anxiety/depression help you cope with pandemic

[IceWizard]

Is that the one you are speaking of...

h**ps://juliacameronlive.com/basic-tools/morning-pages/

Ice

[Okokok]

Is that the one you are speaking of...

h**ps://juliacameronlive.com/basic-tools/morning-pages/

Ice

Yes.
 This person wrote a blog post about it and I found its a more straight forward approach of the benefits. 

h**ps://www.chriswinfield.com/morning-pages/

[MoJim]

Interesting topic. As an introvert and someone who suffers from anxiety, I'm a bit split on how this is affecting me. As one introvert said regarding the stay at home orders, " this is the moment I've been waiting for my whole life." I now have excuses to not socialize and be a bit of a hermit. When I do go out, it is for only a short time for necessities. On the other hand, with underlying health problems, it can be terrifying being in a store with people that try to make political statements by not wearing masks or invading your personal space. Watching the news contributes to any anxiety. So my safe space now is Netflix and binging on The Office along with a drink or two.
Stay safe everyone.

[Pwrpuffgirl]

Alright... I know I said I was staying positive, but I’m starting to break. Everyone send me positive vibes, I need them. Been feeling depressive and I can’t kick it. Ugh.

[barq2]

Alright... I know I said I was staying positive, but I’m starting to break. Everyone send me positive vibes, I need them. Been feeling depressive and I can’t kick it. Ugh.

*Sending positive vibes*

I really sympathize. I've had several "wobbles" but I was suffering with anxiety before the virus was an issue. I can imagine that if all this were in a couple of years time I'd probably have more coping resources for the anxiety. However, I started therapy, had just talked about some very difficult things and then lockdown! So didn't exactly get to work them through. In that sense I'm certainly not coping with anxiety better than your average person. I might be doing a tiny bit better with depression as I have more experience there. 

Pwrpuffgirl - anything specific making you break? I know some people who are really suffering from the social expectation they should be ok, or that other people are doing ok so it is their duty to be ok as well. My view is this is a scary global pandemic so it is totally natural people are struggling with that. I don't know your circumstances, but it might be very understandable. Are there any triggers you can identify that you know make it worse? Anything that helps, even just a little bit?

Feel free to PM me if that helps... I think you need a few more posts before you can do that. At the time of writing you are on 30, so more than half way to 50.
Good luck and good vibes. x

[BeReel1010]

Unfortunately I cannot say the same, I feel my anxiety has gotten much worse, and my depression falling deeper as this virus continues. Little back story...way back when I was in HS I always thought I was fat which was part of what started my depression. No one ever knew because I was an all star athlete and (played sports all year round), had many friends, etc. I always wore a smile but deep inside crying bc I hated myself. I was shy, and always questioning how people looked at me. Anyway fast forward to now- when I look back I wish I could slap some sense into my younger self bc I was not fat at all. When I went to college I really did gain weight, a lot more after my pregnancy, like a lot.

The one thing that has always helped both my depression and anxiety was going to the gym and working out. During my “gym time” after work I’m able to clear my head, focus on the now and felt so good every time I left. I lost 80lbs last year and was finally starting to feel a little better knowing my goal was 60lbs away.  Since the gyms have been closed since March I’ve been gaining it all right back. It’s not even about food, I’ve seen endless nutritionists and they were all stumped. The only way I can lose weight is by working out. Lately my anxiety and temper is becoming shorter by the day. I’m constantly thinking about when this is going to end, when things will open, what life is going to be like as I’m sure many people are, but it’s more of an obsession for me. I lose sleep over it. I’ve been having more nightmares now than ever before.

I haven’t stopped working thru all of this either which I believe is the only thing keeping me sane. Even though I put in 10k steps or more a day it’s just not the same. Funny bc I’m not even a gym rat, I just go for 1-2hrs after work and it does wonders for my mental health. So unfortunately my answer to the OP is no, pre-existing anxiety and depression has not helped me thru this.. for me it’s only made it worse.
Sorry that came out wayyyyy longer than I thought, but if anyone has any other coping mechanisms I’m all ears or eyes rather

I am sorry you are having a tough time. is there anyway you can workout at home? I take barre class but the studio is closed. I am doing it online but it’s not the same. I don’t work as hard at home. Today I went for a jog/walk. It felt good. I felt exhausted afterwards like I do when I went to the studio. I will be incorporating jog/walk into my daily routine. I am so slow but I don’t care. I go to a nearby trail that isn’t popular. I saw 5 total people and did not speak to any. I am not wearing a mask and I do hold my breath when I pass a person. I can’t workout with a mask, I have enough trouble just breathing while running,lol.

Have your tried writing exercise called Morning Pages by Julia Cameron. It really helped me with getting my mind to shut the hell up and stop ruminating thoughts. I use a cheap spiral notebook and do it middle of the day or whenever. I never reread it and throw it away when it is full. (Google it, Idk if I can post links)

h**ps://juliacameronlive.com/basic-tools/morning-pages/

I hope today is a little bit better than yesterday.

---

I’m definitely not organizing closets. We had purged a lot prior to covid. My clothes and drawers could still use more purging. I don’t have the desire to do it and I am ok with it,

I think lots of people will gain weight being home. It’s way to easy to eat anytime and lots of  people are wearing stretchy lounge clothes. Going back to fitted clothes will be interesting.

I do work out at home, but it consists of an hour and half on the treadmill, *sigh* and I do intervals so I walk then run walk run etc. Still working thru a strained tendon in my foot which is painful. However, during that time I’m also consistently telling my toddler every 5 seconds to “Not do that”, “leave the poor dog alone” which is more exhausting lol. I honestly don’t think I have anymore time for anything else except weekends. Thank you for the link though, I just might try to find sometime to squeeze it in over the 3 day weekend coming up

[RHR17]

We all have been affected by this virus mentally in some shape or another. I’m a dude and I used to give a crap about haircuts, but I JUST got one today after sitting in my place for 10 weeks. I had to call when I arrived, then they called me to come in when I was ready. Took my temp and I had to go to the restroom to wash hands. Obviously I had to wear a mask, too. Bummer is, I have a beard and wasn’t able to get it trimmed. But I have my own electronic trimmer and will be fine, but it’s a pain in the rear. The point of this post is I feel sooooooo much better after the haircut. The little things I miss sooooo much. But today I was able to finally see my normal hair lady and it was a good day, followed by “sitting” down in a restaurant. Some places in the states have opened restaurants, but with like 50% occupancy so we could be spread out. There’s some very reliable data showing that the states who opened the earliest, have had the greatest downward curve to date. I’m a scientist, but won’t go for my hypothesis because that’s not what this thread is about. Yes, COVID is still out there, but as a World United, we’re defeating this faceless enemy. Economy will come back, I know it. I’m just in a good mood today because I finally got out of my house and did a few things. It was so amazing. I hope other in other parts of the world are getting to experience what is going on here, but I really hope this virus gets its *** kicked. I spent 7 days in the hospital for having seizures (never happened before ever and we still don’t know why, I have a long medical history that I won’t post here). They put me on the COVID floor until my test came back negative and I was moved 3 days later to a different floor. Even though I almost lost my life because of the 20-30 seizures from Good Friday thru Easter - I’m alive and my memory is back; however, god bless the ones we’ve lost. And I personally know quite a few. So saddening. ? We have to stick together, have to. Unite unite unite. 

Sorry for the long post.....

[Charon]

I am sorry RHR. you got a very up close and personal view of the virus and all its connecting horrors.

Westchester, where it started in NY, is opening up a tad bit. Hope u find out the causitive factor for you. And i pray this virus dissipates soon and never comes back in a second wave or in the colder weather.

Be well.

[RHR17]

I am sorry RHR.  you got a very up close and personal view of the virus and all its connecting horrors.

Westchester, where it started in NY, is opening up a tad bit.  Hope u find out the causitive factor for you.  And i pray this virus dissipates soon and never comes back in a second wave or in the colder weather.

Be well.

Thank you, Charon. Btw hi, it’s been awhile!! Remember my dang account got locked out and had to change names? TheLastStop was my name I believe. Anyhow, you and Steel saved it and got me back up and rolling. NY is opening thank goodness, but their Governor doesn’t believe in the numbers and is so pessimistic. What I’m hoping for is the cold weather diminishes the virus; however, we’re in the beginning stages of summer. I pray every morning for each soul on this earth. Stay safe and stay healthy. Like I said above, unite, share in the knowledge, and defeat this faceless enemy. We need life and happiness, and not being locked up in our houses or apartments. The mental anguish this has caused a lot of people just breaks my heart. I like this thread, it’s healthy for me at least. 

You stay well, too, Charon ?

[Charon]

I do remember The Last Stop and cuz u did not have that disclaimer in your post, as u once did, i chose carefully to call u RHR. But I do recall.

I do stay in. I can walk on the property cuz no one has been around. But I still gotta move. And i followed the progression of this illness. Closely. And I know where the most deaths were in my part of NY. The epicenter. And now as I look for a place to move, I see the areas the hardest hit have all apts up for rent. Cheap. So, it is difficult to find housing that did not have covid victims around here. It is horrifying the anger issues and insanity of people as they attempt to cope with this. But I was asked to write tributes to covid patients on a different site. So I am acutely aware of this illness. The happenstance of it all. And it is an horrific way to die. So I gotta be cautious. And, financially. This has changed things for many of us.

I hope u find the causitive factor behind ur seizures. In NY it used to be two years u would voluntarily surrender driving privileges if you had a seizure. So be grateful for Little Mercies. Stay well. And I shall to the best of my ability.