Please Read

I’m not sure if this has happened to any other PW brides but this is what I’m going thou right now. And will example why I haven’t been on the broad in a while.

For years I have suffered with anxiety disorder and as my wedding is quickly approaching my anxiety has worsen. I’m not sure when it started getting bad but I notice myself becoming withdraw  (like not being on the PW and playing with my little boys) and I would get very sleepily during the day. But for the past few weeks or so I’ve been having panic attacks every day (mostly when I think about the wedding).  Because of my anxiety I have developed insomnia, I would go to sleep around 11 (or later)  and I wake up at 2 or 3 and I up for the rest of the night. And sadly my anxiety andinsomnia is affecting my whole personality, I’m yelling at everyone, everything and everyone gets me upset and I cry A LOT.

On a normal day my anxiety level is at 2 which means I will be okay. And on a bad day my anxiety can go up to a 6 or 7 which means I could have a panic attack. In the past few weeks my anxiety is at level 6 just waking up and thought out the day my anxiety rises to a 10 or higher.

Christmas day was really hard for me, I was in a foul mood all day and when I came home from my house I yelled at my FI for not putting the food in the oven.  And on Saturday we went shopping trying to found my FI and the boys their outfits for the wedding and once again I was in a foul mood and started to yell at my FI. I had a panic attack in the middle of Burlington Coat Factory and Target.

Yes medication is available to help manage the anxiety but I hate taking all medicine, especially for anxiety. Because my personality seems the change a lot, I become more withdrawn. I'm trying to get my anxiety under control but nothing is working as of right now.

I'm sorry if this was all over the place and too long. But thanks for reading.

As a fellow sufferer, I can relate.  I would highly encourage you to seek the services of a competent and caring counselor who can suggest non-pharmaceutical techniques to reduce your symptoms.  In addition, there are "natural" supplements, such as kava root that you can try to see if they will also help, in addition to things like meditation, diet and exercise.  Please consider some of these, before this affects your big day and your relationships.

I have BiPolar and PTSD and my anxiety gets very difficult if I am stressed.

Here is what I am currently doing and I am Not any any medications at this time.

Chammomile Tea 3x a day w/ Honey

NO CAFFINE

NO FATS

Increased WHOLE GRAINS

No candy

Exercise or a walk around your block if you can.

I also suggest a Hot Bath

I meditate and I force myself to wake up at 5:30 and I only allow gentle music after 9pm in my room.I will read until my eyes start to get blurry

and I rinse and repeat.

The kids eat at scheduled times and I stick to those schedules.

However, I would suggest a councilor or they have FREE support groups run by orgs like NAMI. I am a NAMI In Our Own Voices speaker, so I may be slightly biased about their programs!

I only advocate medication if the above behavior modifications are not your cup of tea. Some people need medications and there is NOTHING wrong with that.

The best advise I can offer is to talk about what you are feeling with your FI and sit down with the kids and explain why you are having a difficult time. Let them know that it has nothing to do with them. That is what I had to do with my own kids.

And VENT on PW that is what we are here for!

<3

Bridie

Ashley

I hope things are getting better for you. I lost a job working in a hospital because of panic attacks.  I found this article and thought of you http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/02/stress-relief-stress-management-anxiety_n_2319595.html

and please know you are not alone. If you need to talk you can send me a pm.

I can SO relate. I have VERY similar problems. Have had anxiety for years and chose to not medicate. My moods are up and down. Some days im angry as hell others im ok. I have panic attacks mostly about the wedding and when i cant find something like my asthma medicine or my sleeping pills ect. For about 4 months i didnt have a job. I didnt sleep. Maybe 2-3 hrs a day. Sleeping pills didnt work. My mind was all over the place i just couldnt relax of stop worrying or thinking about nonsense. And honey i cry ALL THE TIME. For no reason at all. So like i said i can more than relate. I know how it is and its hard to control something that feels like is controlling you. Sometimes in my head i just have to say how am i going to handle this.....blow up or just chill out. At this point my FI just ignores me or even laughs at me which always seems to oddly enought lighten my mood. He has helped me SO much because he is total oppoisite of me and he knows angry mean Kristina is not who i really am its just how i sometimes handle things....Another thing i do when stressed/anxious...is eat. Which plays a huge part in my weight issue. You have to find outlets on handling your anxiety level. Lately i have been going to the gym, listen to music, or working in little projects i need to do for the wedding, and i do them alone. Because ME time is important.

What helps me the best is just remembering that this is going to be my day and if some little details get messed up, nobody else really cares. Judging from my own experience at weddings, the only one who even notices little details is the bride. That's why I'm trying not to take it over-the-top serious and just focusing on having fun. Make it simple, and if all else fails; have a glass of merlot. That works way better for me than my Stratara meds.

Just remember, even if something doesn't go 100% the way you planned, the only person's day it can possibly ruin is your own. I also try to remember that the only people who REALLY care about my wedding (people do "care" obviously) are me and my fiance. Everyone else is just there to support us and have a good time and that will be the case even if it downpours the whole time, so thinking of it that way helps me alot.