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Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 11:29 am
by wayneg
ok this is really halting my recovery i obsess over the open air when im driving walking what ever i know it sounds stange and my therapist says to get over it is to face it but im outside all the time its almost not a thuoght its stuck in my head the moment i wake up it is really aggravating cause nobody talks about it on the tapes any help please let me know ...wayne
Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 12:05 pm
by LinaBella
OMG Wanye,
I do the same thing, i thought i was crazy! I obsess about the open space and the air all the time, thats why im afraid to leave the house a lot of the time. Feel as if the air is smothering me and i say why is there so much open space, then i start to panic and I do not understand this either I thought I was delusional or something, until I spoke to my OCD therapist and she told me that it was just an obsessive thought! Phewww....Thought for so sure i was losing my marbles. I am so glad i found your post!
Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 12:07 pm
by LinaBella
Also I obsess about this from the momnent i wake up til i go to sleep.....
Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 12:20 pm
by change
Hi Wayneg,
A while back I had responded to a post you had written about open spaces. It is one of my obsessive thoughts. I hope this will help you.
I suffered from fear of open spaces for over 30 years. When I would have to walk in an open area, (actually anywhere that I didn't feel I could hold onto something or where nothing was on either side of me), I would get off balance and be terrified I was going to fall down or faint. Sometimes I felt I was stuck on the pavement and I could hardly put one foot in front of the other. I would try to avoid walking anywhere. Just getting out of my car at work and walking to the building was terrifying especially if there were people around because I thought they would notice I was apprehensive. Since completing this program, I can walk just about anywhere. Yes, at times I feel the fear again, but I keep reinforcing my positive thoughts and tell myself nothing is going to happen to me. I am okay and I can do it. I start thinking of other things. I also began to realize that if I could walk around my house, or walk down a corridor that was narrow and felt supportive on both sides, then there definitely was nothing physically wrong, it was absolutely an unrealistic fear. I think the open space made me feel very insecure. It went deeper than the open space itself, I feel it was my general feelings of insecurity manifesting as the inability to walk in an open area because I would have to be in control of myself with nothing to lean on. Pretty much the same as we get frightened about being alone or being responsible for ourselves. I want you to know that you can win this battle. You can find security once again in all aspects of your life and learn to be your safe person no matter what you have to do, be it alone or with someone else. We are very strong people and through some hard work and the program, you will discover how much you can accomplish on your own. I am living proof that you can do this!!
I wish you much luck on your journey, as you learn that changing your thoughts will change your life.
Donna
Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 3:04 am
by Abbey3680
Hi Donna,
Very uplifting and inspiring message, thanks for sharing. I just ended an 8yr relationship that I was very dependent on. It took me a while to end it because I was terrified of being alone, particularly at night. I also was afraid to rely on me and only me. I've found that going through this program that I can conquer my fears and live the life I want to live. I'm currently on session 10 and I find it to be very insightful for me. It is tough facing my fears, but I am determined to do it. The last 3 nights I stayed at my home alone. I usually leave and go to my parents or to my sister's to feel safe. I'm so ecstatic that I stuck it out and stayed. Last night I did not get any sleep. I got up this morning and said to myself, I might not have slept, but I stayed in my own home. It is a really good feeling when I challenge my fears. Whatever it takes, I'm going to get to the place where I am free and living and enjoying my life the way I want to.
Originally posted by change:
Hi Wayneg,
A while back I had responded to a post you had written about open spaces. It is one of my obsessive thoughts. I hope this will help you.
I suffered from fear of open spaces for over 30 years. When I would have to walk in an open area, (actually anywhere that I didn't feel I could hold onto something or where nothing was on either side of me), I would get off balance and be terrified I was going to fall down or faint. Sometimes I felt I was stuck on the pavement and I could hardly put one foot in front of the other. I would try to avoid walking anywhere. Just getting out of my car at work and walking to the building was terrifying especially if there were people around because I thought they would notice I was apprehensive. Since completing this program, I can walk just about anywhere. Yes, at times I feel the fear again, but I keep reinforcing my positive thoughts and tell myself nothing is going to happen to me. I am okay and I can do it. I start thinking of other things. I also began to realize that if I could walk around my house, or walk down a corridor that was narrow and felt supportive on both sides, then there definitely was nothing physically wrong, it was absolutely an unrealistic fear. I think the open space made me feel very insecure. It went deeper than the open space itself, I feel it was my general feelings of insecurity manifesting as the inability to walk in an open area because I would have to be in control of myself with nothing to lean on. Pretty much the same as we get frightened about being alone or being responsible for ourselves. I want you to know that you can win this battle. You can find security once again in all aspects of your life and learn to be your safe person no matter what you have to do, be it alone or with someone else. We are very strong people and through some hard work and the program, you will discover how much you can accomplish on your own. I am living proof that you can do this!!
I wish you much luck on your journey, as you learn that changing your thoughts will change your life.
Donna