Triggers

My councilor put me on this new program to teach myself how to relax, be calm, be at peace. I am really excited about it because I have been struggling with coping strategies and that is why I went to counseling. I wanted to learn how to deal effectively with stress. I have just started, so I am still not sure if I see any changes. I have felt calmer the past few days.
I started paying attention to signs that I was heading down the depression road. Last night I felt tightness in my chest and my heart rate increased. I started getting stressed out about EVERYTHING. Actually, it was more about husband being gone so much and he was suppose to be on call the next day (36 hours without seeing him). I sat down on the bed and talked to Dave about it. I realized that I was not stressed about him being gone so much, I had unmet expectations. I wanted the house clean, but he spent the time playing with the kids. After I realized it was about wanting the house clean and nothing more, I relaxed and said, “lets go to bed, I can clean in the morning. Thanks for watching the kids while I was gone.” It seems strange that just realizing why I was starting to get anxiety helped calm me down. I think it is because I knew what it was and knew I could clean my house. Simple fix. There was no unknown. In the past, I was unable to recognize why I was feeling anxiety or depression. I am starting to see what triggers my emotions and try to avoid situations that cause me to feel that way!