((((Frances))))))
Thank you my dear! I really really appreciate the encouraging words. May I ask how long it took you to recover. I know it takes everyone different times. some longer some shorter. .
Mornings
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Guest
When I went through it 8 years ago, after getting the program it took close to a year to get to the point where I didn't think about it at all. Mind you, I was pretty bad when I started, wouldn't even walk out of the house. (For a short time I wouldn't leave my mom's room)
After seeing much progress, I stopped the program, so it may have been quicker if I had continued working on it daily basis.
It was longer than that year for things like flying etc. I got to a point where my everyday life was fine and quit working on other limitations. So didn't face some of those other things until later on because they weren't that important to me.
Within that first year, I was much better on different things at different points, depending on what I worked on. I got back to work without anxiety within a few months. (Starting out I had attacks at home just thinking or having to talk to and go over things with the woman I had hired to run the business while I was gone.) Trying to drive there, I would have extreme attacks, having to pull over, screaming in the car, etc. I am saying this to show you how bad I was and that I got to a point of NO anxiety within a few months regarding that limitation. I would say 3 to 4. After that I started working on some of the other things, like going out with friends again, running errands etc. Within a few months of doing this regularly, I felt fine. Then I worked on riding to places with others.
The thing about it was that I had to do these things with very high anxiety...it was hard work. If I had waited until I had less anxiety to confront them, it probably would have taken a lot longer.
I did take zanax at first and then tapered down. I was so bad that I would have level 10 attacks that woke me from sleep, I would have to jump in the shower several times per day (Sometimes with my clothes on!) to try to cool down and keep from passing out. The zanax helped take that edge off just enough to start the program and focus.
This time I have had them at work again, but have not avoided at all. A couple times I had to leave. When it hit again, I would wake up with very high anxiety (shaking, crying, panic) every morning. (Which made me not want to go to sleep at night because by then I was calm and wanted to stay up and feel good rather than go to sleep and wake up with the anxiety.) I would have to pace, drink cold water, do the relaxation tape and talk myself down EVERY morning...I dreaded it. This usually lasted anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours until it subsided. Then when I got to work, I would have to do the whole thing over to calm down at work. Once I hit about 3 to 4 weeks, this subsided a great deal. About 3 to 4 weeks after that, I didn't anticipate the anxiety in the morning or at work and felt only at low level of anxiousness (maybe a 1 or 2), nothing that I couldn't function comfortably with.
Anyway, it does work. Just takes time. I know it is a lot of mental energy combating all the thoughts and doing the homework, I am still working on other limitations...it's just the process, but it does pay off.
After seeing much progress, I stopped the program, so it may have been quicker if I had continued working on it daily basis.
It was longer than that year for things like flying etc. I got to a point where my everyday life was fine and quit working on other limitations. So didn't face some of those other things until later on because they weren't that important to me.
Within that first year, I was much better on different things at different points, depending on what I worked on. I got back to work without anxiety within a few months. (Starting out I had attacks at home just thinking or having to talk to and go over things with the woman I had hired to run the business while I was gone.) Trying to drive there, I would have extreme attacks, having to pull over, screaming in the car, etc. I am saying this to show you how bad I was and that I got to a point of NO anxiety within a few months regarding that limitation. I would say 3 to 4. After that I started working on some of the other things, like going out with friends again, running errands etc. Within a few months of doing this regularly, I felt fine. Then I worked on riding to places with others.
The thing about it was that I had to do these things with very high anxiety...it was hard work. If I had waited until I had less anxiety to confront them, it probably would have taken a lot longer.
I did take zanax at first and then tapered down. I was so bad that I would have level 10 attacks that woke me from sleep, I would have to jump in the shower several times per day (Sometimes with my clothes on!) to try to cool down and keep from passing out. The zanax helped take that edge off just enough to start the program and focus.
This time I have had them at work again, but have not avoided at all. A couple times I had to leave. When it hit again, I would wake up with very high anxiety (shaking, crying, panic) every morning. (Which made me not want to go to sleep at night because by then I was calm and wanted to stay up and feel good rather than go to sleep and wake up with the anxiety.) I would have to pace, drink cold water, do the relaxation tape and talk myself down EVERY morning...I dreaded it. This usually lasted anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours until it subsided. Then when I got to work, I would have to do the whole thing over to calm down at work. Once I hit about 3 to 4 weeks, this subsided a great deal. About 3 to 4 weeks after that, I didn't anticipate the anxiety in the morning or at work and felt only at low level of anxiousness (maybe a 1 or 2), nothing that I couldn't function comfortably with.
Anyway, it does work. Just takes time. I know it is a lot of mental energy combating all the thoughts and doing the homework, I am still working on other limitations...it's just the process, but it does pay off.
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Guest
One other thing to note...
Once you start doing several activities without anxiety such as work, going out with friends, being alone etc (whatever your main difficulties are that you start working on first)...some of the other areas you have anxiety in and start working on will be even easier.
The more of your life you can function in without anxiety or at least very LOW (2 or 3 at most) the easier other things will be. They won't necessariy start out at 6 through 10 when you start working on them because you have so much more confidence from overcoming the others.
Once you start doing several activities without anxiety such as work, going out with friends, being alone etc (whatever your main difficulties are that you start working on first)...some of the other areas you have anxiety in and start working on will be even easier.
The more of your life you can function in without anxiety or at least very LOW (2 or 3 at most) the easier other things will be. They won't necessariy start out at 6 through 10 when you start working on them because you have so much more confidence from overcoming the others.
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Guest
Hi there!
Mornings have recently become problematic for me also. Here's a trick I used just this morning, and maybe it will work for you: I use my morning shower as my time to regroup and use self-talk. It's 10-15 minutes alone that I can think about the things I need to accomplish that day, which goes a long way in relieving the morning anxiety symptoms. It's a way to keep thinking forwards, not backwards.
It's sort of like an athlete in the locker room right before game-time, mentally preparing for the game. I use that alone time to reinforce the importance for getting going with the day ahead, and I think it goes a long way in building good feelings for yourself.
Mornings have recently become problematic for me also. Here's a trick I used just this morning, and maybe it will work for you: I use my morning shower as my time to regroup and use self-talk. It's 10-15 minutes alone that I can think about the things I need to accomplish that day, which goes a long way in relieving the morning anxiety symptoms. It's a way to keep thinking forwards, not backwards.
It's sort of like an athlete in the locker room right before game-time, mentally preparing for the game. I use that alone time to reinforce the importance for getting going with the day ahead, and I think it goes a long way in building good feelings for yourself.
Frances and Holly....Thank you so much for sharing. As I have said in other posts I am new to this program. Only three weeks in. I can relate to a lot of what Holly says and Frances your post was so instrumental for me!!!! To read in more detail of what you encountered and what you did to get through this is sooooo helpful. I appreciate it sooooo much. Can you reply regarding something....I am having to fly next week for work. A new job....and I am quite anxious about this but, everyone is saying I must do this to move forward in my progress. I to was agoraphobic really bad for a short time...having trouble leaving my bedroom and now I am doing much better only through confronting the things that cause me the most discomfort. The hardest thing I have ever had to do. The doctor took me off xanax weeks ago...felt I needed to stop taking it so, I am even more anxious...Any personal tips you may have would be sooooo appreciated. Again, I thank you both,,,,as this journey is a hard one and when I read your posts it helps so much. Make it a great day.
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