Stress Center Peer Support

hi. i'm kind of new here. i started this program a while ago...in 2006. i was in college and tried to juggle a full schedule and the program. i don't think i put as much into the program as i could have. all my symptoms went away from probably january-february of 2007 until december of 2007. then they all came back like a tidal wave. a "growth spurt" i suppose. i had been trying to pull myself out of it as it came and went, then just this past june i lost my mom to cancer. it's been really tough because my mom and i had an AWESOME relationship. we were SOOOO close. and i'm 23 years old. so i've been obsessing SO MUCH lately, and i know its to distract me from my mom, but i'm still having a tough time getting them to stop. or pulling myself away from them. and then, i try to do the program, but find myself pushing all this anxiety under the rug so i can go about my business. it is hard to face it! so...i don't know. i'm gonna give it another go and put more effort into it this time. i need to stop pushing it to the side! i'm also gonna try to be more involved in the forums. so hopefully you'll see my name around here more often!

good luck to everyone out there

I am so sorry about your mom. I too lost my mom to cancer when I was 27 years old. It was after that my anxiety began - guess I couldn't deal with her death at all because I too was very close to her. Anyways, it has been 20 years since she died and I never did come to peace with her death until just recently when I have gone through this program - it is the first time I can actually think of my mom without wanting to cry. I really hope that you stick to the program - I think it will help you handle all the extra stress you are going through. I wish you all the success! Keep posting on the forums - it will help you!

I'm so sorry about your mom. That must have been so awful - i have a son around your age and we are also very close. Best of luck to you, you are in my thoughts and prayers - Julie

I'm 23 as well and trying this whole thing again too. It sounds silly, but it's comforting to know that there are people just like me out there. I wish you all the best and I have faith you can do it this time! I'm sorry to hear about your Mom, but I'm sure she would be so proud of you for doing the program. Good luck, you deserve it!

I just started session 2 day before yesterday...I work through it with my sister and sometimes my mom sits in.
It is hard to get them motivated and well myself too some days...That is part of the depression stage. I was diagnosed bipolar disorder plus I suspect and my therapist had admitted it is probable that I have Adult ADD and GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) I am very aware of my "weaknesses" (for lack of a better word) This program is a godsend...I knew much of this (I just never had it all together organized this way before.)
Please post me if you would like. I enjoy being a support.
I first had panic attacks at 15....never had a severe one for years then just in December I would get them because my blood pressure was wiggy and I would get terrified about getting ill at work and not being able to care for my clients in the home I worked in...
Thankfully I haven't had one for a long time now since I first started the program.
I hate the feeling of helplessness it had given me...
Please feel free once again to share your own stories...
Amanda