Ok, Anxiety And Depression Has Gone But Now Life Is Boring!!!

Carolyn Dickman · Post by **Carolyn Dickman** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:27 am

I can't speak for the person who initiated the thread but for some of us who have lived with anxiety and fear for so long it has become part of our identity and how we see ourselves. When it is gone it's like we have to reinvent ourselves because we have been so used to being and feeling a certain way. I am happy that my anxiety has diminished and that most of my fears are gone. It's a big change for some of us, as we have been so used to functioning on a certain level and we now are functioning a whole lot differently. I don't miss the anxiety, but the anxiety took up a lot of the day to day mental energy. Some of us have to learn how to replace this with other things, and things that are positive because our brains were just not used to thinking in that direction.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 2:26 am

Although I'm only starting session 5 I've come a long way in the last couple of months and although I wouldn't call the lack of anxiety boring by any means I have definately had strange feelings just because the anxiety wasn't there. Can't believe how much of my mental energy was wasted on anxiety all my life. Yeah, I'm an anxiety lifer. What has been fun to discover is how to learn to enjoy the moment and discover the new excitement of life itself without the worry and anxiety. My husband and I have a closeness I don't think we ever had, mostly because my anxiety kept me from the open communication required in a marriage. We can even argue or disagree now without me overreacting and just dealing with the subject at hand.

In my case I can look back and realize my anxiety and constant worrying was my way of control in my life that I had no control over. Probably like they say people are with eating disorders. Of course I now know that worrying is not control in any way shape or form.

I didn't mean to go on and I certainly wish I could explain the feelings of freedom I feel so everyone could understand.

Enjoy your freedom!!!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 2:34 am

OH my gosh I can SOOOO relate to this! There is good news!! This is a good problem to have!

What we're doing right now is looking for fun things to do. We're looking in the paper for fun activities to do as a couple and as a family. I'm also working on making my marriage better and I'm also starting to work on decluttering my home. As well, I have started a flower garden/butterfly garden to tend to.

Look for FUN stuff to do, that's what life is about!

epa · Post by **epa** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:23 am

I have tried various things but haven't found anything fulfilling as such. During my anxiety because I couldn't work I decided to start doing a home study degree, I did one year of that and then decided "You know what this isn't for me" Like Lucinda says on one of the CD's it was someone elses should, My mothers!! But hey no one in our family ever even started doing a degree so they where pleased I got that far.

I'd love to help people who where in the same predicament as myself but doing a degree in Psychology isn't really for me I reckon, I just don't know what avenue to persue to find fulfilment

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:39 am

I'd love to help people who where in the same predicament as myself but doing a degree in Psychology isn't really for me I reckon, I just don't know what avenue to persue to find fulfilment

Helping others never hurts. I'm planning to start a nursing home visitation group. I have called some and got a group together at church. I think that helping others will make me feel more useful and give me less time to worry about my little problems. At least I can walk, at least I can see, at least I have a place to live, food to eat, a husband that loves me, healthy kids.

I know that for me I have to get out of myself doing acts of kindness in order to not look at myself so much. For me it's the final step to healing.

I have a huge regret that I started a STephens ministry class which was to sit with people going through problems as a lay person and just love them and help them through it (things like divorce or loss of spouse) but when it came time to graduate, our business was failing and my husband was close to suicide. So I stepped down. I want to get back into something like that because I have a lot to give if I just don't look inside quite so much.

It's hard to tell another person what they can do to feel better. . .but I do know one thing that is for sure. Thinking about it won't make it. . . you just have to pick a few things at random and try them. Just like you did with schooling. If you don't like it do something else. The action proceeds the feelings; I'm sure you know that.

I was pouting a couple weeks ago because I don't like the water that much and I was berating myself for not playing enough with the kids. I made a decision to do it anyway and now we're playing together more and going to the pool and having a blast. And that in itself is giving me a good feeling which makes me want to do more.

This is just one more step on the road to becoming who you want to be. You're on the right track!

Holly J · Post by **Holly J** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:56 am

Originally posted by Faith_TX:
I'd love to help people who where in the same predicament as myself but doing a degree in Psychology isn't really for me I reckon, I just don't know what avenue to persue to find fulfilment
Helping others never hurts. I'm planning to start a nursing home visitation group. I have called some and got a group together at church. I think that helping others will make me feel more useful and give me less time to worry about my little problems. At least I can walk, at least I can see, at least I have a place to live, food to eat, a husband that loves me, healthy kids.

I know that for me I have to get out of myself doing acts of kindness in order to not look at myself so much. For me it's the final step to healing.

I have a huge regret that I started a STephens ministry class which was to sit with people going through problems as a lay person and just love them and help them through it (things like divorce or loss of spouse) but when it came time to graduate, our business was failing and my husband was close to suicide. So I stepped down. I want to get back into something like that because I have a lot to give if I just don't look inside quite so much.

It's hard to tell another person what they can do to feel better. . .but I do know one thing that is for sure. Thinking about it won't make it. . . you just have to pick a few things at random and try them. Just like you did with schooling. If you don't like it do something else. The action proceeds the feelings; I'm sure you know that.

I was pouting a couple weeks ago because I don't like the water that much and I was berating myself for not playing enough with the kids. I made a decision to do it anyway and now we're playing together more and going to the pool and having a blast. And that in itself is giving me a good feeling which makes me want to do more.

This is just one more step on the road to becoming who you want to be. You're on the right track!

I think the Nursing home visitation group is an excellent idea, I think its sad that some folks are put in there and some are simply forgotten about, I hope my kids don't do that to me

I'm doing some research on Nuro Linguistic Programming which I think is something that could really help anxiety sufferers, Tony Robbins has really got me inspired

, I'd love to set up something in Northern Ireland like a support group or something using the tools Lucinda has taught me along with some NLP to help those in need over here because mental health services over here are shocking, I just need something like that to make fe feel fulfilled within myself.