Stressful week need some advice?

So this week is super super super stressful! I have GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) and this stressful week is already sending me into panic mode. This morning I had a dentist appointment had a panic attack in the car driving there popped an ativan almost puked all over the chair then went to school to deliver a speech in one of my classes. I get home and im starting just to feel super anxious. I have a choir concert in three days and I'm SO nervous. What should I do? I'm so stressed out. Oh and I have a bunch of make up homework from last week because I was sick with an ear infection/ cold and I'm still sick. I also have to finish up Christmas shopping. I really need some advice sorry this is so long.

Whew! Bit of a tall order to sort out all of this as I seem to have mislaid my magic wand, but I'll make some suggestions and hope they are of some use.

Firstly, even though (in fact, BECAUSE) you have so much to get done, it's absolutely crucial that you spend some time just relaxing. By relaxing, I don't mind slumping in front of the television, I mean doing things that will help you relax internally. My suggestion is that you first go for a 20 minute walk, as fast as you reasonably can, so you get a bit out of breath and your pulse rate goes up. Get home, have a cup of tea or something and wait until your breathing is back to normal (shouldn't take more than a few minutes). Then, lie flat on the floor and close your eyes and imagine that your body is so heavy it's sinking through the floor. After a while (4-5 minutes), imagine that you're lying on the beach in the sun - really feel the warmth of the sun. And finally, imagine that you're just floating away. You may not manage to get all these feelings, or even the first one, when you first try it but the important thing is to do this every day, just try, and in a while you WILL begin to really feel heavy, warm and then light.

OK, that's the physical stuff. Practically - see your teacher about the work that you need to get done and ask whether you can postpone it till after Christmas, because you really need to focus on getting well and OK and ready for next term. Then, make sure you eat well, drink enough liquid (not alcohol!!) and spend eight hours a night in bed. If you can't sleep, don't worry. Just lie there and sing yourself songs or imagine a journey or anything that will just feel OK.

As for the Christmas shopping - well, who really matters? Who could you say to "really sorry, life just got crazy, I want to put some time into thinking about you before I buy something so I'm going to do it AFTER Christmas"? Go and tell them. Just buy what you really, truly HAVE to.

Take care of yourself, and I hope 2008 is the year things get easier and more relaxed for you.

I think u need to see your family doctor. That is a lot of stress to be handling with a condition such as urs GAD. Maybe the doctor can give u meds to ease the anxiety. In any event, speak to someone soon b4 u snap.

Prioritize. It is all you can do. Make a list, do what is most important first and work your way through the list. There are only so many hours in the day and we can only do what time allows.
Questions I always ask myself when I become anxious is what do I have control of and What is the worst thing that will happen if this happens or that doesn't happen. If how I live my life isn't good enough for others then, oh well, I did my best for me.

You can't change what's going on in your life, but you can change the way you deal with it.

Try some relaxation techniques. I have an anxiety disorder as well, and I generally feel better when I can keep my hands busy. I have a zen garden (those little flat boxes filled with sand, and little rakes and stuff), and fiddling with that always makes me feel better. You can even make them fairly easily, if you aren't able to find one to buy. You can buy the sand at a craft store, and probably the little tools. They seem silly, but it really works for me.

Try different things and see what works for you. Yoga? A hot bath? Even just taking a short time-out in a quiet place and doing some deep breathing can work wonders. There are so many ways to de-stress... and trying lots of them is fun, too!

Good luck!

make a list -sort out your prioirities- take each thing one at a time -cross things of as you complete them. last but not least stop panicking it will make things worse.
find this works for me. x

Hello,
It sounds like you may need to prioritize a little better.
Spreed out your appointments. Forget the Christmas shopping this week, it is not a life and death thing that you get those.
These stressful weeks in when I go into seizures, so stress has to be down for me too.
It seams as if you may not be busy enough. Time to stress and build anxiety. Start cleaning your room or go on a walk/run or do something to calm yourself down.
You are not like regular people. You need to keep stress down. I do not know if this GAD ever goes away but if it doesn't you will have to learn to deal with it.
You may have to ask if you can have longer for that homework as well. Do only what you can do!
Take care of that sickness, this will help with stress.

Wish you well.