Can stress do this to you?

[dhs124]

I am over stressed to the max!  I feel as though nothing ever goes the right way in my life.  The last year has been so bad just trying to make it and I have fell into a rut.  I feel like I have gave up.  I don't even like myself anymore.  I feel totally drained.  I don't have energy to do nothing anymore.  I have to make myself get up and cook dinner for my family and I am lucky if the dishes get done the next day!  I hate being this way.  I don't do anything anymore.  I don't even call my family or friends.  I really can't say that I am sad because it seems like I have no feelings about anything.  I hate it and I want to change it, but I don't know where to start.  I feel like all I do is dwell on all the things that are going on in my life.  I will sit here for hours dwelling on what bills have to be paid and how they will get paid and I can not llet it go I will just keep stressins and stressing.  I know that stressing is not going to change anything, I just can not bring myself to stop it.  I need to go and talk to someone but with limited income and no insurance...What can you do?  I want to know if you think that stress do this to you?  What can I do to make it easier?  I just want to be happy again!

[OtisDaMan]

Stress can do that, and so can depression. One feature of chronic stress (especially the financial kind) is that it narrows a person's focus to the immediate problem, while robbing them of the ability to think through the problem logically. A similar thing can happen for some people suffering depression - their thoughts get stuck on a merry-go-round of feeling like they are worthless, and that's why bad things happen to them; which of course knocks them into feeling useless and not in control, and round and round they go. The longer this sort of thinking goes on the bigger the rut. While it is possible to muddle through and recover, it is in my opinion better to seek some help on how to shut down such circular thinking, and perhaps to seek some assistance on developing some ways of reducing the ultimate source(s) of the stress. A psychologist may be helpful with regard to techniques for clearing the mind of the undesirable thinking modes; however, it is something that takes practice. Perhaps some additional options like joining a yoga class or going walking with some friends regularly may help to give you a reason to get out and about, as well as helping with recovery.

All the best,

OtisDaMan

[mammo]

Remind yourself that there are millions of us struggling to pay bills right now.  One thing I have learned is that the future takes care of itself.  I have spent my entire life worrying about tomorrow, bills, everything, but my worry changed nothing. Make yourself do things, like seeing your friends, it may just be what you need to snap out of this.  Sometimes when we cut ourselves off from people, we feel alone in our struggles, but if you started seeing your friends again, you may find someone to share this with.You can only do so much. Try dwelling on what you do have, and the people in your life. I stopped my  worrying over everything when my son was diagnosed with a very serious disease at the age of 12.  This is when I realized that family is what is truly important, and if you have that, you've got it all. But you are depressed, and sometimes just a visit to your GP will get you medication.  There are usually free clinics in every city, try googling one in your city and go there for help.  There are so many people feeling just like you due to the lousy economy, and the more you socialize the more you will find people who have this in common with you, and talking with them will help.  It's always good to know you're not alone.  It's been a lousy year for me also, I lost my grandson 10 months ago, and miss him tremendously.  He had 38 surgeries by the time he was 16, then he endured a 5 organ transplant, two years later, he started vomiting blood, was rushed to the hospital where he died at 18, he had bled to death.  He never had a childhood, lost his dad (my oldest son) 10 years ago, but he never complained, and fought so hard every day for just one more day with us.  Thinking of how he never complained, always smiling, and his courage and strength when everything was against him, keeps me going.  Until you truly face your mortality like he and my son had to, our complaining seems so trivial to me.  But I do understand what you are feeling, and I hope you can get help, and have peace again.  Take care....

[whodunnit]

Hi there,

Yes stress can do that to you, big time. You describe quite a few symptoms of depression and as such you should do anything you can to ensure you gain treatment as early as possible.

I am not in the US so cannot suggest anything other than seeing a doctor and asking for a referal to a therapist. The money issue I hope someone else may be able to guide you on.

In the short term I'd suggest you read up on relaxation teqniques either on the internet or at your local library. There are many versions and the whole idea is to try and relax your mind so the issues don't keep pounding away at you as they are.