More anxiety (good thoughts needed)

[Californiablonde]

It seems like when I stop worrying about one thing, along comes another. I'm getting my license back so I don't have to worry about being arrested, so my driving anxiety is gone. Now I'm worried about sleeping. I'm sleeping just fine, but I'm worried that something bad will happen when I'm sleeping. Like sleepwalking and getting in my car and driving. I've read about it happening to some people. Or worse, having a nightmare and inavertently harming one of my kids during my sleep. It's never happened in the fifteen years I've been a mom, but I still can't shake this negative feeling. Each night before I fall asleep I panic. Each morning when I wake up and find the kids safe and sound in bed I am relieved. I am also obsessing over someone breaking into my apartment. I've recently moved downstairs from an upstairs unit and I know that now it would be so much easier for someone to break in. It's at times like these that I really wish I had a man in the house. My doctor recently put me on Paxil to see if it helps with anxiety. So far it's not helping, but it's only been a week. I guess I need to give it more time. IF you could all say a prayer or send positive vibes my way I'd sure appreciate it. Once again, the thought of going to sleep tonight terrifies me. Wish me luck.

 

[FlowerGarden]

Positive thoughts being sent your way.

 

[InsaneCdn]

CB?
I used to get panic attacks DURING my sleep. Afraid that someone was breaking in (I lived alone), afraid of bugs coming out in the night, afraid of I don't know what.

Things that helped:
1) take logical, rational steps to prevent what can be prevented. For example - you don't want to risk sleep-driving. Can you put your purse and keys (because the purse is easier to find!) in a spot that is hard to get without turning on the lights and, say, using a stool? like, top shelf in your closet?

2) make a habit of doing the same walk-through every single night. Double check the door locks. Confirm that the windows are closed. Check all the curtains, etc. This doesn't help so much the first night, but it adds up. After a couple weeks, you've done the checking and nothing has happened... so all you have to do is keep up the checking routine. And if you forget and go to sleep... and wake up in a panic, just go to the check.

I had a list of about 10 things that I had to "take care of" before going to bed. It took about a month to drop the panic attacks to a minimum, and about 2 years to drop the list to 2 things (I still check every single door and window, every single night!)... I've been doing these last two for over 20 years.

 

[InsaneCdn]

Smile thought...

Why don't you divert your worrying into something useful?
Like... worrying about what you will do with your time and energy when you run out of things to worry about?

(my therapist suggested that one)