Hi, sorry you’re having a tough day. Are you sure the artex had asbestos in it? Speaking to people who worked with it I learnt that they knew the concerns in the early 80s from 1986 the actual brand artex stopped using asbestos in their mix. The newer the artex the less likely it even contained it. Plus like I said it was such a small amount contained in the pointes removed from your ceiling worrying about it is doing you more harm than the actual asbestos ever will.

It’s so easy for me to say this but I promise you I’ve been in your place, I actually removed it from one of my ceilings only a few years ago without even knowing, I was covered in the dust from it but for it to do me any harm I’d be very unlucky and there’s so much more that could harm me every day. Please stop googling and stop worrying

Thank you for your positive words, it really does help and I’ve managed to reframe my thoughts today after your check in and getting out in the sunshine a while. I hope you’ve had some good weather yourself today!

The worry is definitely doing more harm than good and I need to focus more on all the good things I have in my life and put it to rest.  I’m glad I’ve had the chance to chat with you and know it will get better as you have experienced the anxiety and are on the other side of it and helping people like myself!

Thank you so much for being there and taking the time , I appreciate it 

I wish I could help you more it’s such a horrible thing to worry about. If you find you really are struggling speak to your dr. I saw mine many times over this anxiety and she assured me that artex is EXTREMELY LOW RISK and asbestos related illness is rare. The last person she saw with it was 7 years ago and never in her career had she come across anyone who got sick from doing any DIY projects at home. It was always people who worked with it a lot. She told me in my place she wouldn’t worry so that really has to mean something like I explained to her I actually scrapped the stuff off the ceiling for a whole day without knowing what could be in it. I hope you start to feel better soon 

Hi, thanks again for checking in. I really am glad you take the time to speak with me and I’m hoping anyone else who checks in here can be equally reassured by your kindness.  
I’ve started on dealing with the anxiety and thankful you had the experience of a really good doctor who you are able to share advice from. This really helps me to rationalise when I feel the anxiety rise and I know I’m not the only one to feel like this and I will get past it.

One thing I’m struggling with at the moment though is that I no longer want to be in my house. Did you experience the same and have you any advice on how to deal with it? Thank you!

Hi, yes, I certainly had times when I felt like I didn’t want to be in my own home and they were horrible. I don’t know what made those feelings pass but they suddenly did. Maybe I just accepted what’s done is done and realised I couldn’t spend the rest of my life worrying over this. We all breathe asbestos fibres in every day, it’s naturally floating in the air yet people aren’t dying of asbestos related illnesses in huge numbers. Another thing my dr said - in my teenage years i spent hours in pubs around people who would smoke but that doesn’t bother me, its just as dangerous - we face things everyday that could make us ill and don’t give them a second thought. Yes asbestos is dangerous but don’t let the worry of it ruin your happiness. I’m sure you have a beautiful home so enjoy it

Thanks for your encouragement about my house and putting things in perspective regards the second hand smoke. I’m of an age that I would have been exposed to it everywhere from my own parents smoking to public transport and pubs and it’s true that I don’t think about that in the same way.

I think I’m doing better but that’s me woken again with a fear of being surrounded by the stuff. My husband keeps assuring me that all the ventilation and cleaning has rid the house of the stuff, allowing for the environmental background exposure, not to mention that the ceiling is now encapsulated having been plastered, but I’m finding it difficult to let it go. How did you make your peace with that aspect? 

As ever, I’m grateful for any reassurances you can offer and appreciate the support and time. It really is a comfort that you are in a place that I know I will be able to get to. Thank you!

Hi trust your husband, I’m sure he’s done some research too. You need to take small steps but you’ll get there. I still have moments but that’s all they are now thankfully. Take reassurance people around you are telling you it’s ok, they are seeing this with a clear head. If you need to go back to speak to your dr

Hi sorry you are struggling today. I think it’s a good idea to speak with your doctor tomorrow, be honest about how you are feeling and about your feelings towards being in your house. Also give the nurses here a call. When I was struggling I called them everyday for a week, most I spoke to were great and gave me great reassurance. 

remember millions of people have knowingly and unknowingly been in your place and they are absolutely fine. Illness from asbestos is so rare. There are many things you come across daily that have the same carcinogen rating as asbestos and you don’t even think about them. I know how difficult it is but almost every builder, plumber, electrician, kitchen fitter, plaster, decorator, roofer…. I could keep going…will have accidentally disturbed asbestos in their careers and it will do them no harm, blimey a dr I spoke to said they used to play with it growing up.

like I said before your artex might not have even had any in it and IF it did it was only a small amount and most would have stayed intact in the points that were chipped off. 

Until fairly recently asbestos was in brake pads how much do you think would have been floating around from them with the millions of cars on the roads? I know it’s hard because it was in your home and that’s your safe place but I bet you’ve cleaned top to bottom? I promise you it’s ok

Thank you for checking in. I can’t express enough how much I value your input and reasoning. I am hoping the doctors will give me some further help with the anxiety  as just when I think I’m doing okay it catches me. 
I have cleaned every room in the house three times over, as well as thrown loads of stuff out, and am now limiting myself to only one room every 2nd evening or so in an attempt to get a handle on things but I’m still reluctant to leave any doors to the hall open. I know I’m being paranoid as the environmental levels are such that the house will never be free of fibres! I’ve been ventilating the house for weeks and live near a main road without even thinking about pollution from the cars passing so really need to get sone perspective as that is probably more harmful at this point. 
It is true that everyone will have been exposed at some point, either knowingly or unknowingly, and there isn’t a huge figure of people dying from it. I know in my heart of hearts it will all be fine but it’s the distrust of my home and my loss of my safe space, at the moment, that is causing me the most anxiety. I just feel I can’t relax in the house. 
As always, I truly appreciate your kindness and hope you’ve managed to have a good weekend as you deserve it with all the support you’ve given me