Hi Kevin,
many thanks for your reply. I am sorry to hear about your suffering with the anxiety, but am very pleased to hear that you have found some help through the website you told me about, and that this is helping you to cope. Thank you for pointing out about being grateful. I do keep a gratitude diary, which I admit I don’t do everyday, but now and then when I feel up to it, even if it has been a day when I have been ill again I try to think of at least three things to be grateful for, and usually it is the small things that are the best, like talking to a friend, or having a nice lunch or something. Yes I am extremely grateful for my friends and family that I have, but unfortunately depression/anxiety is an illness and doesn’t discriminate between those who have family and friends and those who don’t. You made a strong point about the mask, I know I do that a lot, and never thought of it as trying to control, but thought I was trying to protect my friends and family from hearing about bad news and problems all of the time, as it has been a long period of it. If every time someone asked me how I am I came out with a long list of problems I am sure they would soon get fed up with me?! So I usually try to change the subject, or quickly ask them something about their own lives, to try to cope with it. I don’t know how other people manage this kind of thing? Anyway best wishes to you and I hope that you continue to draw strength and help from what is working for you, and in the meantime I will check out the website that you told me about 🙂
Kind Regards
Sarah-Jane