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Monitoring your symptoms

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Ocean

Definitely write down what is happening leading up to an attack and during one. (it is hard to during one, but do your best) The first thing you will notice when you go back and read it is how illogical some or all of it sounds. The second thing you will notice after a few is a pattern. These will either be triggers or core beliefs, or both. Now you have something to work with.

Replaying them in your mind is thought exposure which has the advantage of not having to do the actual exposure. Journaling gives you some thing to think on. And something you can change from negative to positive. (challenging)

Here for you,

Davit

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Red, Hugs4U

If you write something, besides thinking it it gets stored in two places and it is stronger exposure, you can add to it by speaking it out loud or writing with different colours. But and here is the big BUT. It also increases the exposure level two or three times. This is why journalling works so well when trying to find triggers. It is harder for you to hide them. But and here again is the but, you want to do it slow to keep the anxiety level low.

The exception is during a panic attack when the confusion makes it hard to journal and you need all the help you can get to identify the trigger or in most cases false trigger so your mind has a reason to shut down the attack. Not having a reason to shut down is the main reason for sustaining an attack. Having one you can shut down right away is not so bad, mostly annoying. Having one you can't is painful.

Here for you,

Davit.

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 659

Hugs4U,

That's something I hadn't thought of yet..Thanks for the idea..

Red

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 4027

Red,

Or to rephrase that, what do you think of using the 10 question method to counter your resistance to using paper and pencil?

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 4027

Red,

How do you feel applying the 10 question method to your thought that depression would worsen by beginning to use paper & pencil?

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 659

Davit,

I want to thank you for your response, encouragement, and support..It really means a lot to me.

Your friend,

Red

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Red

On the subject of having to do it the rest of your life. Yes likely but don't look at it as a chore.

The so called normal people are conditioned to do this subconsciously because of their core beliefs and their up bringing and the fact they don't know what a panic attack is. So you too can get to this state where you automatically do it with out noticing in fact you probably already are on days you consider good. You are probably saying some of the time to your triggers, "oh go away I know what you are" . All part of recovery. It gets easier. If you can do it in your head you are one step up from having to write it and you are burying the negative more than you are aware of.

Here for you,

Davit.

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 43

I'm about half way through the program, and I find that writing things down help for me. I am trying to pinpoint which thoughts trigger my anxiety and so when I do exposure work, I sit down after the house is quiet (aside from my other half snoring) and close my eyes and think of anxiety.. and think of thoughts that I thought of at my last exposure "session". I find this has helped. When writing things down as you're thinking them, afterwards I challenge each thought...

As for tracking my symptoms... I'm not sure I've done that. Although I do take note of what I am feeling when I start feeling a panic attack. Perhaps I should start writing those down too as they happen.

Thanks

Ocean

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 659

This is not something I have done on paper yet..I have read through the entire program. I had been doing it in my head and using the 10 question list to challenge my anxious and negative thoughts and have gotten good results doing this. I am not sure but I think I am afraid to put it all down on paper for some reason..I have problems with anxiety and depression and maybe afraid that seeing it on paper will make my depression worst..I did start reading the program over again this morning and I am starting to consider it..The main symptom I have is anxiety/depression which is worst in the morning upon waking and improves as the day goes on..I am also Agoraphobic..I don't get full blown panic as described in the program here..Maybe that is because I am Agoraphobic..I have been doing exposure work and leaving my house more over the last year and am making progress on that front..This are things that I deal with most every day and continue to challenge with the 10 questions list..I think for me this is a ongoing process of challenging my anxious thought as they come up..kind of like maintenance. It is something I think I will have to do the rest of my life..I am glad I now have the tools to do it with.

Red

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 4027

Sunny and Ashley, one of the upsides of being obsessive, is using being able to do the monitoring.

I’m not new at using different tools, but I’d like to share how great it’s been, although it’s been a long haul, and my help has come from books suggested by my medical/other practitioner or in sessions when they thought it was time. I’ve done half the programme . There is a feeling of control when you are looking at different aspects of your life. It’s hard to start, since an uneasy state made anything tedious a burden at the outset. Most of my stuff comes from the book “Mastery of Anxiety & Worry”.

Progressive relaxation

I used to measure progressive relaxation on a scale, and when I became better at committing to it, I could shorten the groups of muscles I focused on. I re-introduce it when things I need it, or tire of it. Mindfulness meditation didn’t do much for me.

Thought/Worry records

I always keep worry records with me, and this helps the ongoing dialogue with my mentor, if there is a theme.

My worry record use has declined, and I have resumed progressive relaxation without measuring it before my night prayer, with the benefits of less uneasiness.

Daily Activities List

A “to do” list a daily routine, and helps indicate my commitment and need for tweaking.

Other audits: Time Audits

Time audits have helped with finding how I’m not reaching any personal goals, but I’ve not used a 24/7 grid for a few weeks. I monitor my television watched, and find that it drops dramatically when I have a structured activity. Restorative sleep is also important, and I’m monitoring that with TV watching.

Exercise

Josies’ forums is currently on exercise benefits, and I’m measuring weekly cardio too, so I can gently resume my conditioning to the state before I stretched some back muscles, and eventually join some physically demanding people activities during the summer.

Our Emotional “timetables”

I was in such a state the last few years, that I couldn’t take advantage of the online resources, or the wireless technology which can let you be comforted 24/7, but paper & pencil will be fine.

My growth has always been incremental, and there was a lot road to cover, and new challenges present themselves. I’ll bet a bit of that would help with the detail of this programme.

I’ve asked the forum webmistress if she can add an optional monitoring feature for measuring time online, since we could balance that with the “homework” of life which is why we’re online in the first place.

It was great to write this, since I see how much I’ve done, and feel grateful for the help I’ve had. Hopefully my achievements aren’t discouraging, since you wouldn’t believe where I’d started!

And of course, there’s a downside to OCD...

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Monitoring your symptoms