Home→Forums→Relationships→Trying to deal with anxiety and loss after relationship break up
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November 4, 2018 at 10:55 am #235357ShelbyvilleParticipant
Kkasxo,
I don’t think there is anything wrong with blocking out the complete extent of it until you are ready to deal with it. It’s called coping. By whatever means necessary. I would be scared too. Hopefully with professional help, they will help you look at things without feeling scared.
Trauma takes time and a bit of work to heal from, but you want to feel better, you want to heal, so isn’t that the first step on that road? I think so.
So, the medication has definitely helped with the withdrawal and the drop in serotonin since the breakup. But…..I still don’t feel great. In fact, I wonder if this is any better. I’m glad not to get the sword cutting into my ribs at the mere vague reminder of anything to do with him, but I feel really low. I’m really unhappy. That’s the simplest way to describe it. My life feels empty and hollow. I spent the day with my large family today and I did my best, but I’m so sad and lost without my ex, it nearly hurts more to see them all happy families.
I couldn’t sustain the level of pain I was in to be honest, so I accept I needed that help temporarily but I do still very much miss my ex. But I know I won’t contact him again. Not that I wouldn’t love to but there is literally no point. He’s moving on and I feel I would just come across as weak or desperate. I still think about him every minute of every day almost, but I’m trusting people who tell me it won’t always be like this. For now anyway! If I’m 6 months time, there is zero improvement, I’ll have some choice words for everyone!
I want a better life than the one I’m living now. I need to find out how. I hope you can too. x
November 4, 2018 at 11:28 am #235365KkasxoParticipantShelby,
I know that feeling of emptiness all too well. But you are doing better than you think you are.
Be glad that you had a busy weekend rather than sitting around like me. Back to work tomorrow and another week will hopefully fly by!
Im having another painful evening!
Lets hope for some better days!
November 4, 2018 at 11:36 am #235369ShelbyvilleParticipantKkasxo,
Its a strange one because I always dread work and then welcome it at the same time. I guess because as you say, it passes another week.
I’m sorry you’re in pain this evening, I know that feeling all too well. I wish there was something I could do to help. You’re doing okay though, you’re still breathing. Listen to that song by Sia called ‘Alive’. Now THAT’S a lady who has experienced rough times and tragedy and come out the other side, but anyway, it might be a good song for the gym.
Another thing that’s bothering me tonight is the idea that the ex is doing okay. I’m hanging on by a thread, living a lost life with no meaning and a mountain of pain and yet he is not suffering like this. I don’t like that idea. That he could cause this much damage while he gets by with a couple of grazes. I don’t think people understand the profound impact their actions or words can have on other people.
If nothing else, I will strive in my life to be kind to others, to never inflict this pain on anyone if possible.
November 4, 2018 at 12:39 pm #235393KkasxoParticipantShelby,
Everyone goes through pain and healing differently so try not to think about your ex too much when it comes to this. I’m sure it’s not all smooth sailing for him either but do try to remember that it was his choice, perhaps that makes it easier for him in some way?
We on the receiving end always have unanswered questions because I guess we didn’t see it coming and that can be quite hard to deal with.
It is admirable that despite the pain caused to you you have managed to remain the good hearted person that you are. I too hope that I can find that woman within me one day. Right now I just realise I am a broken individual. And that makes me very sad. I really don’t recognise myself with this immense pain and it seems it’ll never end. I’m not sure how to help myself at this point.
November 4, 2018 at 10:15 pm #235441ShelbyvilleParticipantKkasxo,
Its true, you are in immense pain. You have suffered a major trauma, so the pain that follows is natural and normal. It doesn’t feel good, but remember it is a natural process. If what happened to you happened and you merely shrugged your shoulders in the aftermath, then that would be a little unnatural.
When someone suffers such a massive trauma, the best way to navigate through it in my opinion is therapy. A trained professional who has experience of what is going on in our heads and can help us deal with the pain. It has to be worked through to heal. In my therapy session one day, I came close to feeling the true depth of my pain and I nearly had to kneel on the floor in the foetal position as it buckled me, but my therapist helped me through and apparently once you feel one particular wave of pain and let it flow through you, you don’t have to deal with that one again.
I don’t know if you have any interest in visiting your GP if you feel the pain is too much to deal with all in one go, could they offer advice. As I said I’m not a fan of medication but there are points in life sometimes when we need an extra helping hand to deal with what we need to deal with. And as my doctor said to me, it’s just an aid to get me out of the dark hole to at least try to make sense of everything that’s going on.
Can you talk to family or friends also about how low you feel and how traumatised you are after the events of the summer? And remember, you always have us here on Tiny Buddha.
I truly empathise, I really do. The pain can be all consuming and you feel your life as you know it or knew it is gone. We’re in this together.
November 5, 2018 at 1:25 am #235451KkasxoParticipantShelby,
You’re absolutely right in regards to medication. I think for me personally it is the idea that I have never ever been someone who would even thing i’d ever need medication because my mental state is absolutely failing me! Perhaps it is feelings of shame that I can’t in fact get through this without the help? I’m not sure. Nonetheless, I’ve decided so far to not go down that route. I’m sure as I go on to receive my counselling they may perhaps give more insight into what I may need right now to get through this.
I tend to not talk to family about any of this. The idea of them knowing just how bad things are and hurting as a result just breaks me so I stay far away from that and pretend all is ok!
I have only one friend who knows the insides and out of everything and she has been absolutely amazing throughout but yes, I do try to hold off the conversations too as I don’t want to burden her with my depressive self! So all you on Tiny Buddha have been a real life saviour!
Thank you for taking the time out to write with me!
How are you feeling this morning?
November 5, 2018 at 3:10 am #235455ShelbyvilleParticipantKkasxo,
I know what it’s like to try and put on a brave face. Some days in work, I can barely breathe, not to mention be a productive happy member of staff. But the only way to heal anything is to face it and talk about it, so I really hope you get a counsellor soon who can help and don’t be afraid to ask for a different counsellor of you don’t click with the first one, it can take time to get the dynamic right.
With medication, remember it doesn’t mean you’re weak or even that it’s permanent. I’m viewing it as a temporary aid to help me recover. My friend was in a 7 year relationship years ago and was devastated when it ended so she took medication for a year, but as she got over it, she came off the medication. She’s totally fine now and happily married with kids!
Your family love you I’m sure and while it can be hard for them to hear, support offers a light in the darkness, I promise you that. In my darkest moments, I’ve called my family and they have just given me enough of perspective to get me out of that particular hole at that particular moment. I can understand how people might urge you to start feeling better and move on if they just think it’s a simple break-up but they might understand if you explain it’s a lot tougher than just that.
I’m ok I guess. Took me ages to get to sleep last night as my tummy was cutting knives but I actually don’t think last night was related to anxiety, i think it was just upset.
I have therapy again today so I’m hoping it will help as I still feel so sad and lost.
We’re always here for you!
November 5, 2018 at 11:41 am #235577ShelbyvilleParticipantHaving difficulty this evening believing that my life might one day be better than it is now.
As in previous posts I have acknowledged that the anti-anxiety medication has definitely reduced the intensity of the pain, I’m still so sad and lost and miss my ex.
Does this feeling ever go away?
November 5, 2018 at 3:10 pm #235595KkasxoParticipantShelby,
I’m having a terrible evening myself. This feels like it’s never going to end!
My thoughts are with you x
November 5, 2018 at 9:44 pm #235633ShelbyvilleParticipantKkasxo,
its not fair is it? Has your pain changed in the past few weeks? I get the sense it’s not so much about reconciling with your ex now and is something deeper now? Or maybe I have it wrong.
Did you chase up your counselling request?
In one way I’m glad of the reprieve from the excrutiating pain that the medication is giving me but in another way, it’s funny how the heart doesn’t want to move on. The heart wants to nearly cling to the pain because in doing so, im clinging to the relationship with my ex. Even now, I call him my ex but I don’t really feel that.
I hope today is better for you. Work might distract you and maybe force yourself to go to the gym. It won’t make you feel worse. x
November 6, 2018 at 12:51 am #235639KkasxoParticipantMorning Shelby,
Yes you’re absolutely right, my pain has changed. The pain of the trauma I experienced is surfacing and for the first time in months I think I’m slowly but surely allowing it to come over me. I was in absolute bits last night, felt like I couldn’t go in any longer, but I am here and got myself to work this morning, progress.
Right now all I feel towards my ex is anger and a whole load of resentment, I really need to work on the forgiveness thing for my own sake as this is eating me up. I’m just having a really difficult time with this one.
Please understand that pain is all you have known in the last weeks so it is only natural that you are trying to hold on to it to some extent, it is another scary phase to let go of that I find! You loose your identity completely in the process of all of this! By the sounds of it the medication is really helping you so I am happy for you! At least you are no longer suffering with physical pain caused by anxiety!
I haven’t been to the gym since last week, instead I’ve been eating like an absolute pig! Not a great mood lift but hey, I suppose these things come in waves right?
Another day! We’ll get through it!
November 6, 2018 at 1:44 am #235641ShelbyvilleParticipantKkasxo,
I know you want to forgive so you can feel better, and I do believe one day you will get there. I think forgiveness comes at the end of a process though. I think you may have to go through at the pain, anger, denial and acceptance before you can get to a space of forgiveness and that may take some time.
Nobody wants the pain phase, including me….but I don ‘t think we can bypass it. We’ve been hurt, like our leg is broken….we’d love to be 6 weeks down the road when the cast has healed the break and you can walk on the leg again, but unfortunately that doesn’t happen overnight and you have to treat the break first.
The pain may buckle you like last night, but you’re still breathing. You’re still breathing. And every time you think you can’t take the pain, you listen to that tiny tiny voice deep down or remember my voice in your head and hear it say….I’m in agony, I can’t bare this but it won’t last. It’s going to pass, at some point, it will pass.
When I had my dark moment 10 days ago, I called my sister and she told me that I have to pull myself out of it, that everyone is there to support me, but I have to use my own two feet. You can do it. I know you can based on our correspondence over the past while.
What happened to you is not fair, it’s not right and it’s hurt you more than anything in your life before. BUT YOU WILL RECOVER. I promise you that. It takes time and a bit of work, but if everyone who suffered such trauma was crippled by it and couldn’t get over it, the human race would soon die out. We have the innate capacity to heal, that’s an inexplicable gift.
I know the LAST thing in the world you want to do is go to the gym this evening, but do you want to try it? Work out some of the anger? If you do it, I’ll commit to going to the swimming pool! We can update each other later.
You’re stronger that you think Kkasxo/Kammy, if you weren’t, you wouldn’t be still standing, you wouldn’t be 5 months down the road still holding down a job and functioning. Sending only the best of vibes to you today.
November 6, 2018 at 2:41 am #235645KkasxoParticipantShelby,
That last bit took my breath away a little. I have no clue how you have managed to figure it out but it touched me. My dear friends tend to call me Kammy.. it is a nickname I’ve held on to since I was 10 years old! And in that moment, you felt more like a friend than just a fellow Tiny Buddha user!
Perhaps you’re right. For a long time I questioned how people really get through traumatic events in their lives, do they really ever get through them? But I suppose they do otherwise like you say, we’d be absolutely hopeless and the human race would eventually fold.
I think the woman I was some 5 months ago also underestimated the real power of emotions and events in our lives. I truly believed that life just run smoothly for the most part, there would be some hiccups along the way but never imagined anything like this.
I will chase up my counselling appointment today in the hope that they can give me a clearer timeframe for my sessions to begin! I doubt i’ll get myself to the gym although that could change so I will keep you updated!
How are you feeling today Shelby? How is your day going so far?
November 6, 2018 at 3:11 am #235647ShelbyvilleParticipantKkasxo,
Aw I’m glad I can help in any tiny way. Definitely chase up the counselling, it’s an unfortunate system, but it really is she who shouts loudest, gets services. We have to fight for anything we can get.
I absolutely know what you mean about not understanding how much pain life can bring. I didn’t realise the blows human beings might have to take. I see some people who have never experienced a severe trauma and I’m so jealous. I know no-one gets a free ride in life, but someone will never have to go through heartbreak and I wish I could have been one of those people.
But if buddhists are right, heartbreak opens up our heart and souls. so maybe we become better people, so something like that! You have been dealt an horrendous blow, but you can’t undo it now. So now we must play the cards we’re dealt, as best we can, to make it out alive.
I’m ok today, I never stop thinking about him which is hard and draining but at least, no dark thoughts of the ultimate end since that Sunday a couple of weeks ago, so I guess I should be grateful for that. Keeping my head down with work. I have two very big presentations to make in a couple of weeks time and I’m really fearful thinking about it but my sister is helping me shop next weekend to get some clothes that will make me feel confident, even if I’m only faking it!
Don’t worry if you don’t make the gym, it was just an idea for an outlet, you do what feels best for you. I’m going to attempt the pool anyway and see how I get on!
Remember our pact – Oct 2019 – we will post and I bet you’ll be in a new and miraculous place! Post anytime here, I’ll always be at the end of the digital sphere!
S x
November 6, 2018 at 1:24 pm #235727ShelbyvilleParticipantHi all,
I hope this evening is going okay for everyone. I’m feeling very sad this evening but unable to cry. I don’t know if that’s good or bad.
Kkasxo, how are you doing?
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