I do want to say that I am not against meds and if they help you thats wonderful. Just because they didn't help me doesn't make them bad for everyone. I have had a lot of personal experience of my own with meds over the years and came to the decision that meds are not the answer for me. I am not going to name all the different meds that the va put my husband on for his ptsd he got from being in combat in Vietnam for 3yrs and then later for the dementia that he developed but I can tell you that they did not help him and that I watched him die a horrible death over a 4 to 5 yr period. His was in a state of extreme fear and panic most of the time. As for myself I took meds back in the 70's and they really messed me up until I finally had a break down at 22yrs of age. Later in the 90's I tried some meds for the beginning stages of my agoraphoia was on them for 6 months was ok then one day I began to feel extreme rage. I went off the meds and was ok again except for anxiety. When my husband passed away in 2003 I tried taking meds again for the grief, ptsd, anxiety and depression that I was having. It was a real nightmare for me I started having bad nightmares and couldn't wake myself up. I thought I was going to have a heart attack and die in my sleep. I was finally able to wake up from the nightmare was clutching my chest and gasping for air and decided from that day on I was not ever going to take meds again. So when I say I do not take meds I am not saying I am against any one else taking meds or that meds don't help anyone or to stop taking your meds, or that I am better than you or stronger than you because I don't take meds. I am just saying I don't take meds because they don't help me. It's really everyones personal choice weather on not to take meds and I have chosen to what is best for me and not take them. Thats all I am saying about meds and that I am so grateful and thank God for this CBT program which is helping me and I am getting well. I know this is long winded but I felt I had to make my self clear on this issue of meds.
Hang in there and work the program it really does get better
Hi everyone: I did post before how I used to be on medication, Paxil. Not taking anything now. I am not against meds Don. I think they are ok to help us calm down enough to be able to do the program, calm us a bit and heal our tired out bodies so that we can do the CBT program. Constant anxiety and stress is so tiring! Diabetics take their insulin, people with heart disease take their meds. etc. Anyway, it is a personal choice. Medications have truly been very helpful to some. In all the years I have studied this disorder and CBT program support group, taking medication is the one thing people fear the most and don't want to do, as though they were weaklings, or maybe out of a fear of becoming addicted or fear of side effects. I have also found that people who do have a few side effects stop taking them too soon, before they have had a chance to get over them - usually takes 2-3 wks. then they are gone. I do understand how some may not be able to take them - allergic ? I don't know the reasons here, but support of a person going through the first side effects sometimes is all they need.
Last night I had a meeting to attend and I really didn't feel like going. I did go because I'm on an executive cttee. and should attend (there's that word "should"). I wasn't sick, just didn't want to go. I had to talk about some things and I got sooooo hot. I remember thinking that maybe I was blushing (?) and my face and neck were red, something I haven't done for quite a long time really. So while talking, I told myself, "so what" and kept on going and it went away. It was very weird and I wonder why it happened. I've been through some awful stressful times lately, sudden death of a friend just a month ago, so it could be that. Anyway, the feeling passed and that is what I'd like to tell you - that it will pass, just keep going. I think I need to do more relaxation/meditation every day again. I had been doing it but got busy and haven't been practicing daily. Back to basics!
Just stopping in to say hello and report that things are going well! At least I have been going in the right direction, even though I'm not at the desired destination quite yet. While I still take medication for my lifelong battle with anxiety, I have cut down my medication from like 3mg a day to 0.5mg - 1mg a day. Some day, I may be off medication altogether, but I don't get anxious about taking medication anymore! It helped me a lot, with very, very few side effects. I know some of you are anti-medication, but it did help me tremendously. If you can do without, all the more power to you. I mean that sincerely. One of the biggest things that has helped me gradually reduce anxiety (and my medication I think...) is to recognize and challenge "catastrophic thinking" when it occurs. My mind always tends to jump to the worst case scenario, which causes me a lot of unnecessary anxiety. I now know that most of the things I worry about, won't even come true. And if they happen to come true, I seem to get less stressed about it than before. I just want to encourage you all not to give up! It may take some time, but if you stick with the program, you will get results. Cheers, Don
I am so glad you were able to post today. I have been suffering with ptsd and agoraphobia for some time now. I really find it helpful to hear how other people are doing and how they are dealing with their anxiety. I think that we can all learn from each others experiences and help each other along the way. I want to thank you for joining the group today and sharing your experience with us. I look forward to hearing from you again.
I'm still here not posting much as I'm trying to ease off abit not taking a break but have been reading so much and focusing so much on the anxiety I'm not focusing on anything else. I have as mentioned before had anxiety for over 20 years coming and going but it gradually got worse as time went on until I basically could hardly function out of the house. The big lesson I've had to learn is patience because I would do anything to get rid of the anxiety but I found the more pressure I've put myself under to get rid of it the worse it gets so although I'm not doing as much exposure work as before I'm concentrating on negative thought stoppage as I think this is my main area. I've had a few bad days and 9/10 times its started with the thoughts because even when I complete some exposure I beat myself up about what I still can't do (not helpful) so thats what I'm trying to stop. Luckily I've a local centre which helps and started a new course so I 'm trying to make sure I attend them and then if I learn anything I can pass it on its on Assertiveness. I'm allocating a small amount each day to either come on line, practise relaxation, read my books and when the times up thats it so that my brain can learn to focus on something else. I will be coming on line for help and support and hopefully can give the same back.
I've really appreciated all the support I've had so far and its comforting to know we're all there to help each other along the way.
I want to thank you for your post this morning. I too suffer with PTSD and it was very helpful hearing from someone else who suffers with this problem. I am also not taking medication, been there tried that and it was not helpful for me a real nightmare. I definitely will not be taking any serotonoin type drugs or anti depressants of any kind. I do have xanax that I can take if I can not sleep but I haven't taken any in a few months now. This CBT program is the only thing that has really helped and also my trust and faith in God and knowing that he will never leave me or forsake me and that he is always with me, therefore I am never really alone. I do look forward to hearing from you again. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Some times a person can look right at something and not see it. I don't know how to use the instant Messenger or what it does. Or how. On other sites I can send personal messages. I am still green to computer language and I have to in many cases translate it because I use a Mac and it uses different words and ways in some cases.
I just wanted to share my experience with anxiety. I don't enjoy it and I'm sure everyone else doesn't. I have been trying to cope with this for some time now. I've been trying to read books on anxiety. I was hit with my very first attack back in March of 2009. I do not take any medications and I don't plan on taking any. I just don't want my mind thinking that taking pills is going to fix my problems. I know how my anxiety spawned and I will deal with it. I have been finding ways not to deal with it. However, after reading a little on PTSD. It has made me realized that you can't keep running away from your anxiety. That by running away or not dealing with it. You are only suppressing the attacks. So when they do hit you, they hit you with full force. A few things that have helped me to cope with my anxiety, definitely this website, the sessions my therapist has on CBT and putting my trust and faith in God. I'd like to say some more, but sitting on this chair. Is putting so much pressure on my back and chest. I'm not sure if it's anxiety getting ready to sneak up on me. Red, Davit and PC team. I do use the messenger on here. It just seems no one uses it. So if your ever on. Feel free to send an instant message.
I've noticed that some times peoples first posts are wrote in desperation and are a little bit ragged, so I want every body to know that all of us did that too and if we let it embarrass us away there would be no one here. It is also good as a marker of progression. My description of a panic attack in progress would be impossible to read if I hadn't gone back and corrected it. Something I think I shouldn't have done but it was ragged. So people send it anyway, mistakes and all. Just ask Ashley, she had to correct one of mine when I used a wrong word that only sounded the same but the context was different. Oh and I am your Typical Male two finger typist and proud of it.
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