I have had severe anxiety since the death of my mother more than a year ago. Tablets are making me worse. I am 64. Anyone else out there in my age group who can relate to my suffering?
Do you care to share what makes you anxious? Dealing with the root of anxiety helps. Please see a good therapist not psychiatrist, someone whose theraphy is not pills first. Learning how to handle anxiety situations one step at a time helps.I was 62 when my mother passed. That was 4 years ago.
Thank you for replying steadfast. I was in good health before my mother died. I am in a terrible state now and all day long. It is the physical symptoms that are getting me down the most. I am not functioning at all. What are your coping strategies?
I lost my mother 8yrs ago. When she died I went to pieces over the next year. I have suffered from anxiety froma young age and in the mix of grieving for my mother I could not cope. I saw a berievment councilor 2years later and she was amazing. So gentle with me . Told me I had not been grieving my mother as I should and had not understood the grieving process. It is ok for us to grieve. Our society makes us feel like we should move on after a few months . In actual fact the grieving can take several years and there is a cycle to go through.
The best advice she gave me was to purchase a tree or a plant and put it in my garden . I bought a garden bench and planted a tree. I used it to sit and remember my mother and share my thoughts with her. I had a quiet beautiful place of rememberanceto go and think about my mum . I did that each day until it felt right to go and sit there only when I felt I wanted too. Ocassionally eventually.It helped me dramatically. Knowing it was ok to accept my feelings of loss as natural and important.
I have to manage my anxiety witha mild medication , a healthy lifestyle and good affirmations, remebering to be grateful, thinking of people less fortunate than me and helping where I can . This gives me a good grounding of reality and self worth.
I to this day believe my mother never left me spiritually and I hold her in my heart. I was so fortunate to have such a wonderful lady as my mother and I know that I would not be the person I am today without her. I only have the feeling of serenity and peace and joy when I think of her . It took me I would say almost two years to get to there from the time I saw the councilor who helped me.
I know I will always suffer from anxiety but I manage it. Mostly it affects me when life throws a wobbler . Life is difficult at times for all of us but we who suffer from anxiety feel it more.
Take care of yourself an know that you are not alone in your feelings and count your blessings for having had such a wonderful mother. Most importantly it is ok to grieve but grieve and then move on . There is a lot of information out there on Grieving and the grief cycle.