Mike -
In reference to your post about spending too much time working on self help, it sounds like you've reached a very reasonable conclusion. Nearly everything, no matter how healthy, can be done to excess. Even drinking water excessively can be deadly yet we must have water to survive. (For those of you who are concerned about what I just said, the people who have died from drinking too much water drank a ridiculously large quantity in a very short period of time, so this doesn't mean you.)
I try not to use the terms always and never too often because I know I tend to be a all or nothing thinker, but I think I can safely say that everything in life requires balance. This includes things that we do that are good for us as well. So Mike, if you think you are spending too much time working on self-help, either in studying, researching, or reflecting, then give yourself some time off. Break up the work into reasonable amounts of time. Don't neglect the other parts of your life that are important. Making sure that you include adequate time for sleeping, eating, socializing, exercising, and doing things that you enjoy is very important for having a full, well-rounded life.
By all means, keep working on self help, just don't let it become the center of your existence.
Jamie
The Challenge...Lesson 2
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NinjaFrodo
- Posts: 1263
- Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2004 3:00 am
I will recover, I am recovering, any and everything I do makes me more recovered. I will do everything I possibly can to recover in the most healthiest way because I refuse to live a life based on fear, anxiety and depression anymore. How I did things in the past doesn't work for me anymore.
Searunner
No worries. I figured you could relate and yeah it has been difficult for me in that sense. I did notice yestaurday when i used a diffrent relaxation audio file when I had gotten to the gym, I felt sleepy and wanted to fall asleep but I finished the guided meditation and then took my time to get up and walk to the weights and then I did a bit of exercising at a slower pace and I wasn't as exhausted. I think i'm getting better at not staying exhausted as long.
Its more the quality of sleep because i can easily sleep for 8 hours I just still feel exhausted especially if I have forced myself to stay up pasted the stage where i feel tired and go to sleep when i feel exhausted instead. Its a huge strain on me to do that. There was in the past the fear I'm not getting enough accomplished but not so much now because I get alot accomplished, I have however felt like I hadn't got everything accomplished and was afraid i would just put off everything else and never end up doing it. I have become exhausted on a daily basis ya which I attribute to the rushing, avoiding dealing with situations and not listening, respecting and taking action towards my in the moment needs. Thats a good way to deal with the situation.
Yes there is a balance for everything. I have heard of people dying from too much water consumption. All the stories i've heard of were people who did water drinking contests. They would consume tons of water at once like you had said. The theory behind this is that because of the excess water in the system the body had lost its electrolytes (sodium and potassium). Without those electrical impulses from the brain to the muscles and organs would be impossible.
Yes I try not to use always and never much myself because not only is it an all or nothing cognitive distortion, its also a generalized distortion. It's rarely true when someone says that. The same situation doesn't always happen every moment of your life, people aren't always behaving the same way 24-7 and the weather isn't always the same everyday either.
It has become the center of my existance for the most part. I have more of a problem overdoing things instead of under doing them and don't do as many fun things. I can say this year it has changed in which I do hip-hop, yoga and working out (although working out can feel like a chore itself). Its a process.
Mike
Searunner
No worries. I figured you could relate and yeah it has been difficult for me in that sense. I did notice yestaurday when i used a diffrent relaxation audio file when I had gotten to the gym, I felt sleepy and wanted to fall asleep but I finished the guided meditation and then took my time to get up and walk to the weights and then I did a bit of exercising at a slower pace and I wasn't as exhausted. I think i'm getting better at not staying exhausted as long.
Its more the quality of sleep because i can easily sleep for 8 hours I just still feel exhausted especially if I have forced myself to stay up pasted the stage where i feel tired and go to sleep when i feel exhausted instead. Its a huge strain on me to do that. There was in the past the fear I'm not getting enough accomplished but not so much now because I get alot accomplished, I have however felt like I hadn't got everything accomplished and was afraid i would just put off everything else and never end up doing it. I have become exhausted on a daily basis ya which I attribute to the rushing, avoiding dealing with situations and not listening, respecting and taking action towards my in the moment needs. Thats a good way to deal with the situation.
Yes there is a balance for everything. I have heard of people dying from too much water consumption. All the stories i've heard of were people who did water drinking contests. They would consume tons of water at once like you had said. The theory behind this is that because of the excess water in the system the body had lost its electrolytes (sodium and potassium). Without those electrical impulses from the brain to the muscles and organs would be impossible.
Yes I try not to use always and never much myself because not only is it an all or nothing cognitive distortion, its also a generalized distortion. It's rarely true when someone says that. The same situation doesn't always happen every moment of your life, people aren't always behaving the same way 24-7 and the weather isn't always the same everyday either.
It has become the center of my existance for the most part. I have more of a problem overdoing things instead of under doing them and don't do as many fun things. I can say this year it has changed in which I do hip-hop, yoga and working out (although working out can feel like a chore itself). Its a process.
Mike
Here is the link to the Letting Go thread which is designated for venting
http://forum.stresscenter.com/viewtopic ... 52&t=25087
You can follow me on Twitter, same username or check out my blog
http://ninjafrodo.blogspot.com/
http://forum.stresscenter.com/viewtopic ... 52&t=25087
You can follow me on Twitter, same username or check out my blog
http://ninjafrodo.blogspot.com/
-
ArtmistressLisa
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sun Aug 15, 2010 4:57 pm
-
NinjaFrodo
- Posts: 1263
- Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2004 3:00 am
I will recover, I am recovering, any and everything I do makes me more recovered. I will do everything I possibly can to recover in the most healthiest way because I refuse to live a life based on fear, anxiety and depression anymore. How I did things in the past doesn't work for me anymore.
ArtmistressLisa
You don't have to write out all the stuff to join us. Just pick one thing and write about that. This may grow and in the future you may feel more comfortable writing more stuff. Your welcome. I hope you get alot of benefit out of reading them!
Ok so we are on day 4 and I noticed a couple people did not post about their actions taken to recover yestaurday. This isn't a bad thing and there definately has to be some room for these kinds of days. You aren't always going to be able to work on it and you may need a break every once in awhile. Thats fine. I just want to let you know that yes I did notice this. As part of the challenge and because I started this, I will be trying my best to help keep people on track and continue with the program and your efforts. I just want to make sure that people aren't completely falling off the wagon and stopping altogether. We all know that how we've done things in the past is what made us anxious and depressed and going back to the same behavior is only going to keep us there and we want to be better then this. We all deserve a great life filled with joy, excitement and growth! Also keep in mind this recovery is a slow process in the beginning so expect not to make tons of growth in the beginning. It will speed up but we have to take the steps to reach that point. So if you need some time to break for a day or 2 then go do that and come back and join us!
Also as a way to build the motivation I'd like everybody to tell us what kind of person you dream of becoming. What is the ideal you? What would you see yourself as without the struggle with the anxiety and depression?
For me, I will be extremely friendly and I'll likely have a perma-smile on my face. I will be funny most times but serious and professional when I need to be. I'll be there for many people, people will come up to me for advice. I'll be a huge inspiration and will do public speaking for 1000s of people. I'll be able to enjoy fun activities and even things that others might find stressful. Most of my thoughts will be about what is right with people, the world and about productive ideas. I'll be very creative and will be able to visualize amazing worlds in my head and I couldn't get bored because when I would have free time I would imagine the most beautiful worlds, creatures, scenery and people. I'll surround myself with some really amazing people and I'll be in a very awesome relationship. I'll still have challenges but I will get excited about them and positive self-talk will become automatic. I will project love to everybody even if they have wronged me and done terrible things. I'll be able to defend myself in fights and I'll feel completely secure around anybody. Calming myself down in any situation will take little effort. I will be excited when I wake up and I'll be excited to do new things and meet new people. I'll be very passionate, caring and I will share this with everyone!
Mike
ArtmistressLisa
You don't have to write out all the stuff to join us. Just pick one thing and write about that. This may grow and in the future you may feel more comfortable writing more stuff. Your welcome. I hope you get alot of benefit out of reading them!
Ok so we are on day 4 and I noticed a couple people did not post about their actions taken to recover yestaurday. This isn't a bad thing and there definately has to be some room for these kinds of days. You aren't always going to be able to work on it and you may need a break every once in awhile. Thats fine. I just want to let you know that yes I did notice this. As part of the challenge and because I started this, I will be trying my best to help keep people on track and continue with the program and your efforts. I just want to make sure that people aren't completely falling off the wagon and stopping altogether. We all know that how we've done things in the past is what made us anxious and depressed and going back to the same behavior is only going to keep us there and we want to be better then this. We all deserve a great life filled with joy, excitement and growth! Also keep in mind this recovery is a slow process in the beginning so expect not to make tons of growth in the beginning. It will speed up but we have to take the steps to reach that point. So if you need some time to break for a day or 2 then go do that and come back and join us!
Also as a way to build the motivation I'd like everybody to tell us what kind of person you dream of becoming. What is the ideal you? What would you see yourself as without the struggle with the anxiety and depression?
For me, I will be extremely friendly and I'll likely have a perma-smile on my face. I will be funny most times but serious and professional when I need to be. I'll be there for many people, people will come up to me for advice. I'll be a huge inspiration and will do public speaking for 1000s of people. I'll be able to enjoy fun activities and even things that others might find stressful. Most of my thoughts will be about what is right with people, the world and about productive ideas. I'll be very creative and will be able to visualize amazing worlds in my head and I couldn't get bored because when I would have free time I would imagine the most beautiful worlds, creatures, scenery and people. I'll surround myself with some really amazing people and I'll be in a very awesome relationship. I'll still have challenges but I will get excited about them and positive self-talk will become automatic. I will project love to everybody even if they have wronged me and done terrible things. I'll be able to defend myself in fights and I'll feel completely secure around anybody. Calming myself down in any situation will take little effort. I will be excited when I wake up and I'll be excited to do new things and meet new people. I'll be very passionate, caring and I will share this with everyone!
Mike
Here is the link to the Letting Go thread which is designated for venting
http://forum.stresscenter.com/viewtopic ... 52&t=25087
You can follow me on Twitter, same username or check out my blog
http://ninjafrodo.blogspot.com/
http://forum.stresscenter.com/viewtopic ... 52&t=25087
You can follow me on Twitter, same username or check out my blog
http://ninjafrodo.blogspot.com/
-
NinjaFrodo
- Posts: 1263
- Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2004 3:00 am
I will recover, I am recovering, each and everything I do makes me more recovered. I will do everything I possibly can to recover in the most healthiest way because I refuse to live a life based on fear, anxiety and depression anymore. How I did things in the past doesn't work for me anymore.
Friday;
Relaxation;
Relaxation cd after waking;
I started to have my mind wander in the beginning but I am becoming better at bringing myself back into the present moment. I was able to spend more time focusing completely on what Lucinda was saying and following through and I noticed during the imagry part my mind was trying to wander again and I asked myself what was bothering me and well I feel bothered because I'm not visualizing that clear but I said thats ok, I get better as I keep trying and I can still visualize. I started off at a level 6 for anxiety and it dropped down to a 3! That was pretty big for me!
Listen to lesson 2 cd;
Well the part about pulling the sheets over my head and just having the panic attack jumped out at me. I feel bad those times when I can't figure out how to overcome a panic attack and I guess sometimes just letting it run its course is fine.
Negative thoughts;
1)I'm too exhausted again to get through the day. This is just aweful!
->Its a common occurance to feel exhausted when I first wake up but that doesn't mean I will feel this way for the whole day. I'm going to eat some healthy food, plan my day, take my time to get things done, maybe go workout at the gym, calm myself down if i get anxious and that will help me to get through my day.
2)I'm not going to get everything I need for tomorrow.
->I don't need that many things for tomorrow and its friday so most places don't close until late in the evening. It will be very easy to get all the things I need for tomorrow and its not life or death if there are a couple things I cannot find.
3)Its already 1pm and I'm still stuck in my room. I have to get out and start my day.
->There is no law that says I have to be out of my room at a certain time. I woke up late and so my daily routine is going to start later and thats fine. I still have time to do everything I need to get done, there is no rush.
4)I should've gotten to the gym today. I'm going to lose out on all my progress and i'll never bulk up.
->I made a wise choice when it came to not going to the gym because i'm still feeling more exhausted then normal and I had alot of things I needed to get done again. Going would have risked me getting even more sick and I really don't want that. I mostly missed out on a whole week but that doesn't mean all my progress is gone. It's a week not a year and I can get back into doing it on a regular basis once i feel better.
5)I should have used the relaxation cd in the middle of the day sometime. I'm not doing a good enough job with getting better.
->It would have been more beneficial as I was feeling increased stress and anxiety but because of the circumstances of my day, I didn't. There are going to be many times when I don't do it 3 times a day and thats fine. I still get benefits from doing it the other times I do it and I still practice relaxing myself when I use the 6 steps.
Action assignments;
Looking at pictures to calm down;
They helped to calm me down a little bit but I kept having obsessive thoughts. I would have the thought then bring myself back to the present and basically switch between the 2. I'm actually really excited that this process is starting to happen. I'm changing. Last night I actually noticed that my libido was starting to come back even.
Walking meditation;
Well I did the breathing part and I was listening to my music at the same time. I did take some time to focus outwardly and I did enjoy my surroundings more.
Doing things at a slower pace;
It says in the book to choose a symbol to remind yourself to slow down and well I used a blue stone (royal blue with little gold flecks in it) to do that. I kept it in my pocket and when i realized i was walking fast and breathing fast I would pull that out and then I'd slow myself down and I actually enjoyed my walk because of this or at least some of my walk. Thats pretty good because I usually obsess over something negative while i'm walking to a destination. I even got more done today and felt better for doing it. Especially when I cleaned up most of my room!
6 steps;
Used it during the relaxation cd and It helped to dissipate the obsessive thinking for a short while. I couldn't fully calm myself down because I was trying to pay attention to the cd but it still helped. I also did a bit with the postcards but I was rushing using them a bit and so its helpfulness was minimal.
Mike
Friday;
Relaxation;
Relaxation cd after waking;
I started to have my mind wander in the beginning but I am becoming better at bringing myself back into the present moment. I was able to spend more time focusing completely on what Lucinda was saying and following through and I noticed during the imagry part my mind was trying to wander again and I asked myself what was bothering me and well I feel bothered because I'm not visualizing that clear but I said thats ok, I get better as I keep trying and I can still visualize. I started off at a level 6 for anxiety and it dropped down to a 3! That was pretty big for me!
Listen to lesson 2 cd;
Well the part about pulling the sheets over my head and just having the panic attack jumped out at me. I feel bad those times when I can't figure out how to overcome a panic attack and I guess sometimes just letting it run its course is fine.
Negative thoughts;
1)I'm too exhausted again to get through the day. This is just aweful!
->Its a common occurance to feel exhausted when I first wake up but that doesn't mean I will feel this way for the whole day. I'm going to eat some healthy food, plan my day, take my time to get things done, maybe go workout at the gym, calm myself down if i get anxious and that will help me to get through my day.
2)I'm not going to get everything I need for tomorrow.
->I don't need that many things for tomorrow and its friday so most places don't close until late in the evening. It will be very easy to get all the things I need for tomorrow and its not life or death if there are a couple things I cannot find.
3)Its already 1pm and I'm still stuck in my room. I have to get out and start my day.
->There is no law that says I have to be out of my room at a certain time. I woke up late and so my daily routine is going to start later and thats fine. I still have time to do everything I need to get done, there is no rush.
4)I should've gotten to the gym today. I'm going to lose out on all my progress and i'll never bulk up.
->I made a wise choice when it came to not going to the gym because i'm still feeling more exhausted then normal and I had alot of things I needed to get done again. Going would have risked me getting even more sick and I really don't want that. I mostly missed out on a whole week but that doesn't mean all my progress is gone. It's a week not a year and I can get back into doing it on a regular basis once i feel better.
5)I should have used the relaxation cd in the middle of the day sometime. I'm not doing a good enough job with getting better.
->It would have been more beneficial as I was feeling increased stress and anxiety but because of the circumstances of my day, I didn't. There are going to be many times when I don't do it 3 times a day and thats fine. I still get benefits from doing it the other times I do it and I still practice relaxing myself when I use the 6 steps.
Action assignments;
Looking at pictures to calm down;
They helped to calm me down a little bit but I kept having obsessive thoughts. I would have the thought then bring myself back to the present and basically switch between the 2. I'm actually really excited that this process is starting to happen. I'm changing. Last night I actually noticed that my libido was starting to come back even.
Walking meditation;
Well I did the breathing part and I was listening to my music at the same time. I did take some time to focus outwardly and I did enjoy my surroundings more.
Doing things at a slower pace;
It says in the book to choose a symbol to remind yourself to slow down and well I used a blue stone (royal blue with little gold flecks in it) to do that. I kept it in my pocket and when i realized i was walking fast and breathing fast I would pull that out and then I'd slow myself down and I actually enjoyed my walk because of this or at least some of my walk. Thats pretty good because I usually obsess over something negative while i'm walking to a destination. I even got more done today and felt better for doing it. Especially when I cleaned up most of my room!
6 steps;
Used it during the relaxation cd and It helped to dissipate the obsessive thinking for a short while. I couldn't fully calm myself down because I was trying to pay attention to the cd but it still helped. I also did a bit with the postcards but I was rushing using them a bit and so its helpfulness was minimal.
Mike
Last edited by NinjaFrodo on Fri Sep 10, 2010 2:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Here is the link to the Letting Go thread which is designated for venting
http://forum.stresscenter.com/viewtopic ... 52&t=25087
You can follow me on Twitter, same username or check out my blog
http://ninjafrodo.blogspot.com/
http://forum.stresscenter.com/viewtopic ... 52&t=25087
You can follow me on Twitter, same username or check out my blog
http://ninjafrodo.blogspot.com/
I will recover, I am recovering, each and everything I do makes me more recovered. I will do everything I possibly can to recover in the most healthiest way, because I refuse to live a life based on fear, anxiety and depression anymore.
Hi Mike... Hi everybody...
Mike, you are GOOD
Thank you for keeping an eye on us, I sometimes need a little push, or a big push.
OK, yesterday was a good day, I did some house work here and there, my son took the dogs to the park, so I started painting one room, the computer room. I will work on that little by little.
My sister in law invited us to her place this Saturday. I did not get panicky when I learned about it, now I have to decide if I will go or not 
. I am thinking on driving by myself, it will be a test. Last time I made it up to a T in the road, but the the anxiety won and I decided to return home. Thankfully my in-laws know about my anxiety and panic attacks, so they understand if I don't make it. We'll see, I have to make my plan of attack.
Today it has been a bills day. My son wants me to go with him to the City Hall, we want to check if it is possible to build a tools shed in the backyard. I have to talk with him about my panic attacks, because I have not talked to him directly. I think he knows, but I have to make sure he understands what is going on.
I have to do the homework, yes Mike, I will be a good girl and finish my homework before my husband gets home tonight. I will also get on the treadmill. I have a lot to do at home, but I am going to take care of one thing at a time, I am not going to feel overwhelmed, I will feel happy with whatever I get accomplished.
Have a wonderful day.
Talk to you soon
Hope
Hi Mike... Hi everybody...
Mike, you are GOOD
Thank you for keeping an eye on us, I sometimes need a little push, or a big push.OK, yesterday was a good day, I did some house work here and there, my son took the dogs to the park, so I started painting one room, the computer room. I will work on that little by little.
My sister in law invited us to her place this Saturday. I did not get panicky when I learned about it
, now I have to decide if I will go or not . I am thinking on driving by myself, it will be a test. Last time I made it up to a T in the road, but the the anxiety won and I decided to return home. Thankfully my in-laws know about my anxiety and panic attacks, so they understand if I don't make it. We'll see, I have to make my plan of attack.Today it has been a bills day. My son wants me to go with him to the City Hall, we want to check if it is possible to build a tools shed in the backyard. I have to talk with him about my panic attacks, because I have not talked to him directly. I think he knows, but I have to make sure he understands what is going on.
I have to do the homework, yes Mike, I will be a good girl and finish my homework before my husband gets home tonight. I will also get on the treadmill. I have a lot to do at home, but I am going to take care of one thing at a time, I am not going to feel overwhelmed, I will feel happy with whatever I get accomplished.
Have a wonderful day.
Talk to you soon
Hope
"Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its trouble, it empties today of its strength." – Unknown
mcshope, Yes I do meditate. Mostly I take myself to a calm place and organize my thoughts and get my day priorities laid out,and I pray. I give thanks for all the gifts I have. 
ArtmistressLisa, I was like you when I started. Keep reading, one day you will post. It really does help posting. For some reason you organize your thoughts better??? Good Luck to you! We are all here to help...
Searunner, funny you should mention about the water being deadly! At my class last night one person baked cup cakes. We are all eating them, and they were good. She says I put BEETS in them! Someone says beets, don't taste like beets. Someone says its OK if your not allergic to beets! OH my God. First who puts beets in cup cakes, and second, I never ate beets. Am I allergic? There was that moment that grabbed me. I said to myself, I ate it, it was good and if I croak from eating a beet after everything I have been through in my life...so be it! I was surprised how I reacted. Still don't know what that was about. But I enjoyed your comment about the water.
Mike, I do different things to change my daily routine by: doing activitys I normally don't do daily. Like, go shopping,buy a candle or go out for lunch, just get out of the house. Sometimes I will take the dogs to the park. Go for a drive to get apples, we have orchards not far. Basically do something.
I agree that your idea to start this over again was a good one. I'm glad I decided to start over again too. Session 2 is a valuable lesson and in my opinion key to this program.
Everyone have a peaceful weekend!
ArtmistressLisa, I was like you when I started. Keep reading, one day you will post. It really does help posting. For some reason you organize your thoughts better??? Good Luck to you! We are all here to help...
Searunner, funny you should mention about the water being deadly! At my class last night one person baked cup cakes. We are all eating them, and they were good. She says I put BEETS in them! Someone says beets, don't taste like beets. Someone says its OK if your not allergic to beets! OH my God. First who puts beets in cup cakes, and second, I never ate beets. Am I allergic? There was that moment that grabbed me. I said to myself, I ate it, it was good and if I croak from eating a beet after everything I have been through in my life...so be it! I was surprised how I reacted. Still don't know what that was about. But I enjoyed your comment about the water.
Mike, I do different things to change my daily routine by: doing activitys I normally don't do daily. Like, go shopping,buy a candle or go out for lunch, just get out of the house. Sometimes I will take the dogs to the park. Go for a drive to get apples, we have orchards not far. Basically do something.
I agree that your idea to start this over again was a good one. I'm glad I decided to start over again too. Session 2 is a valuable lesson and in my opinion key to this program.
Everyone have a peaceful weekend!
-
NinjaFrodo
- Posts: 1263
- Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2004 3:00 am
I will recover, I am recovering, each and everything I do makes me more recovered. I will do everything I possibly can to recovering in the most healthiest way, because I refuse to live a life based on fear, anxiety and depression anymore
To ALL
Thank you mcshope and yes i know sometimes we need people to give us a push. I would like to comment a little bit more about this. There are several things here that are ment to motivate everybody.
1)That quote I put on all my posts and suggested everybody else does is a big one. It is an affirmation which after awhile can give that motivation subconsiously.
2)The posts where people put up their progress with action assignments, relaxation and negative thoughts. People learn more from seeing others grow as opposed to reading what it takes to do so
3)The questions I ask such as who is that person you want to become and such
4)Team work, support, compliments and such
I will help to bring motivation and try my best to keep people motivated but keep in mind that I do not plan on getting angry if people don't follow through and don't take the actions they need to recover (and no i'm not saying you are, I am just stating my position to help reduce the pressure and expectations) or if they just completely stop altogether. It will however make me sad to think that whoever does that would be going back to the same old suffering that made them anxious and depressed in the first place. Like Lucinda says what you put into the program determines what you get out of the program and regardless of what happens, I will continue to post until the end of the 15 weeks. I am proud of everybody's efforts in posting and the courage you've all mustered up to go through the program again!
mcshope
Sounds like you were being pretty productive today and yes you had mentioned that you had anxiety about leaving your house and socializing so this is great how you are able to face this limitation. This is amazing! David D Burns the way he explained what anxiety feels like for a sufferer to a non-sufferer he said it is like lying down on a set of railway tracks and fighting the urge to get up when you hear the train coming. So it is a huge deal when you can face this! HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE!!! Yes i know you haven't yet accepted it but just thinking about it is still an accomplishment. Last time you had attempted and you made it to a certain point...thats good progress. You attempted to face the limitation but you got anxious and thats alright. Why not next time when you start to feel the first signs of anxiety, pull over somewhere and take a time-out. Bring you relaxation cd, the carry-a-long cards or something to remind yourself to calm yourself down and then make the decision as to continue on or return home. You don't have to force yourself and you can use that as an opportunity to practice calming yourself down and even if you don't go, you can feel really great for facing the limitation and being able to calm yourself down!
Ah he doesn't know eh? Well if it makes you feel better, when i first meet someone anxiety and depression are usually the first topic i bring up. People are actually very open to the topic (at least with the anxiety) and most of the time the other person opens up about their anxieties and there is a huge sense of trust built right there. This however is not the case for everybody but it is more likely to happen that way at least in my experience.
Sounds like a good plan and I hope you share this with us and anybody else reading this thread. Your progress leads to not only to the motivation and progress of the team but to many other people out there. Think of it this way, everytime you post about your progress, you are making a positive change in the world. This is one of the things I use to motivate myself to post on a consistent basis.
THH
LOL i'm sorry but i couldn't help but laugh about the beets thing you said to searunner. I had a hard time understanding how that related to water. Intresting how such strange and distorted thoughts can come up eh?
I only ask about the changing the routine thing because i'm trying to figure out how i can do that myself. I mean I could go and watch a movie in the theatre by myself and maybe go to my friend's new place and go swimming, maybe play some tennis there or something else. I get anxious about jumping out of my routine too much though...what-if i get exhausted or more panicky? Thats my thoughts that are mostly involved.
I am glad to start it all over and with a group this time. It just feels more community like and supportive. Doing things with others is usually much more enjoyable and I'm already starting to see alot of great changes already! I was actually feeling happier the last couple of days despite feeling sick.
Guess we'll be seeing your next post on monday then.
Mike
To ALL
Thank you mcshope and yes i know sometimes we need people to give us a push. I would like to comment a little bit more about this. There are several things here that are ment to motivate everybody.
1)That quote I put on all my posts and suggested everybody else does is a big one. It is an affirmation which after awhile can give that motivation subconsiously.
2)The posts where people put up their progress with action assignments, relaxation and negative thoughts. People learn more from seeing others grow as opposed to reading what it takes to do so
3)The questions I ask such as who is that person you want to become and such
4)Team work, support, compliments and such
I will help to bring motivation and try my best to keep people motivated but keep in mind that I do not plan on getting angry if people don't follow through and don't take the actions they need to recover (and no i'm not saying you are, I am just stating my position to help reduce the pressure and expectations) or if they just completely stop altogether. It will however make me sad to think that whoever does that would be going back to the same old suffering that made them anxious and depressed in the first place. Like Lucinda says what you put into the program determines what you get out of the program and regardless of what happens, I will continue to post until the end of the 15 weeks. I am proud of everybody's efforts in posting and the courage you've all mustered up to go through the program again!
mcshope
Sounds like you were being pretty productive today and yes you had mentioned that you had anxiety about leaving your house and socializing so this is great how you are able to face this limitation. This is amazing! David D Burns the way he explained what anxiety feels like for a sufferer to a non-sufferer he said it is like lying down on a set of railway tracks and fighting the urge to get up when you hear the train coming. So it is a huge deal when you can face this! HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE!!! Yes i know you haven't yet accepted it but just thinking about it is still an accomplishment. Last time you had attempted and you made it to a certain point...thats good progress. You attempted to face the limitation but you got anxious and thats alright. Why not next time when you start to feel the first signs of anxiety, pull over somewhere and take a time-out. Bring you relaxation cd, the carry-a-long cards or something to remind yourself to calm yourself down and then make the decision as to continue on or return home. You don't have to force yourself and you can use that as an opportunity to practice calming yourself down and even if you don't go, you can feel really great for facing the limitation and being able to calm yourself down!
Ah he doesn't know eh? Well if it makes you feel better, when i first meet someone anxiety and depression are usually the first topic i bring up. People are actually very open to the topic (at least with the anxiety) and most of the time the other person opens up about their anxieties and there is a huge sense of trust built right there. This however is not the case for everybody but it is more likely to happen that way at least in my experience.
Sounds like a good plan and I hope you share this with us and anybody else reading this thread. Your progress leads to not only to the motivation and progress of the team but to many other people out there. Think of it this way, everytime you post about your progress, you are making a positive change in the world. This is one of the things I use to motivate myself to post on a consistent basis.
THH
LOL i'm sorry but i couldn't help but laugh about the beets thing you said to searunner. I had a hard time understanding how that related to water. Intresting how such strange and distorted thoughts can come up eh?
I only ask about the changing the routine thing because i'm trying to figure out how i can do that myself. I mean I could go and watch a movie in the theatre by myself and maybe go to my friend's new place and go swimming, maybe play some tennis there or something else. I get anxious about jumping out of my routine too much though...what-if i get exhausted or more panicky? Thats my thoughts that are mostly involved.
I am glad to start it all over and with a group this time. It just feels more community like and supportive. Doing things with others is usually much more enjoyable and I'm already starting to see alot of great changes already! I was actually feeling happier the last couple of days despite feeling sick.
Guess we'll be seeing your next post on monday then.
Mike
Here is the link to the Letting Go thread which is designated for venting
http://forum.stresscenter.com/viewtopic ... 52&t=25087
You can follow me on Twitter, same username or check out my blog
http://ninjafrodo.blogspot.com/
http://forum.stresscenter.com/viewtopic ... 52&t=25087
You can follow me on Twitter, same username or check out my blog
http://ninjafrodo.blogspot.com/
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NinjaFrodo
- Posts: 1263
- Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2004 3:00 am
I will recover, I am recovering, each and everything I do makes me more recovered. I will do everything I possibly can to recover in the most healthiest way because I refuse to live a life based on fear, anxiety and depression anymroe. How I did things in the past does not work anymore
So I told someone I recently met about how I have been struggling with anxiety and depression and how i'm doing the CBT in order to recover and how i'm almost there. I told him how i wanted to write a book and help other people who might have gone through similar situations like the ones in my past with my family and upbringing and he suggested that I write to Ellen and try to get on the show so that will be one of my goals. I am going to use this to motivate myself even more and I will get myself on that show and share my experience and my knowledge with millions!!!
Mike
So I told someone I recently met about how I have been struggling with anxiety and depression and how i'm doing the CBT in order to recover and how i'm almost there. I told him how i wanted to write a book and help other people who might have gone through similar situations like the ones in my past with my family and upbringing and he suggested that I write to Ellen and try to get on the show so that will be one of my goals. I am going to use this to motivate myself even more and I will get myself on that show and share my experience and my knowledge with millions!!!
Mike
Here is the link to the Letting Go thread which is designated for venting
http://forum.stresscenter.com/viewtopic ... 52&t=25087
You can follow me on Twitter, same username or check out my blog
http://ninjafrodo.blogspot.com/
http://forum.stresscenter.com/viewtopic ... 52&t=25087
You can follow me on Twitter, same username or check out my blog
http://ninjafrodo.blogspot.com/