Hello

[Balvason]

Hi,

I'm from Canberra and of late have found it harder dealing with the stresses which come from working in this political type of environment. I work in private enterprise and have started to really struggle with unknown. there are some days i can't sit still after work. I have been grumpier than normal (according to my wife). I keep feeling my boss is discussing me behind my back. In my own mind its something so small, that I shouldn't be mentioning it here. I mean everyone else i see has it together, shouldn't i also. I don't know.

Sorry for the ramble.

Thanks

[Croix]

Dear Balvason~

That ad, good or bad, was put there so people could recognize the symptoms of anxiety, hopefully at a reasonably early stage. There is also a self-test at

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety-and-depression-checklist-k10

which can give you a very rough idea if you have been affected by depression or anxiety recently. It is only a guide, not a diagnosis.

You sound as I have, with worry over the future to the extent it is taking over life, inability to relax, anger or being short with loved ones and worrying about what those in authority are thinking of me.

May I suggest it would be a good time to seek a professional opinion? Book a long appointment wiht your GP and have a list - mentally or on paper -of the way your life is at the moment, and the reactions you are having. See how it goes from there. My life did not improve until after I'd done this.

You mentioned your wife had thought you more grumpy. Have you in fact told her how you are feeling - in reasonable detail? Trying to deal with things in isolation is not easy, in fact it is the hardest way. I found out to my surprise how strong and capable my partner was when I finally told her how I was - it came as a relief to both of us actually. She had been thinking it was at least partly her fault.

You are always going to be welcome here, please let us know how you get on.

Croix

[MsPurple]

Hi Balvason and welcome to the BB forums

I was going to make some suggestions, but Croix has already given great ones so I won't repeat anything 🙂

You haven't rambled at all. Also it is ok to ramble and vent on the forums. We are here to give as well as receive support. I think what you said was very clear on concise.

Good to have you on the forums.

[Balvason]

Thanks for the encouragement. I hadn't thought of seeing a GP with regards to how i was feeling. Even though the tests on this site and others recomended i did it quickly.

I guess it stems from being a child of the 80's. You know the "thats silly don't think like that. What will people think" mentality as well as the having to hold it together man complex.

Since having kids it has definitely escalated. I don't want to let anyone down.

I WILL try however to first Talk to my wife, allthough scary. Only scary because of the above. I don't want to let her down as well.

[geoff]

Hello Balvason, can I please welcome you just as Croix and MsPurple already have.

Much has been said and that's good, but remember a lot of us do seem as though we have 'got it together', but we can't expect this to be the case every day, although we hope and wish it would, however, we never know what's just around the corner, something that may surprise or even shock us.

To pretend to be good is not the same as actually being free from our demons, that relief is something we try to expect all the time, but mental illness prevents us from this.

Geoff.

[Croix]

Dear Balvason~

Letting someone down is as much the way you look at it as anything else. Saying nothing would -to my partner - be failing to treat her as an equal, not recognizing she had responsibilities, but capabilities to match.

One of the satisfactions in life is supporting someone you care about. As an example whne I was very ill with PTSD, anxiety and depression my wife cared for me, went to work, looked after the offspring -and all the household stuff. I owed her a great debt. I later asked her why she did all this, she said it was natural, just love and care.

Later on she had a lengthy terminal illness and I was able to support her, an opportunity I've always been grateful life handed me.

Croix

Croix