What really helped me while I was stuck in a traffic jam was to just sit and try and take in as many sensations as possible i.e. the feeling of my butt planted comfortably on the car seat, watching other people, reading road signs and ad etc. The point is that anxiety is only one of the emotions and experiences that you are feeling in that moment. There are many others that your consciousness is just ignoring because it chooses to focus on panic. But they are there. Obviously panic thoughts attract allot of emotion so they get played over and over again. But in general driving can be very relaxing and if you are stuck in traffic then in reality you are just sitting in your car chilling. If you are not in a desperate hurry then it can be quite pleasant. Anyway these were the alternative thoughts that I was trying to play in my mind and they helped. I have to agree with you. It will help if you don't avoid your trip.
jhori82
My post was really all about the "personal bests" on the inside. If I think about the fear I felt in anticipation of these events I just feel really happy that I did them despite the fear. I used to believe that my body was likely to pack in at any stage. So I have made allot of progress.
You are right about looking at other people. I now sometimes wonder about how many people I know have experienced an anxiety disorder. The same applies for more common afflictions like depression. Panic and anxiety in general is known to run in families so I have now began to look at other members of my family and I wonder if certain of their behaviours could be explained by anxiety disorders. I think I am a fairly kind person who doesn't judge too quickly or harshly but before I experienced this I never understood how people's behaviour could be so out of their control. However, we still make our own choices.
Good luck with the martial arts. Having a hobby helps allot.
Congrats on you new successes! I totally understand the feeling the anticipation of driving. I drive around the neighborhood but I'm still afraid of the freeways. You entry has helped me put things in perspective of some of the things I have to do today... like going on a car trip for 2 hours. I really want to avoid it for the better of me, yet not avoiding it will give me a benefit too.
You know, the better I feel, the more I look around, and the more I realize a lot of the care-free folks are putting on an act. I don't mean it as a bad thing, but it goes to show the old saying is true: Be kind to others, for you never know what battle they're facing. And not to put down what you said at all, we definitely are much braver then yesterday, for we are owning up to ourselves and facing exactly the thing which we fear most. After all, they say the only way to truly be free, is to face your fears.
Congrats on facing your fears yet again! I'd say the personal best you lifted at the gym yesterday, applies today because you just did a personal best on the inside as well.
Right on for the supplement information as well. I'll be using that over the next couple months, since I'm going to try to start back up with martial arts. I'm hoping to maybe take it semi-pro, but time will tell.
Thanks for the collective pat on the back. I felt so nervous about being in that tight shirt so I am proud that did it. I sometimes feel down when I look around at others and realise how care-free they are. But truthfully, I think we all are the brave ones. If others are care-free then good for them, but if I have to do something with anxiety then so be it. It just makes me braver than a care-free person because it was a far greater challenge for me than for most other people. This applies to all of us. If your fear is leaving the home or getting a new job or driving or whatever. If you do that which you are afraid of then your action is truly courageous. And if today you don't- there is always tomorrow!
I just came back from the junior powerlifting world championship, which is being held in SA this year. I had to drive 160 kilometers to get there and drive back in the dark on dodgy pothole ridden roads. After yesterday's driving experience I was very nervous about it. I got stuck in a huge pile-up but I didn't feel panicky. So another personal success.
Now that I am in a better "place" again, I can honestly say that I have dramatically improved over the last while. It's hard to feel that way when I am not in a good place but I really have improved.
jhoir82
I do use some supplements like creatine, glutamine and whey powder. In my opinion gimics don't work, just lots of basic foods and hard work. Natural lifting takes lots of time and you have to be patient. It took me five years to bench press 200kilos.
Wow I am so happy for you. Congratulations. A personal best woohoo!!!
As for the shirt thing I am very impressed! I hate clothes that restrain me. I think you did great and am glad you shared this with us. Once again congratulations!
I can relate...though I'm not big enough to compete in Iron Man...I would probably fit more in the weenie man section because I have that lightning quick metabolism...but I work out with my buddies from time to time that do what you do. Getting the high weights up, being able to bench double, even triple your own weight, it's invigorating as all hell!
Out of curiosity, do you use supplements that increase your mass? I don't mean steroids...but I've heard a lot of the other supplements out there are only good for adding water weight...and after you stop taking them you lose all that weight. I haven't tried because of that, sticking more to the good old fashioned BIG meals. You know, I only eat good when I have a work out schedule...
I remember when I was in the dressing rooms trying out a turtle neck when I was anxious and I felt like I was choking so I almost tore the shirt off from me!
But that is great success... it's all about the little ones. And I also agree that exercise and moving your body helps me a lot with my anxiety. I feel like I'm in here and I can feel them all working.
This is one success story that I am sure nobody else will relate to! But I feel elated so I thought I would share this.
I spent the whole day anticipating having to do a heavy powerlift in a gym with unfamiliar people. I drove 60 kilometers through peak traffic to get there, which was one long PA I'm afraid. This was awful but I did it anyway. Just wish I could drive without fear...
In powerlifting we wear "safety" equipment to help us lift heavy weights while also providing safety. What this involves in getting into a really tight shirt (claustrophobic tight- so tight it leaves you full of bruises) called a bench shirt and of course lifting heavy weights. Seeing as I used to obsess over cardiac health this was a bit of a mountain for me to climb and I haven't done this in a very long while. I thought I would freak out once in my shirt because you cannot get out of the shirt without somebody helping you. I ended up lifting a personal best. The weight was so heavy that the pressure in my head made the little veins around my eyes burst and I felt really dizzy. But this did not trigger a PA. And guess what? I am alive and my heart is fine and it can handle a great deal of stress! Exercise helps me to feel more confident about my health and I have allot more faith in my own body thanks to it.
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You should feel extremely proud of yourself! 
