[starthrower]

Anyone else feel either nothing/numb or way too intense emotion? My 'default' state is either detached numbness or underlying vertigo/guilt, but if I get angry, excited, guilty or anything else it gets way too intense and I find it really hard to manage. It happens with positive as well as negative emotions, but with negative emotions (eg anger or guilt), it's a lot more difficult to manage without doing something 'subtle' like digging my fingernails into my arm or pinching myself hard. It's a problem at work because I find it really hard to control the emotion and to express it in an appropriate way- I usually try to hold it in but I end up shaking and trying really hard not to cry, and I can't function properly. No idea what to do!

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[Plinketyplonk]

Hi Starthrower,

I have the exact same problem you describe but I don't have any useful coping mechanisms for it yet, i kinda hold it in until one of my meltdowns.

What happens when you talk to someone you trust about the emotions? I find talking to my friend and working through the emotions helpful, like a reminder that the emotions i feel are ok to feel

[starthrower]

Hi Plinketyplonk,

Thanks for your reply. I also have meltdowns which I can hold in until I get home, but then it's horrible and probably worse than if I'd tried to express it at the time.

Talking it through really does help, and I'm lucky that I have someone I trust enough to talk to openly about it, but she's not always available and often it's in a work situation which is hard because I don't know anyone at work well enough and j don't think it would be appropriate to talk to them. You're right though, it's always OK to feel emotions and you can't control them, but when they're way too much or I don't know exactly what it is I'm feeling but it's overwhelming, I feel horrible and really anxious/guilty about it. Really need to learn to manage it properly! Thanks for the advice

[Plinketyplonk]

Hmm, work is quite tricky, i used to lock myself in a cupboard or toilet everytime i felt the strong emotions coming on but it didn't work.

Maybe cbt would help? Or some other behavioural therapy which teaches coping skills. I haven't had any cbt yet so i've no idea whether it does cover overwhelming emotions but it could be worth looking into if you haven't already.

-Sam

[starthrower]

I used to lock myself in the toilet too! Unfortunately, isn't always possible :/ I work with children so can't always get away. The worst job I had was working on a psychiatric ward where you had to ask the charge nurse for a key to the toilet, and I felt so trapped all the time and no way to 'vent' it. Several times, I ended up so shaky or trying not to cry that I was asked to leave the ward to calm down.

Not sure about CBT- I've always been told I'm "not suitable" for it but not sure why. Waiting for a new referral to go through at the moment to another mental health team so might find out more then...

[Plinketyplonk]

Yeah that must be tough, you've gotta be extra vigilant so there isn't much time to pop out, do you get regular breaks though?

Funnily enough I got told the same thing when I was referred for cbt. I was going through a bad patch at the time though. I think it depends on what it is you're getting the cbt for, my gp said that they focused on anxiety and eating disorders but they could be wrong.

[starthrower]

I do now- my employer is incredible and completely understanding about sometimes needing a few minutes 'time out'. The ward was a nightmare because it was 12-14 hour shifts with one break, and really intense environment. Luckily I'm not working there any more- found it so, so hard. Definitely prefer working with kids!