Stress Center Peer Support

Hello Everyone!

First, let me start by saying how much this program has helped me. It is a Godsend! I loved it, I ate it up and did very very well with it. I started it in May and finished it in August. I have been going back and reviewing on a weekly basis. I've supplemented with books on obsessions and anxiety and that seemed to speed things up as well.

I wonder if anyone knows how long it really takes to come full circle with recovery? I realize everyone is different and goes at their own pace, but generally.....I'd like to know if I'm considered someone who is still fairly new out of the program. I ask of this because like I said,,,,I was doing great, went back to work with some anxiety, not incapacitating like it was in May, but was able to get through it unscaved. I've had a great 2 months back at work...but for the past few days...I've been hit by a truck again. The obsessions are back in full swing, I'm exhausted beyond words, my body aches from tension and today, I was depressed. I'm working on just letting it all in and letting it go, but as you can see from my post, I'm feeling a bit nervous about it. I'm afraid "it's back" and I'm so discouraged that I'm feeling this way again. It's almost like I never felt the success, that is how bad it is today. The other question I have is this: Is the obsessive part the last to go? For me it is the worst part of the anxiety. I think I can deal with the physical symptoms better than "my" obsessive thought.

Anyways...thank you for your support over the past several months...this forum is a wonderful place to heal.

Lynn

Hi, Sidd,
I have just started the program, so I'm not sure that I can answer some of your questions. But I can relate to your "relapse", and might be able to offer you some encouragement. I was hospitalized with clinical depression a few years ago, and tho I was doing tremendously better after getting out and getting back into life, I still had (and still have!) episodes when it all comes crashing down again. I've learned to just stand back and tell myself that I will always have days when the hopelessness will attack me, but try to hang on, believing that it will pass, and the "the sun will come up" again. I guess this is a little like what Ms. Bassett suggests in session two, validating external reasons for anxiety, but stopping short of letting the internal ones spin me out of control. I don't always succeed in remaining calm, but the sun does always come up, and I'm reminded that an attack is just that - an attack. It is not a failure. It doesn't mean that I will fall apart again. It is just one day (or two, or three) but it will not dominate me forever.

I don't know if that helps, but I do hope that you will take hold of encouragement, and believe that your successes define the new you more than the attacks ever could.

hang in there, and believe in the new road you have been traveling.
P

Dear P.
Thank you for you wonderful words of encouragment and support. You are right...good days...bad days and just go with it. I'm tired, that has alot to do with my vulnerable mind. It's just another occasion to practise floating, positive self talk and rest. Thanks again....take care of yourself.

Lynn

Hi Sidd,

I am half way through the program but was using a lot of the same principles for a couple of months or more prior to starting it and was doing very well with my anxiety and depression even after going off my meds. The program reinforced my new ways of thinking and taght me so much about myself that I didn't know...so many issues I had that I didn't even know were related to my body symptoms, my reactions to eveyday life and to how I let others affect me. I have come a very long way from the person I was 6 months ago but have those days of anger, anxiety, depression that sneek up on me and begin to take over again. With all I now know and having been on both sides of the coin it is still difficult some days to keep all negative, stressfull thoughts back into my brain. I myself think that we can retrain our thought processes but some days are harder than others and for myself feel that I will never be cured 100% but will have the knowledge in the weeks, months, years ahead to be able to understand what is happening and why it's happening and be able to talk myself through these occurances and stop the negative thoughts that are causing me to feel what I no longer want to feel...all the years I wasted letting the sadness,guilt, stress and anger control me. I feel it coming on and fight back so hard and that's something we have now that we didn't have before..for that I will be forever greatfull and will go over sessions of the program whenever I feel I need to in order to never get back into that deep, black pit I was living in.

It is working for me...and think it will work for anyone...at anytime they feel a slip backwards happening. You are much stronger now and will always be able to beat those bad days..you have the tools and skills now you didn't have a year ago. Believe and trust in yourself and you will live a great life!!

Hope you get feeling better, be good to yourself...you deserve it!

MM

Hello Patricia:
Thank you for your feedback. It's a bit of a struggle today, but I'm just floating through the day. You are right...we all have the tools we didn't have before starting this program or the support for that matter. I think it is more difficult when you have these set backs because it felt so great and normal for a while and I just don't want to feel this stuff again. I know it's part of the recovery and that's part of it to use these times to sharpen the skills I've learned. Thanks again...I really appreciate the feedback...

I hope you enjoy your day...
Lynn