Comments on: Anxiety and Safety Behaviours http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/2009/05/27/60/ Anxiety no more Helping sufferers overcome anxiety and panic issues Thu, 09 Sep 2010 03:55:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Paul David http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/2009/05/27/60/#comment-6221 Paul David Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:22:52 +0000 http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/?p=60#comment-6221 Very positive words Paolina, glad you have come so far and your right its a new attitude that builds within you. Very positive words Paolina, glad you have come so far and your right its a new attitude that builds within you.

]]> By: Paolina http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/2009/05/27/60/#comment-6220 Paolina Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:52:04 +0000 http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/?p=60#comment-6220 Hello All, I posted a reply to Paul in regards to thanking him for helping me to move on with my life after having experienced some anxiety symptoms-brought on by the stress of having to make a presentation at work. I will reiterate from my post in saying that I have had almost every anxiety symptom possible: tingling sensations, DP, muscle aches, racing thoughts etc. Every once in a while I return to Paul's book to refresh myself with being on track- I am not 100% recovered but pretty close to it. So today I am home sick with a sinus infection. Today is a little tougher for me. I am fatigued by being sick and being home alone leaves me time to think too much and i know you all know what I am talking about. SO- I have a choice. Either I sit here watching TV and worry to death about "what if I get worse?" What if I go backwards cause I am feeling anxious?" what if, what if what if. . ... OR I can say- "it's OK- I am not feeling well- I am taking cough medicine that could be making me more anxious (and it does btw) I am tired today- so just let it all be. . .today is a day that I will accept- I will accept my anxious thoughts and feelings and tomorrow is a new day. I have been through this before- and I know that this feeling is not permanent. . . it will pass .... This is the attitude that Paul refers too. It's not a phrase- it's a complete and utter acceptance of how you are feeling. Memory has a tendency to draw you back in to the gloom and doom of it all- but how about following up that "doom and gloom" thought with a happier one- a time when you felt more outward and more successful at your accomplishments towards recovery no matter how little the progress was- you where able to do it once right? You can do it. . change your attitude towards it- see it as a challenge instead of a monster. . . .GO FOR IT! believe me- the reward of recovery is sweet.. . . mark my words.. I just felt like I had to add some positivity and help to those of you who seem stuck (I went through this many times- and still persevered) -Cheers Hello All,

I posted a reply to Paul in regards to thanking him for helping me to move on with my life after having experienced some anxiety symptoms-brought on by the stress of having to make a presentation at work.

I will reiterate from my post in saying that I have had almost every anxiety symptom possible: tingling sensations, DP, muscle aches, racing thoughts etc.

Every once in a while I return to Paul’s book to refresh myself with being on track- I am not 100% recovered but pretty close to it. So today I am home sick with a sinus infection. Today is a little tougher for me. I am fatigued by being sick and being home alone leaves me time to think too much and i know you all know what I am talking about.
SO- I have a choice. Either I sit here watching TV and worry to death about “what if I get worse?” What if I go backwards cause I am feeling anxious?” what if, what if what if. . … OR I can say- “it’s OK- I am not feeling well- I am taking cough medicine that could be making me more anxious (and it does btw) I am tired today- so just let it all be. . .today is a day that I will accept- I will accept my anxious thoughts and feelings and tomorrow is a new day. I have been through this before- and I know that this feeling is not permanent. . . it will pass ….

This is the attitude that Paul refers too. It’s not a phrase- it’s a complete and utter acceptance of how you are feeling. Memory has a tendency to draw you back in to the gloom and doom of it all- but how about following up that “doom and gloom” thought with a happier one- a time when you felt more outward and more successful at your accomplishments towards recovery no matter how little the progress was- you where able to do it once right?

You can do it. . change your attitude towards it- see it as a challenge instead of a monster. . . .GO FOR IT! believe me- the reward of recovery is sweet.. . . mark my words..

I just felt like I had to add some positivity and help to those of you who seem stuck (I went through this many times- and still persevered)

-Cheers

]]> By: Paul David http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/2009/05/27/60/#comment-6158 Paul David Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:02:04 +0000 http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/?p=60#comment-6158 Just to let everyone know I will place a new post up tomorrow. I have had computer problems and have had to purchase a new one, so I have not been online for a while. I was going to do a post about social anxiety, which I developed and was able to come throough. Another idea was to pull some comments out from the last thread and answer concerns and put my own thoughts on certain things that I feel are important. Which ever I decide on I will post within 24 hours. Thanks to Candie/Shirley and others for answering concerns and adding some great advice, as I can't be around as much as I wish I could, it really helps to keep the blog active and helpful. Paul Just to let everyone know I will place a new post up tomorrow. I have had computer problems and have had to purchase a new one, so I have not been online for a while. I was going to do a post about social anxiety, which I developed and was able to come throough. Another idea was to pull some comments out from the last thread and answer concerns and put my own thoughts on certain things that I feel are important. Which ever I decide on I will post within 24 hours. Thanks to Candie/Shirley and others for answering concerns and adding some great advice, as I can’t be around as much as I wish I could, it really helps to keep the blog active and helpful.

Paul

]]> By: Patrick http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/2009/05/27/60/#comment-5772 Patrick Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:30:38 +0000 http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/?p=60#comment-5772 Nikki you said- "Having anxiety now makes no difference to anything I want to do Inever think I wont do this because I will feel bad I never avoid any situation because i may feel bad.There arent any situations that make me nervous.I just get up sometimes feeling rubbish.What i do find annoying is the reaction response to certain thoughts" That is EXACTLY how I am. what you are saying about the body lagging behind the mind - I can totally resonate with that - I consciously don't feel that anxious anymore - I don't really feel like I am consciously worrying anymore. I get random thoughts that cause a bit of a panic; for example I am really busy at work at the moment which is great, but the project I am working on ends in September and I had a sudden panic about that! I think what is happening is that anxiety starts as the sub conscious reacting to conscious thought patterns - it seems like it starts quick, but it has probably been building up for months or years; and I think the same is true of recovery - consciously we recover, but the sub conscious takes longer. That is how a counsellor explained it to me a while ago and what Paul said about a fire is the same thing - anxiety is the fire which we fuel with our conscious thoughts - when we consciously recover the fire is put out, but the sub conscious smoulders on for a bit and occasionally flares up (ie. setbacks). One thing to remember is that the sub conscious has no right or wrong or reasoning - it just "does". We just have to convince it that there is nothing to be anxious about!! And Lotty, I know what you mean about memories - I was talking to somebody at work the other day outside, and I suddenly remembered one day months ago at my worst when I was on the phone to an anxiety support helpline stood in the same place; unfortunately that memory has fuelled this setback. Nikki you said-
“Having anxiety now makes no difference to anything I want to do Inever think I wont do this because I will feel bad I never avoid any situation because i may feel bad.There arent any situations that make me nervous.I just get up sometimes feeling rubbish.What i do find annoying is the reaction response to certain thoughts”

That is EXACTLY how I am.

what you are saying about the body lagging behind the mind – I can totally resonate with that – I consciously don’t feel that anxious anymore – I don’t really feel like I am consciously worrying anymore. I get random thoughts that cause a bit of a panic; for example I am really busy at work at the moment which is great, but the project I am working on ends in September and I had a sudden panic about that!

I think what is happening is that anxiety starts as the sub conscious reacting to conscious thought patterns – it seems like it starts quick, but it has probably been building up for months or years; and I think the same is true of recovery – consciously we recover, but the sub conscious takes longer. That is how a counsellor explained it to me a while ago and what Paul said about a fire is the same thing – anxiety is the fire which we fuel with our conscious thoughts – when we consciously recover the fire is put out, but the sub conscious smoulders on for a bit and occasionally flares up (ie. setbacks). One thing to remember is that the sub conscious has no right or wrong or reasoning – it just “does”. We just have to convince it that there is nothing to be anxious about!!

And Lotty, I know what you mean about memories – I was talking to somebody at work the other day outside, and I suddenly remembered one day months ago at my worst when I was on the phone to an anxiety support helpline stood in the same place; unfortunately that memory has fuelled this setback.

]]> By: Patrick http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/2009/05/27/60/#comment-5771 Patrick Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:58:46 +0000 http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/?p=60#comment-5771 Nikki, totally with you, I find it strangely reassuring to find other people seem to be at more or less the same place I am, kinda shows that despite our differences we all basically have the same condition so there is no reason why any of us should ever not recover fully. I am in Setback mode, thought it was a small blip, but all my doubts about recovery have kicked back in and I'm back to feeling flat and depressed and have "lost interest" in things again, which was a real problem for me earlier this year and not somewhere I expected to be again. I thought I was "nearly" there and it is as you say unnerving to be "here" again. I know this is a setback but yes, the force of it has surprised me too. I haven't been perfect recently but been so positive and enthusiastic about things that the anxiety has been just a background annoyance which I could cope with. I know I don't have to "do" anything, just get on with my day etc, this setback has just put my focus 100% back on anxiety when it was starting to fade. I think for me the difficulty is knowing how to face the fear - I can understand how if going on a bus makes you anxious, but my anxiety started when a family member was ill and it went very quickly; but some time after, out of the blue I panicked when I thought is this going to happen everytime someone is ill! And here we are six months later!! Nikki, totally with you, I find it strangely reassuring to find other people seem to be at more or less the same place I am, kinda shows that despite our differences we all basically have the same condition so there is no reason why any of us should ever not recover fully.

I am in Setback mode, thought it was a small blip, but all my doubts about recovery have kicked back in and I’m back to feeling flat and depressed and have “lost interest” in things again, which was a real problem for me earlier this year and not somewhere I expected to be again. I thought I was “nearly” there and it is as you say unnerving to be “here” again. I know this is a setback but yes, the force of it has surprised me too. I haven’t been perfect recently but been so positive and enthusiastic about things that the anxiety has been just a background annoyance which I could cope with.

I know I don’t have to “do” anything, just get on with my day etc, this setback has just put my focus 100% back on anxiety when it was starting to fade. I think for me the difficulty is knowing how to face the fear – I can understand how if going on a bus makes you anxious, but my anxiety started when a family member was ill and it went very quickly; but some time after, out of the blue I panicked when I thought is this going to happen everytime someone is ill! And here we are six months later!!

]]> By: Paul David http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/2009/05/27/60/#comment-5770 Paul David Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:25:49 +0000 http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/?p=60#comment-5770 Victor that's a tremendous piece of advice and EXACATLY what I have tried to get through. In fact I will use the piece as part of this months post. Victor that’s a tremendous piece of advice and EXACATLY what I have tried to get through. In fact I will use the piece as part of this months post.

]]> By: Lotty http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/2009/05/27/60/#comment-5769 Lotty Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:14:20 +0000 http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/?p=60#comment-5769 Yes you're right Nikki, I can relate to that totally. It feels sometimes that the body is lagging behind the mind. I get that feeling sometimes when the weekend draws near. In the early days it used to really bother me, as the weekdays, hard to get through as they were, at least had some structure due to having to be at work. The weekends were harder as I had to motivate myself on my own. Even though I feel I have come a long way, sometimes on a Friday night all of a sudden I feel a bit lost and anxious even though I know that I should be looking forward to the weekend and freedom like I used to. Habit drags me back now and again. It could be anything: entering a room where I had a really bad experience, getting into the shower where I had the panic attack that started it all off, seeing something on tv that I remember seeing when I was really depressed...the list goes on. When you think about it that way, it's no wonder we are dragged back from time to time - there's a whole host of bad memories everywhere we look!! Takes time to replace them with good ones. xxxx Yes you’re right Nikki, I can relate to that totally. It feels sometimes that the body is lagging behind the mind. I get that feeling sometimes when the weekend draws near. In the early days it used to really bother me, as the weekdays, hard to get through as they were, at least had some structure due to having to be at work. The weekends were harder as I had to motivate myself on my own. Even though I feel I have come a long way, sometimes on a Friday night all of a sudden I feel a bit lost and anxious even though I know that I should be looking forward to the weekend and freedom like I used to. Habit drags me back now and again. It could be anything: entering a room where I had a really bad experience, getting into the shower where I had the panic attack that started it all off, seeing something on tv that I remember seeing when I was really depressed…the list goes on. When you think about it that way, it’s no wonder we are dragged back from time to time – there’s a whole host of bad memories everywhere we look!! Takes time to replace them with good ones. xxxx

]]> By: Nikki http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/2009/05/27/60/#comment-5768 Nikki Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:59:07 +0000 http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/?p=60#comment-5768 Hi lotty.Thanks xIt helps to know someone understands.I do have a positive mental attitude I think though because I do have such an understanding of what anxiety is its more an annoyance than anything.Having anxiety now makes no difference to anything I want to do Inever think I wont do this because I will feel bad I never avoid any situation because i may feel bad.There arent any situations that make me nervous.I just get up sometimes feeling rubbish.What i do find annoying is the reaction response to certain thoughts for example the idea i will have to be at home alone tomorrow with hardly anything to do but housework gets a reaction.I dont care if i'm alone or not im not bothered but it seems my anxiety is bothered.There are other thoughts that can evoke the same reaction although personaly i dont mind the thought.It seems now i observe these reactions as an outsider its more chemical reaction than a feeling or emotion.Is this making any sense? After a period of time when these thoughts didnt get a reactionit now feels strange that they are bothering the body again(they dont bother the mind i dont analize anymore)I guess i feel recovered and over this mentally and im waiting for the body to catch up! Hey ho Thanks again lotty hope you are having a good day x x Hi lotty.Thanks xIt helps to know someone understands.I do have a positive mental attitude I think though because I do have such an understanding of what anxiety is its more an annoyance than anything.Having anxiety now makes no difference to anything I want to do Inever think I wont do this because I will feel bad I never avoid any situation because i may feel bad.There arent any situations that make me nervous.I just get up sometimes feeling rubbish.What i do find annoying is the reaction response to certain thoughts for example the idea i will have to be at home alone tomorrow with hardly anything to do but housework gets a reaction.I dont care if i’m alone or not im not bothered but it seems my anxiety is bothered.There are other thoughts that can evoke the same reaction although personaly i dont mind the thought.It seems now i observe these reactions as an outsider its more chemical reaction than a feeling or emotion.Is this making any sense? After a period of time when these thoughts didnt get a reactionit now feels strange that they are bothering the body again(they dont bother the mind i dont analize anymore)I guess i feel recovered and over this mentally and im waiting for the body to catch up! Hey ho Thanks again lotty hope you are having a good day x x

]]> By: Lotty http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/2009/05/27/60/#comment-5767 Lotty Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:28:43 +0000 http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/?p=60#comment-5767 Hi Nikki, Just a few words of support; it's difficult when you think you are getting somewhere but the old feelings come back with such force; as Teresa said a while ago and I agree: "Perhaps it needs to keep coming in diminishing forms in order to retrain the thinking towards it." So I think it helps to think of it as another challenge to get you a bit further up the ladder toward recovery, and an excellent opportunity to learn a bit more and to solidify everything you have learnt so far. I knew it feels rubbish but if you can keep that mental attitude in the background it will make a difficult situation a little easier. I hope that helps, and I'm thinking of you. xx Brian, how are you feeling? Hi Nikki,
Just a few words of support; it’s difficult when you think you are getting somewhere but the old feelings come back with such force; as Teresa said a while ago and I agree: “Perhaps it needs to keep coming in diminishing forms in order to retrain the thinking towards it.” So I think it helps to think of it as another challenge to get you a bit further up the ladder toward recovery, and an excellent opportunity to learn a bit more and to solidify everything you have learnt so far. I knew it feels rubbish but if you can keep that mental attitude in the background it will make a difficult situation a little easier. I hope that helps, and I’m thinking of you. xx
Brian, how are you feeling?

]]> By: Nikki http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/2009/05/27/60/#comment-5766 Nikki Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:43:12 +0000 http://anxietynomore.co.uk/blog/?p=60#comment-5766 Hi all! I have been in a bit of a setback of late but today the nerves have really kicked in and my heads feeling fuzzy.The old irrational thoughts that used to bother me have returned and when they pop in there my body reacts almost like going over a bridge in a car!This hasnt happened for at least two months and over the last week or so has got steadily worse i am continueing to do things as normal and I am keeping the same attitude towards the anxiety that I have always had I knew that setbacks happened and this is part of getting better but i didnt think it happened with such force.I am not working anymore so one of my thoughts related to not working has returned and i feel like i am going backwards and i dont want to go back there again.I feel like some of the progress I made has been lost.I am still absolutely positive this will go but just feeling rubbish today as i had quite a few weeks feeling 'normal' and its very unnerving being back here.Any words of support gratefully received today, Hope you all are having a good day x x x Hi all! I have been in a bit of a setback of late but today the nerves have really kicked in and my heads feeling fuzzy.The old irrational thoughts that used to bother me have returned and when they pop in there my body reacts almost like going over a bridge in a car!This hasnt happened for at least two months and over the last week or so has got steadily worse i am continueing to do things as normal and I am keeping the same attitude towards the anxiety that I have always had I knew that setbacks happened and this is part of getting better but i didnt think it happened with such force.I am not working anymore so one of my thoughts related to not working has returned and i feel like i am going backwards and i dont want to go back there again.I feel like some of the progress I made has been lost.I am still absolutely positive this will go but just feeling rubbish today as i had quite a few weeks feeling ‘normal’ and its very unnerving being back here.Any words of support gratefully received today, Hope you all are having a good day x x x

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