Living in fear?? Does it ever go away??

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celeron
Posts: 80
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 7:24 am

Post by celeron » Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:51 am

I've had a full on easter, Easter Sunday I went around to my brother in laws for dinner, Monday I went out for dinner, Tuesday went out with my parents for the day and today went jogging and out shopping and then for dinner. Quite an achievment when you consider this time last year I couldn't leave the house.

However one thing I have noticed is when out and about you are constantly on the lookout for the symptoms of a panic attack coming on, and the "What if'ing" What if I have a panic attack here etc etc. I know I won't have a panic attack but I can't stop the what if'fing, positive self talk doesn't really help, well it does to a point, it stops the symptoms but I still live in fear of it happening if you know what I mean

Guest

Post by Guest » Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:23 am

Congrats on your progress!

I have never been on lock down (on my own or forced) so I don't know what that is like, but I have fear of panic attacks at home, work, car, public, etc.

I hope it will go away, I try to keep my mind distracted, sounds like you have made great progress.

Guest

Post by Guest » Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:39 am

I think you're making great progress! Congratulations!! I think the main idea in the program is that the more you do it, the less likely you will start the what-if thinking. I'm listening to tape 8 and Lucinda says to try and change the negative 'what-if I have a panic attack' to instead, 'what if I have a great time and meet some great people and so on'. It takes a lot of practice. This is what I have the most difficult time with too. This is where are fear starts and how we get worked up.

I think you've come a very long way and are doing wonderful! Good for you!!!

R.T.E.
Posts: 59
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 2:10 pm

Post by R.T.E. » Wed Mar 26, 2008 11:45 am

That is amazing to hear that you have gotten out of the house and are doing things that are part of life. That is great! Don't worry about the what if's in life because if you do then you could be at it with everthing in life. It isnt worth it. And if you start to what if then the anxiety and panic come. I have found that I sit there sometimes and make my body feel pain and it doesn't do anything for me to think of a pain I have had and then dwell on it because then your brain makes you feel the pains that weren't even there to begin with. You should never live in fear because all it does is make you stress your body. I have done the same things and just keep getting out and stay doing things so that you aren't going back to a year ago. Don't worry because you have conquered your worst fears and you are going to keep moving forward in your journey!

JEnnifier

rose_thorn98
Posts: 173
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 6:26 pm

Post by rose_thorn98 » Wed Mar 26, 2008 12:46 pm

Celeron glad to hear that you had a great easter weekend and are getting out there. I am really bad with the what ifing thoughts. Tape 8 is very good and I think it will help alot. What I try to do when I catch myself what-ifing is to shift my focus back to my present moment. Because as they say on the tape if your what ifing your in the future or feeling guilty your in the past. Just focus on your reality. This helps me. Take care and God Bless.
~The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
Martin Luther King, Jr~

Guest

Post by Guest » Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:18 am

Celeron,

This year, I've also had successes compared to years before when I couldn't leave my house, etc. We've made great progress:)! That's the part we have to change about ourselves. The part where we think if we experience any anxiety at all we are failures:). I am working on that with you:). Right now, I'm noticing that what I am experiencing is just a memory of how things used to be. The more you have those positive experiences, the more the "what-if'ing" will start to disappear. I'm just so grateful for what many people aren't grateful for after my experience of being housebound, and I'm sure you are too:)! I think my husband is the same way now. He sees how bad it used to be, and he has become my greatest cheerleader when I tell him, "I went but for a minute I had some anxiety!" He'll then tell me it's a miracle, and I'm doing so great:)! The same for you:).
Finally, I know the self-talk doesn't appear to be helping, but the truth of the matter it is. You're out of your house from techniques you started implementing earlier:), and you are doing great:). The self-talk may not appear to be helping at first, but it will bear fruit in time. Just keep doing it, and one day it will be such a habit that you won't even notice it. It will just be the way you talk to yourself, and you'll believe it, and you'll be panic free:). Practicing the techniques for healing from anxiety really is like planting a garden, watching it grow, and then bearing the fruit in due season. It doesn't always happen over night, but it will happen. That's what I'm seeing. I didn't always think the self-talk was working, and maybe it didn't right away, but as time passed, and I begin to believe it and internalize it, and it has become more natural, and it does bear fruit:).

Congrats on your successes:)! Your triumphs are an inspiration to everyone on here:).

God Bless You,
luvpiggy

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