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  • Anxiety in the time of COVID 19

    Posted by danielle-dani-liptak on August 10, 2020 at 4:30 pm

    I have anxiety about a lot of things. I see a therapist that uses a unique integrative counseling practice that offers support in managing acute and chronic pain, long-term health concerns, and emotional/psychological symptoms that frequently accompany prolonged experiences of illness and pain. Her specialties are in chronic pain, anxiety, and depression. A lot of my anxiety is about my friends, family, future expectations, my body, and how much more MD will affect it, and a lot more. Anxiety affects my eating habits, sleeping habits, how I handle stress, and my physical health.

    Do you have anxiety? Do you see a therapist about it? Does it have to do with your muscular dystrophy? I also have high blood pressure and recently diagnosed two years ago diabetes. I have controlled both with medicine, but I am sure the root cause of both is anxiety and the effects it has on my body. I just have to keep working with a therapist, go outside, and do my best to keep moving, and my symptoms ALWAYS improve. Nowadays, with COVID-19, it has been tough to find the motivation to do anything, so my anxiety has increased tenfold. How do you deal with anxiety?

    danielle-dani-liptak replied 3 years, 7 months ago 3 Members · 4 Replies
  • 4 Replies
  • pete-barron

    Member
    August 11, 2020 at 2:17 pm

    I have often heard that with anxiety as well as pain you were supposed to get “into” it to feel it fully to try to understand it. While that may be useful to comprehend things on a deeper level, it has never worked well for me. I just try to keep busy and avoid concentrating on the pain or anxiety! When I’m busy, I forget my pain and worries and the day flies by. I don’t mean to totally avoid thinking about important worrisome things like the virus, but I don’t focus on them. My mother used to say: “Worry is like a rocking chair, it keeps you busy but gets you nowhere!” Somebody else (I think it was Roger Tory Peterson) said: “There is no future in pessimism!” That’s my moto and what keeps me positive. Also a good sense of humor and the ability to laugh at yourself really helps!

  • tracy-myall

    Member
    August 11, 2020 at 11:34 pm

    I suffer from major anxiety. I have always been anxious, but I find that the last 4-5 years it has gotten much worse. During this time I started experiencing difficulties with my health, neuromuscular scoliosis being the main issue, which led to my discovery that I had MD. I suffer from chronic pain which has gotten worse after surgery to correct my scoliosis and a recent knee replacement surgery. I also worry about my diagnosis because I just can’t find that much about my specific condition Myofibrillar myopathy. My body hurts all the time, and I don’t know how much worse it will get as time passes. I also don’t have anyone who can help me or look out for me as I get older, I’m currently 57, which scares me as well. I don’t have any children and my sister lives too far away to visit often. I just don’t know what to expect in my life and it’s always on my mind. I’m better when I keep busy, but being down recuperating from these surgeries, one after the other, and now being sheltered because of the COVID-19 situation gives me more time to think and worry. I honestly wish I knew more about what my future would bring so I could plan for it if possible. I had a Therapist but haven’t seen her recently due to financial constraints (she doesn’t take insurance). I think finding someone who does take insurance and who could see me on a more regular basis might help. I really feel like I need to talk to someone who can understand what I’m going through. I just feel so alone sometimes.

  • danielle-dani-liptak

    Member
    August 12, 2020 at 1:00 pm

    I agree the future and its unpredictability is tough on my anxiety. I try to remember that it is best to be optimistic. That I have two choices, I can imagine only the negative or work and dream of the positive instead.

  • danielle-dani-liptak

    Member
    August 12, 2020 at 1:02 pm

    I like that motto! “There is no future in pessimism!” If we make it simple, there is thinking positively, and there is thinking negatively. If we feel negative, then anxiety feeds on that.

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