Sian Confidential: I’m so stressed, I feel like I’m losing my mind

Dear Sian,

I feel like I’m losing my mind and could end up in an insane asylum. Every morning when I wake up, I feel like something horrendous will happen that day, or even that it has already happened, and I haven’t been aware of it. I have been signed off work with stress for two weeks, but I can’t ever see myself going back. Leaving the house makes me feel sick. When I walk it feels like its someone else’s feet I’m moving. I’m even beginning to question if this is the real world. I have what I think are anxiety attacks and feel like I’m never going to feel normal again. Please tell me I’m not going mad?! I’ve had a bad year; I lost my dad to COVID in May. Me and my sister nursed him at home, we all had it. I had also been bullied out of my last job and had resigned just before furlough which I am so furious about…while all this is negative it doesn’t make sense that I feel like this.

In summary, you have been left in what is called hyperarousal. Your brain literally thinks you are walking through a warzone with snipers on every rooftop. You aren’t going mad. But you do need help in relaxing as being in this state constantly isn’t healthy. Your feelings of derealisation and depersonalisation, i.e. feeling spaced out, are part of the anxiety response. Don’t be freaked out by them as you will be adding to anxiety. I would firstly recommend a visit to your GP as they may prescribe some medication. I’m a great believer in multimodal approaches. Mindfulness, breathwork and hypnotherapy will also help in teaching your amygdala to calm down. Self-care is essential and you need to find a balance between keeping busy and resting. There is loads that you can do for yourself, however, I would recommend you think about seeking some therapy like CBT.

*Names are changed to protect anonymity.