That’s it. No diary. Just a poll and a place to vent.
I am beset with anxiety and fear over what is in store for our country.
I am emotionally exhausted with all of this.
I can hardly bear to watch the hearings today.
I keep thinking I should take a total vacation from the news just for my own mental health.
How are you all doing?
Here’s a chance to express your feelings and just plain vent.
………
Addendum from a previous diary:
We all know the primary signs that you’re under stress: heightened anxiety, depression, sleep problems, irritability, however, all of the following can be signs that you are not coping well with stress:
- Dizziness or a general feeling of "being out of it."
- General aches and pains.
- Fatigue.
- Grinding teeth, clenched jaw.
- Headaches.
- Indigestion or acid reflux symptoms.
- Increase in or loss of appetite.
- Muscle tension in neck, face or shoulders.
- Racing heart.
- Cold and sweaty palms.
- Tiredness, exhaustion.
- Trembling/shaking.
- Weight gain or loss.
- Upset stomach, diarrhea.
- Sexual difficulties.
- Drinking more than usual
- Existing medical problems getting worse
If you are experiencing any of these problems and they are new since the election of Donald Trump I strongly advise you to make an appointment to see your primary care physician. When you call for an appointment tell the referral office that you want to talk about stress. A good medical practice will assure that you have at least a half hour appointment.
While many stress problems can be dealt with by non-medical interventions from yoga to psychotherapy, lots of people also benefit from medications such as anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications (the later to be used judiciously) and simple advice about changes in lifestyle and, for example, lessons in sleep hygiene. Be careful about using prescription sleeping medications because they lose their efficacy when used every night.
Another reason to see you family doctor if you experience any symptoms that seem stress related is that you may have a serious condition, even one that untreated could actually kill you. Just as paranoids sometimes have enemies, fatigue and muscle aches and pains can be an indication of serious underlying health problems. Also, people who suffer from panic attacks sometimes actually die of heart attacks.