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Pledge for the week

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Lucid

I'll let you in on a secret. I have met some one on the internet. It is putting a bit of stress on me. We are very compatible but I haven't done anything like this in ten years. This is almost as scary as panic. Talk about exposure.

You are so right. So two accomplishments now! Probably lots of little ones too if you look. If you look at it, it is about panic not the situation. Panic is still panic so if you can look at it as beating panic then all the other reasons for panic are beat-able. After all it is the panic, (the reaction to the situation) you are trying to get rid of. When you can do that then the situation has no power and becomes normal. The truth of the matter is that a lot of the things we react to are just normal every day things that we have twisted just enough to fear them. Like driving or flying or shopping. No logical reason for the fear to get past mild anxiety but it does. So you see you really only have to overcome one thing not a lot as we tend to think. Like dominoes, push one over and the rest will eventually go. It just takes time but they will all go.

The biggest thing though is that it gives you the skills to handle new situations so they don't get a chance to become triggers.

Oh and there is something about laughter that is so positive it just blasts the negative away. Even just smiling works.

Davit, who just might be in love.

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 86

I admire your attitude, Davit. I think that finding a way to laugh when in a difficult situation is a good idea.

I also totally agree that when you have a success, it carries over into other situations. I think I had felt pretty positive about going in the first place because I was telling myself: "Hey, I was on a plane for almost 3 hours and handled it well. I think I can handle a short trip to the clinic! It'll seem like nothing in comparison!"

Good luck with your appointment on the 6th. Look at it this way: You might meet some new, fun people at that hospital!

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Lucid

Your description took me back to when I used to dread doctors offices. In fact I was so bad I would sometimes have to wait outside and they would call me. Tunnel vision, shakes, nausea, going to pass out, jump at every sound, want to run fear. Last two times I went I fell asleep waiting. It is just so ho hum now, and needles I have had so many they don't bother me. I have lousy veins so some times they have to fish around and when the needle goes right through and into the muscle they hurt. But even that isn't a deterrent. If it's real busy I see how many are ahead of me and if it is lots I go visit the nurses. It is a small hospital and they all know me. They make jokes like "it's good to see you with your cloths on" and I'll say "what's for lunch" or "any rooms in this hotel" I really think with the right attitude and coping skills plus some exposure that we can get used to almost any thing and the ones we can't I think we can learn to tolerate. I think you did real good and I also find it harder if I am hungry or sleepy. When you start to look for the panic are you able to say, "oh not again" and make light of it? It does become second nature and after awhile your sub conscience takes over and you find you have gone through the whole thing without thinking about it. It becomes rather ho hum. And here is a bonus. It carries over from one fear to another. When you can ho hum one then the rest fall in line and you can ho hum them also. Just like giving in to one fear makes it hard not to give in to all of them. It really is just conditioning. Any one new here must think we are crazy because it can't be that easy. Well it isn't easy it just is that simple though if that makes sense. So congratulations on your success. I like A@W Teen burgers for a treat.

Thursday the 6th I have to go to a referral at a different hospital and to be honest I don't want to go. It is two hours away. Going with a friend and he has a lot of stops to make also.

Davit, being a wimp.

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 86

Well, I got up this morning and didn't eat anything, so that I could go and get my blood tests (I had to fast for 10 hrs). I tried to get there at a time that it wouldn't be too busy (I didn't want to wait forever and it has a small waiting area, with weird lighting, so with a lot of people crammed in there, it can be a trigger - not really needing an extra trigger, as the needle is enough! Haha).

But, sure enough when I got there, it was packed. There were some people even standing to wait. I did find a seat in a corner and as I took it all in, I started to feel the panic want to creep in. It was annoying because I was actually looking for it. I was feeling pretty positive when I headed to the clinic, despite being draggy from not eating. So, when I keep checking how I was feeling on purpose, I started up the panic! I actually contemplated convincing myself that "it's too busy here, I'll come back next week sometime."

Instead, I reminded myself that the lights were weird, I was light-headed from not eating for almost 12 hours, I was apprehensive about the needle. Most importantly, I am NOT going to leave and I am going to ride it out. I tried to make a point of smiling at some of the other people waiting. When they smile back, it helps me realize that they are not scary and judgemental. They are nice.

Well, I did get the blood test (they let me lie down and in fact she joked around with me about it). It really was nothing, a total breeze and even though I felt fine when I left, I made myself stop for my reward (a hamburger!)

The key points that I'll take from this:

(1) tackling the panic, rather than escaping is not easy at first, but it's necessary

(2) don't go out of your way to wonder if you'll have an attack or not!

(3) challenge those thoughts. Again, it seems really hard at first, but gets sooooo much easier over time and it seems to almost become second-nature after a while.

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Phoenix

Now that is a good example of how to bury the negative with positive. Let me wish you a good trip. Yes it is big but even a part is an accomplishment. The whole would be like, WOW. If you get sick remember it could just be the trip, this is a big thing. It doesn't have to be the anxiety. The only difference between excitement and anxiety is how you let it make you feel. I bet the sites will be just fantastic. We will want to hear all about it.

Davit, feeling jealous.

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 9

My pledge/goal for this week may seem big, but in my eyes, nothing is too big.

1:Drive to Arizona to be with my husband.

2:I'm going to be excited for the change instead of fearing it.

3:I'm going to take in all the sights and new experiences on my way there instead of counting the hours till find somewhere safe.

4:I will get through the move without feeling sick!!!!

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 86

Red,

I like that part where you said that you won't push yourself too far. I think that's good advice for all of us! When we set goals that are far-reaching and then don't meet them, we feel defeated, rather than feeling proud and successful at the baby steps.

Good luck with your flower bed. Think of the reward of beautiful flowers!

My pledge this week is to get my blood tests done this week. I have been 'subconciously' putting it off because they are just routine part of the physical and I keep thinking "oh, I'll do it next week when I have more time." I do not like sitting around the clinic and I do not like blood tests even more, so I think I'll bite the bullet and get it done tomorrow (darn-it...it's a free day with nothing else scheduled, so I can't make that excuse! LOL). At least the clinic I go to is amazing and they let me lay down for the needle (without even a sigh of annoyance!) :-)

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Strangers

Welcome. How about you post often also. No specific amount just a simple pledge.

Davit

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Red

I can't use messenger cause I am Mac. I put an answer in your Blog instead.

Davit.

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 420

My goals for this week is to get my flower bed ready to plant and rest when I need to. To accept the fact that I am getting older and that it will be harder and it will take more time to get it done. To let my partner help me and not feel bad because I need help. It may take more than a day and be ok with that. Basically not be to hard on myself.

I also bought some containers so that I can organize my craft supplies and want to do that too this week if I don't get to tired.

If I meet the first goal I need to be happy about that and not beat myself up if I don't get the crafts organized this week, there is always next week. I need to stop pushing myself to far and to hard and learn to accept my limitations. This way I will be less anxious, have less anxiety and be happier. I think???

Red

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