I am really loving the program, and find i am exposing my self to all kinds of things in the last few weeks, i have learnt a lot and sometimes still have anxious moments (like today) but i tell myself positive things and i also try to stay in my anxious moment long enough to feel the reduction in fear, the last few days have been very stressful with the loss of my beautiful dog and i think this has made me rather anxious again, but this time will pass eventually and the pain will lessen.
Ocean, just go out there and do things you enjoy, this is still exposure, living a happy life doing things you love
Ocean, it really is harder than we think when we start.... and, yet.... after we get going on the program it makes more sense and one thing leads to another and it does get easier and more natural. Davit is right (again :) once you "get it" you realize how simple it is... most of the time. I think you are doing great... so open and ready to learn. That's all it takes. Keep asking those questions!
"this will be the hardest simple thing you will do" It really is simple, just change negative to positive. But it can be hard and will definitely be time consuming but not for ever. Not doing it is forever. I have faith in you.
Thanks for the tips. Yes, I do totally have thoughts that I avoid. So my medication helps with those thoughts. (Celexa)
So now I have to try and figure out which thoughts I will expose myself to until they don't scare me anymore? Yikes - this is going to be harder than I thought.
Don't worry I am not going to give up on the program! This program is giving me hope that I can perhaps overcome this terribly intrusive disorder!
But you are doing exposure, in this case thought exposure, you are looking at the things that bothered you and that they don't anymore. Even with physical exposure there is a thought process you have to deal with. Since you know the physical can not hurt you it must be the thought that does. Maybe you don't have a physical trigger that you have to do exposure to. Maybe you have a thought that you have to do exposure too. Is there anything you don't like to think about? What scares you? What ifs? Is there anything you do that you are conditioned to do that you don't want to do?
You mention feelings, are you blocking them in stead of feeling them. This is a no no. You have to feel them to understand them so you can know where they come from and why.
This too is exposure. Make sure you have relaxation and coping skills before you get too deep into this. Opening up feelings can get very scary.
The program will still work for you, in its simplest definition it is still replacing negative thoughts and actions with positive ones. It is just different for every one.
This is a great question. Check out the previous answered questions in the Ask the Expert section. The October 2010 question on CBT may give you some answers you are looking for. Let us know what you gain from reading this answer.
Eventhough you are feeling better it is still important to continue working on the program. The information you learn here will help you manage and maintain your anxiety.
Members, please share your thoughts and experiences.
So I am now on Session 4, starting exposure work. I can't think of anything that I avoid because of my panic. I was afraid to go to sleep, but I overcame that (8 years ago) then I was afraid to eat (6 years ago) I overcame that. Then I was afraid of taking medications, and I can deal with that one as I have to be on medications for my anxiety (2 years ago) and just recently when my panic attacks started again I was afraid of waking up, but obviously I'm OK with that now- so really all of my fears are situations I couldn't avoid.
And so now my panic levels are down, my medications seem to have started kicking in, and the more I think of it, I am afraid of the feelings. So how can I do exposure work?
Does this mean that this program will not work for me?
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