' stuff - things yet too come that might eventuate. However with PTSD the anxiety is largely about real things that have already happened that could happen again. Wondering what people think about this?

To me, an anxiety disorder is more likely when anxiety repeatedly rears its head with no apparent trigger (what I call endogenous anxiety), or about specific things (e.g. social or work situations, going out of the house, or more recently the fear of covid contact) repeatedly.

I also have NDIS funding and have found WayAhead extremely helpful with resources to get it and use it well and prepare for reviews. Thanks for coming along @SallyMartin

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Evening @eth Sounds like a rought run!!

Yes I agree totally about the "what if?" It happened the last few days all over a house inspection that went absolutely fine today. They were her for 2 mins and perfect gentlemen.

I was diagnosed rightly so with PTSD after a series of really bad events that went for months on end. There are real triggers out there still and it's taken well over 10 years to desenstise to most of them.

You are lucky you have been accepted for NDIS, from the information line at Wayahead we hear how hard it is ti get NDI @eth

He said hello @Former-Member

Thank you for sharing @SallyMartin

My husband has had soo many diagnosis over his life and the latest is bi polar

He has had a lifetime of judgement

@SageSolid It is that uncertainty and the 'if' that we don't know/ unsure of that makes things so challenging isn't it!

Hello @Shaz51 @Former-Member @SallyMartin

Sorry I'm late, lots happening here

@Lee82 can you join hunny?

We are nearly at the end of the night. I would like to discuss what many of us are here for- which is how you have been feeling with so many uncertainties and changes that have been happening around the world and in Australia?

For @SallyMartin , with your work at WayAhead, have you found this to affect people with anxiety disorders?

It is wonderful for people to have this site to be able to support each other and get some comfort fro others @tan

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@Former-Member wrote:

It is so great to hear everyone’s thoughts and stories. I would like to move to a special question for our guest tonight.

Thank you for sharing with us about your lived experience with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in your introduction @SallyMartin
Have you found these misconceptions, misunderstandings, and stigma to affect your recovery journey? What has helped you in your recovery?

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Most definitely. For me it was close friends and my immediate Family i.e Mum and Dad just plain not understanding that they are not supposed to "get it". Finally my Dad came around and said to me that he had to accept that he had no idea what I was going through. It was years though until this happened.

I think in general, we as humans do worry about things. With so many uncertainties going on with the current pandemic, it is understandable that those with a lived experience with an anxiety disorder may be feeling extra worried or overwhelmed. However, I do realise how each person responds to the pandemic could vary depending on many other factors (such as your background, social support, financial situation, health and emotional background, and where you live).

I work on an information line in NSW and have not found a great increase in calls on Covid19 from people with anxiety disorders. At my support group out of 15 people, only 2-3 have said that Covid19 has increased their anxiety.

However, I do acknowledge that this might not be the case for those in other states, such as Victoria. Maybe there are some members here tonight who can share their insights and thoughts on this also?

@Shaz51 say hi to Mr for me.

@SallyMartin that's great that you found such good treatment, both the course and the support group. What first brought me to the forums (2014) was that I was living near Darwin and there were no support groups there for bipolar or PTSD.

@Former-Member One thing that works for me is 'progressive desensitization' or graded exposure to the things I fear. Plus CBT and mindfulness practices. I also had EMDR for a while and I think that it reduced the frequency and intensity of my becoming 'flooded' as my psychologist called it - triggered is what most people say.

But since covid has greatly reduced my ability to get out (support workers frequently unavailable as well as times when the risk was greater e.g. venues in my suburb that a covid+ person had been to) I have regressed quite a bit and am more easily flooded again when out. I recently had the worst anxiety bout I've had for a long time that lasted for several hours.