4 weeks ago I sought help to fix a problem in my garage. A family member that I trust advised that we should remove part of a wall that looked like plaster board as part of this fix. I was present while they happily cut into the wall with a small power tool.
Shortly afterwards it was discovered that the wall could have been asbestos insulation boards. In my ignorance I didn't know much about asbestos frustratingly. A test has confirmed that the boards are AIB. I have since made the area safe and had quotes to remove the material properly by qualified companies.
I know the internet is full of good information and in this instance lots of scary information but I think I've read all of it ten times over in relation to this topic. I've spoken to the gp and even had a few sessions with a cognitive therapist in a effort to quieten my brain. Nothing seems to be helping.
I now know how dangerous this incident was and the effects it might have on me. Oddly the family member has shrugged it off and has shown no concerns whatsoever. I pray these effects do not show up for a long time but my brain has decided that I've effectively given myself a death sentence. So much so that since reading all the expected symptoms shortly afterwards my chest has tightened and I constantly find myself checking my ability to breath freely.
Does anyone have advice on how to move past this state of mind? It's creating a real problem in my relationships, I'm not sleeping and I find myself distant from the young family I enjoyed only a month ago.
