OK, this is kinda random. It's currently 4:59 a.m. PT. I have not slept more than an hour straight. Went to bed at midnight and finally got up at 3 something. I have already made the coffee, have a load of wash already in the dryer and another going through the washer. I have no intention of taking this topic "Political." Just want to say this:
The Economy really sucks, and AD is making it really tough to deal with. I've had the TV on, and everywhere I turn there is talk of the economy. Even when the TV is off it goes through my head constantly. It is causing me to lose sleep, have heartburn, and generally just makes me anxious.
I'd be working and earning, but I can't because of DH's AD. I need/want help from DH managing finances, to help with projects around the house, and wish he could take some of the pressure off of me. At least so I could sleep. I keep worrying about making the mortgage, etc. Fears about what's happening around the world run through my head all night.
Problem is same for most of us, I'm sure. My DH can't help with finances, and cannot do projects around the house. Things don't get done unless I manage to do them myself cuz I can't afford to just hire people to do things. DH sleeps just fine cuz he's clueless that I am stressed. Or he knows I'm stressed and is clueless as to why.
I wish I had a button to turn my own thoughts on and off. At least I'd be able to turn off all this "Economic" stimulus (ha ha) that keeps me awake.
It is OK to vent and rant. This is a safe place to do that because all of us have been where you are.
Just a bit of practical stuff. Is your life, right now, really any different because of the economic shake ups? Because mine really isn't. I took a large distribution in January and a much smaller one in between the jumps up and down in the economy, and I can wait for a while next year before I take another one. So, basically, I've got time. Mostly I'm in OK, not too vulnerable, mutual funds. My principal has stayed pretty steady. Just no increases in value this year and really small decreases to where things were a year or two ago otherwise. You are probably in the same situation.
The market took a downward turn. It then went right back up again in a couple of days to almost an identical number. One of the multiple newspapers my husband insists on buying every day had a great graphic that showed this. The DOW was literally less than 10 points different between the beginning of the week and Friday.
There IS a button you can use to turn it all off. The first thing you need to say to yourself when this round and round and round stuff happens is "I'm not going to think about that!" Then start working up a list of affirmations. These are mine:
Praise God from whom all blessings flow. I am blessed. I'm having a great day. The day is mine. My attitude is my decision. I choose to be happy, calm and grateful.
Repeat as needed.
If you can't stop fueging (round and round and round), get up, read for half an hour. Don't start the coffee or laundry or any other work. You ought to be able to go back to bed at that point. That is really old, classical, advice about insomnia, and it works. If you are in pain take a pain killer. I guess that goes for anxiety meds as well, but I don't have any. I did buy the spray Rescue Remedy that was suggested in a previous discussion from my local health food store. It works on mild discomfort.
Yes, we are all stressed, but really no matter what party is in charge they KNOW they need to deal with this mess, and they seem to be able to do so. There might be better ways, but the basics are being done. We are NOT going back into the Great Depression.
I don't know whether or not we are going into the great depression, it does sound pretty grim. But I can promise you, within a week it won't be NEWS anymore and we'll go back to makeup in the papers and on the TV news. TV is dyslexic. It can't focus on anything for more than a few days.
I agree with Starling, reading will usually put you back to sleep.. a good romance or mystery, not a news magazine. I'm lucky that my husband, long before Alzheimers, had turned finances over to me, and I suppose lucky that he was never any good with things around the house, so what else is new? I guess the rest of you can feel lucky you didn't have to take these things on until recently!
I just read something in a magazine for seniors that may help with insomnia. "Stop listening to your brain. Set aside a time earlier in the day to get all your worrying done. Then when you go to bed and the same old merry-go-round begins, you can remind yourself that you have already done your worrying for the day-or you could save it for the next day's alloted time. With a little practice, it should work." Sounds easier said than done but I'm sure going to give it a try.
Here I go again with my Bach's remedies. White Chestnut will offer tranquility when your mind won't switch off-thoughts repeat. I use it when I wake in the middle of the night with the weight of the world on my pillow. You should be able to get it at a good healthfood store or: www.bachremedies.com. There is also a phone # but I know nothing about the company-Nelsons @ 1-800-319-9151
New Realm, as I recall you are in Kalama, just up the road from this Oregonian. Too bad we can't get together for the middle of the night no sleep seminar...I'm right there with you. I did the office finances while G did the home bills. I never paid attention to the larger $$ retirement picture, and am now paying the price. He can't do anything, and had screwed our finances up in the last few years without my knowledge (dumb me). I wake up in a cold sweat many nights of the week. Howver, the other morning he demanded to see all of our accounts, and wanted to know what happened to the $$ from selling our boat (months ago!). I smoothed it over, and it was never mentioned again. I'm tempted to down a lovely glass of chardonay about 2:00 AM, but think that might create a monster for me. In any case, you're not alone.
I am right with you about worrying. I admit I am a chronic worrier. I (thankfully) do not have a mortgage to worry about but I do own 2 homes and I have been trying to sell one of them for 3 years. I get 6 electric bills a month. I for residence, other house, 3 unoccupied apartments and 1 unoccupied commercial building. They are small but I have been trying to sell down to 1 residence. I hate to think about rental but we have decided to rent the extra house and 1 apartment this fall with the stipulation we do still have them for sale and then we will consider doing the others.
My funds are basically similar to Starling and I ignore checking of things every day or I would wake up in a cold sweat. I do know if I had to start paying NH costs, it wouid be a quick drain on us.
I agree it is better to do some light reading and try to go back to sleep and more xanax helps.
I find sometimes if i have an anxious hr during the nite, just taking a hot bubble bath in low lites helps..and a bit of melatonin:) then back to bed-divvi and yes, me too, i worry constantly about the WHAT IFS...its relentless.
I also have anxiety attacks occasionally between 2 and 3 a.m. and I just try at first to think about the book I was reading before coming to bed, and if that doesn't work, get in my recliner and pick up the book and read until I fall asleep again. I try not to think about the what ifs.... it can drive us crazy. Thank goodness for all of you!