High anxiety after major life chages
Over the summer my wife and I sold our house of 10 years, quit our jobs and began full time traveling in a teardrop camper. For the first month of so I enjoyed it but then it began to cause major anxiety. I just couldn't continue living out of that small of a space. It got so bad that we sold the camper and rented a cabin for about a month. Now I feel major regret and anxiety about selling our house and I feel incredibly homesick. I've experienced anxiety in the past, but never to this level. I need to know how to get my anxiety under control as sometimes it causes me to feel like I'm losing my mind.
Hey Michael, I'm so sorry that you've been experincing anxiety after you sold your house and started living a new life style.It must be really hard to cope after the changes that have happened in your life, and stress and panic this may be causing you. I think that you should go to a relative's home and stay there until you (and your wife) can get jobs and are financially steady. While this may take some time, perhaps you can also go and buy a house near your former home? I really suggest talking to a therapist, even a close relative or friend about your issues. Have you talked to your wife about your anxiety and home-sickness? If you haven't I suggest talking it out first and try to sort out a few things. First of all, taking care of your emotions and stabilizing yourself is the most important job. There are also many helpful articles that you can see on the internet about how to handle and cope with your anxiety. If you'd like me to share a few of them, I'm completely willing to. I hope you get better and things become sorted out. Best of wishes.
@Kurage
Thanks so much for your reply. My wife knows how I feel, its been difficult because she seems to have no problems with the change. It's likely that we will end up living with my sister while we try to find out where to go next with our lives.
I'll look up ways to cope with anxiety but if you have any suggested techniques I'd love to hear them - I just started doing some mindfulness meditation and that seems to help some.
@Michael49
https://www.psycom.net/dealing-with-change
https://www.talkspace.com/blog/major-life-changes-stay-balanced/
https://www.lifestorage.com/blog/moving/moving-stress-and-anxiety/
https://depression.org.nz/the-causes/major-changes/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/prescriptions-life/201201/how-manage-the-anxiety-comes-change
@Michael49
I am sorry that this has happened to you. Sometimes what looks like freedom and adventure turns out to be less than ideal, and loses its novelty after while. Sometimes the camper experience begins to feel like you are rootless; the may be due to lacking a grounded feeling that perhaps one would have when living in an actual dwelling that is solid, stable and immovable.
I believe you when you state you are feeling the anxiety and the regret for the decision to sell your home. I think I would feel the same way. I don't know what to tell you, other than to validate your very real feelings. Are you and your spouse on the same page with this dilemma? Communication is so vital. I hope this situation allows you to communicate things to one another in a calm manner.
@InquireWithin
Thanks so much for your input. You hit the nail on the head - I do feel rootless. I didn't think it would bother me to not have a permanent home for a while, but it impacted me much more negatively than I every anticipated. We researched this for over a year, so it wasn't a spur of the moment sort of decision, I just didn't expect to have such issues with it. Live and learn I guess.
My wife knows how I feel, but I feel terrible because she seems to have no problems with the change and seems to be enjoying it.
@Michael49
So it sounds like you are experiencing anxiety attacks after selling your home and buying a camper and traveling in it. I can empathize, that is a huge change, and I think if I were in your shoes, I would be feeling much the same. What have you said to your wife about the way you are feeling? I understand anxiety can be very hard to live with as I have had similar experiences in the past. I am a Listener here, so if you think chatting about your feelings might help, feel free to message me. I hope you can find some peace.
@caringRose8788
Thanks so much for your post. I may message you. My wife does know how I feel, but she has had no problems with the change at all, which makes me feel worse.
There are days when I think I can hang in longer traveling, but then there are days when I am just completely full of anxiety and panic and want to go home. Then I realize that we have no home anymore and it makes me feel even worse. I've dealt with anxiety in the past, but never to this severity. It's likely that we will end up living with my sister for a while at some point, it's just a matter of how much longer can I keep traveling like this. I feel like if I could just get a handle on my anxiety it would make all the difference in the world.