[AbladeintheMeadow]

I was just wondering whether you have any ways of counteracting anxiety before it begins?

To explain as briefly as I can: Anxiety & panic attacks have always been a feature of my life to varying degrees, sometimes but not always accompanied by depression.

In September/October 2014 I had to change my daily routine due to my husband working away for a couple of
weeks and I temporarily moved my working day around to enable me to be around to see our children off to school and lock the house up safely etc.

My usual routine means I am up and out the house before my husband and children are awake.

Possible trigger:

Before I leave the house empty I have a real 'thing' about making sure nothing has been left on (lights, tvs, hairstraighteners, oven, washing machine, dishwasher etc) and that all windows and doors are locked. I can never check just once, I always have to go 'round several times checking because I know as soon as I leave the house I'll be worrying I've left something that is going to cause a fire or a door open and someone will get in. It's like if I check enough times, when I start to worry if I can visualise and know for sure I checked then I'm OK. If I can't be 100% sure I can't control the cascade of thoughts as to the possible consequences of a failure to check.

I am the same when we leave the house as a family. I'm OK if there is someone left at home, it's just if the house is going to be empty. Tho' thinking about it as I'm typing this I do have to repeatedly check I've turned my straighteners off before leaving the home with my family asleep through fear of burning the house down with them in it. And I have the same fear if I leave the washing machine on or dishwasher on. Tho' I can deal with leaving them on, I just have to be firm with myself that it'll be OK. If I think I've left my straighteners on I have to go back home & check or call home and wake someone up to check for me.

I should just say I've never been involved in a fire or anything like that despite how the above reads. It is just a fear of it happening.

If I leave home and the thoughts take hold and there''s noone at home to call & I'm on the bus or it''s too late to return home to check again, anxiety symptoms set in and a full blown panic attack can kick in. This happened twice in two days last time I had to switch my day around with the attacks being among the worst I've experienced. I believe those two panic attacks may have been a contributory factor to the subsequent period of depression that was very dark at times and took almost a year to work through with the aid of counselling

Next week my husband is away again & I have to do the same thing again for a period of at least two weeks, possibly three & then shortly after for another week. To put it bluntly because of what happened last time I'm afraid of ending up in the same state as before.

If anyone has any suggestions or things that have worked for them I would be very grateful for any help at all.

[coyotee]

Since this is only temporary, a checklist probably shouldn't hurt.

Maybe make a checklist, make copies, then everyday go through the house and check everything off. Then you have physical proof to look at if you ever start to doubt it. Plus it might save you some time.

It's like a new job for you in a way, since you don't usually do it, so it's not a bad idea to give yourself a guideline to follow.

I think if this was a permanent duty my advice might not be so good. I don't know?

Having said that, I don't take my own advice. I've tried this, but I personally couldn't deal with it. I've never been good with lists, I constantly want to edit them. Plus I would have to start over if my checks didn't look just right.

[AbladeintheMeadow]

Thank you. Today was my first day. I tried a list and gave myself plenty of time to work through it. I was still a little shaky when I got to work but having an actual 'tick' to refer back to kept the panic at bay.