Steve, i'm glad to see you are hanging on. it is hard work, and you are doing the best you can. there is a lot of "real world" stuff going on in your life right now... so you have triggers. please take a moment to pat yourself on the back, just for hanging in there with all this, ok?

and i want to underline what Donna said about doing one thing... then the next - just one thing at a time.

a thought: when i have things whirling in my head over and over, it helps me to make a list. i find it freeing is all. i don't try to write the list in order. that comes later. when something pops in my mind it goes on the list (no numbers!). somehow, once a something is on the list, i seem more able to let go of the thoughts about it.

after you make a list like this, the next thing is to figure out the priorities, since, for most of the things you mention, there are deadlines. i do this by writing in numbers next to each item, with 1 being the most urgent thing to do. so, for example, i might end up with a list like this:

2) renew car reg
3) prepare taxes
1) pay phone bill

then, i do one thing at a time, following the numbering. if everything is about the same OR you are too upset to prioritize, don't worry. just pick anything, and get the papers ready. check it off on the list. then take a break. then do the next thing. etc. only after you finally go and get a certain thing done, come home and cross it off the list completely.

also, when i am too overwhelmed to handle things, what sometimes soothes me is to do something manual and repetitive. it can be anything, useful or not, like polishing surfaces or washing dishes or folding clothes or macrame or whatever.

here's hoping you're doing ok tonight. i'm thinking of you.

and keep posting.

~ waves ~