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Anxiety free


11 years ago 0 169 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
I've been doing good with homework. I do log all anxious thoughts and panic attacks. 

It helps to look back and see the progress. 
11 years ago 0 11226 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Sounds like you know what to do Cara.

This program will help you to systematically do what you already know would help. It's not easy and takes loads of practice but you will get there.
 
How are you with the homework so far?
 
 

Ashley, Health Educator
11 years ago 0 169 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi Ashley,

That's what I do wrong I tend to dwell on the anxiety and my symptoms I keep replaying the symptoms and feelings and thoughts over and over in my head and google it all the time. Giving anxiety more power than it should. I think that's why my diagnosis of illness anxiety disorder.

I've realized that I need to move forward and accept every symptom every panic and so on... I'm going to wake up and instead of thinking back to my anxiety problems say a prayer and thank god for my blessings, hopefully this will give back my motivation and keep my mind off of my anxiety. 

I have times during the day that are good and bad maybe I should focus on the good rather than the bad???
11 years ago 0 6252 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Cara

Today was one of those days where things go wrong and add to the anxiety yet here it is seven in the evening and I've just come in from digging more potatoes. It wouldn't be this late if not for the things that went wrong but on the other hand it is late because I decided to keep digging potatoes despite a small amount of rain. My choice and I feel good now.
I could have made this a lousy panicky anxious day but chose not to. You will learn how to do this too. I'm tired but I feel good and I'm going to end this day positive. No matter what else goes wrong. ( my last DVD probably won't play :-)  )

Davit
11 years ago 0 11226 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi Cara,

It might be helpful not to be focusing on being completely anxiety free right at this moment. A small decrease in anxiety is a good start. If your anxiety did decrease what would you notice would be different? What you be doing differently? Aside from not going to work though as I know that will be done with shortly!


Also, waking up in the morning and focusing on the anxiety might be counter productive. How can you change your morning routine so anxiety was less of a focus?

Ashley, Health Educator
11 years ago 0 6252 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Cara

Just so you know it isn't all roses like I sometimes make it look like. Today I'm tired and have to work a bit to keep the anxiety and depression away. Just using my coping skills in the conscious today. Mostly because I'm cleaning house and would rather be doing something else so I will get behind again and even though I know better I'm having trouble not focusing on that fact. Now this is pretty normal for everyone, even the normal people who don't get excited about it. But I'm not normal anymore, I have or at least had a panic disorder. How will I deal with this? With chocolate just as soon as I'm done. That and my saying, "I won"

Davit

Now my break is over and it is back to work. (sun is shining and I really don't want to clean house)
11 years ago 0 169 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Thank you Davit. I hope one day I will be as knowledgable as you, so I can cope easily with my anxiety.

Thank you for always giving me hope
11 years ago 0 6252 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Cara

That is the easy way out. See, no work. Just have anxiety and you were right, you will never be free. But it is a lie and you know it. Anxiety allows you a way out of anything that is proving difficult rather than just accept that life has become difficult and find a positive way around it. Watch out for this one. If you build a core belief that you can never be free then you definitely won't ever be free. CBT is simple, it is not easy though. Who you change is you and you know yourself, no one can come up with better reasons not to change than yourself. I'm not you, I'll just keep giving you reasons to. And the number one reason is that it feels so good to get up with motivation to start the day.

Here is my day as I see it.

I ache like hell today, ignore that because I ache every day that is a given. The sun is coming up it is going to be a fine day and I really look forward to that first cup of tea. Alternately: Yeah it is raining I don't have to water, I can stay inside with my cup of tea and watch it as I catch up with inside stuff. I can make that .......... that I have been wanting to.

But see I like a challenge and in so doing the crap in the day is less negative. And there is crap in every day. Some days there is lots of it. I use anger to get rid of it. I get mad, I cry at the futility but I never let it make me depressed. I might search the whole day for something good even if all that is good is that it is over and I survived. Even if all that is good is that morning cup of tea. That is the focus, the rest doesn't matter.

An example: When I used to work I'd get up at four in the morning eat a quick bite and drive for hours in lousy weather sometimes to be at work by seven. Often the only good thing was the sun rising on the mountains. I'd drive to work excited wondering if it would be pink on the tops of the mountain, would I see animals. Etc etc. On boring days I'd get to drink another cup of tea and eat a couple of cookies on the way. It was never a chore, even when I couldn't see where I was going. It was exciting because I made it so. I never let my mind pick out the negative. (almost never, bad days still happen, attitude makes them tolerable) 

Davit

So why did I have years of panic attacks and why am I here. Because I let anxiety be a part of my life, because I let myself think that was how it was going to be. And I'm here because I was wrong. I want you to know I was wrong in that thought, I proved it doesn't have to be no matter how hard life had got and is.
11 years ago 0 169 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Will I ever be anxiety free? I miss waking up in the morning motivated to start my day. Lately, I wake up asking myself will I have anxiety today? 



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