Starting program increases anxiety???

[Rdytosmile]

Hello everyone. I am new to this program and chat. I'm on week 2. I've really buckled down the last week. Week 1 I didn't keep up as much. What I'm finding . . . and I'm not sure if I'm the only one . . . is that my anxiety feels worse lately. I'd love to hear if anyone else feels that way. My guess is thinking about it constantly is bringing things to the surface. Good luck to everyone as we push ahead!

[stressful Stanfield]

I am feeling the same way. I want so bad for this to work ,and I am having a big problem listening to other peoples panic attack stories. They make me feel very anxious and I am finding it difficult to get through this session

[mbd]

I also have felt an increase in general anxiety and I had a small panic attack during mid week of lesson 1 and then a BIG one this past Friday. Haven't had one of those in a long time, probably because I avoid most of the situations that cause my anxiety symptoms. I found after working through lesson one last week that when I had the big panic attack I was able to not over react the way I would have before after gaining the knowledge I have this past week. This gives me hope. I think the increase is definitely because you are working through this and you've probably found a way to get through your daily life without a great deal of anxiety and panic and now that it is in the front of your mind, you will be more anxious. That is good though since a large component of this program is facing your fears in the upcoming lessons. You are not alone in this journey. Find comfort in the fact that this increase in anxiety means the program is doing what it has set out to do. Educate you on your anxiety and forcing you to deal with it. That's my opinion anyways

[butterflygrl10]

I am only on week 2 also, so I suggest getting additional backup in this area, but from what I have learned in the program and elsewhere, it is possible that starting this program will increase your anxiety, but hopefully, it will (should) be only temporarily. With the basic skills you start to learn, you will be able to overcome your panic attacks more easily, to the point where they won't really bother you anymore. In addition to the program, I am also seeing a therapist. The first week, and a few sessions after that, when we have gotten into some pretty heavy stuff in my past during our discussions, I found an increase in both anxiety and depression the next day or two after. In talking about this pattern with the therapist, she said it was normal, because usually we try to run from, push down, and generally avoid the things that make us uncomfortable or anxious. In discussing them, thinking about them, and working through them, they are brought up to the surface, and you really can't avoid them. I think (and hope) the steps taken in this program will help me learn how, when I do start to feel a panic attack coming on, to keep myself from developing a full-fledged attack, and eventually, once they don't feel so threatening anymore, being able to keep myself from developing the attacks in the first place. And hopefully, it will work the same for you, if you keep going. I would also recommend having some kind of therapist, counselor, or even a trusted friend or support person you feel you can talk to about things and really listen, as you start to deal with the triggers for your anxiety instead of running from them.

[Clove01]

My anxiety has been bad these past two weeks, i never realized how much i suppressed it.. and now that i am "facing" it, it is resurfacing, it is very uncomfortable for me... I haven't noticed a difference, i am just more anxious... probably because what is discussed in the first two sessions, are nothing new to me, I have stopped my panic attacks years ago through therapy and the breathing techniques (basically the same technique). At this stage what is everyone doing daily?