I Have Anxiety

Anxiety is a natural response to stressful situations. There will be people who say, it will be alright or to stay strong. I will not say that, because neither really makes sense to me. I mean, real problems don't go away for no real reason, and while you're anxious, it can be hard to just 'stay strong'.

I will tell you the thing that works for me though, if and when I feel anxiety overwhelming me.

List out the number of things bothering you, when you can. And write down what you can do about each.

[b]It sounds silly, but here's the reason it helps.[/b] When you have a number of things going wrong in life, it never appears clearly as individual things... it all just clusters up, and your mind tells you "everything is going to hell".

And that will keep feeding your anxiety. And because you have anxiety now, that cluster of things will seem bigger and more impossible to tackle. It's a neat little vicious cycle of you feeling like crap.

When you list them out, and write down what you can do about each... your mind suddenly loses that vague, shapeless dread it's using against you.

The problems still exist, sure. But you'll feel a bit more in control of things, hopefully after that. Less anxious, fingers crossed.

I am sorry you are so desperate and so anxious, Kat. Are you sure you are making the right choices? Is there anyone else you can talk with? Things have a way of working out. I have learned that in times when it seemed like all was falling apart. Can you talk with the landlord? Get an extension? Can you apply for social services? Take a training program for a new job? Think "outside the box". I hope it all works out, Kat. Can you move in with someone else? Friends? Go for a walk, Kat, this is going to work out. I have been in similar difficult situations. And it works out.

Our uber-insecure work lives must be seen as more than personal. It is a VILE symptom of everything that is destroying our human civic lives, where people are SUPPOSED to matter more than profit and greed...but no longer do. This has been building up for a looooong time in our culture and our politics.

And I know this wordy BS is not that helpful when you need work and purpose but I hope it does show the bigger picture a little bit. I was always in so much more trouble than you in my work life that you couldn't possible imagine, and now I'm aged out so I have a teeny tiny government pension so I can survive. But I am not proud of how I handled the problems you are having now.

My ultimate compassion goes to you.

I predict with some inspiration and good support from friends and some very smart planning and searching on your part...you will prevail.

In the future, maybe you can think about intentional community.

But at any rate, keep your networking tight and functional. My best advice 4 the moment.

Im sorry to hear that, hope u can get a job soon

I hope things work out for you. I hope you get a good job, and soon. I wish I had some more helpful advice, though I do like what TheHoundOfMusic said. Perhaps that might help make things a little less overwhelming.

I don't know whether or not this would be a good option, but I've sometimes found that a temporary job helped fill in the gap between permanent jobs. But maybe you've already pursued that avenue, I don't know.

Best wishes.

Hope everything works out for you.

You have good reasons to be anxious at this time. But you also have the skills to manage your anxiety. Do what you know calms you.

I believe it will all work out for you