Christmas issue

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 6:50 pm

sometimes i feel like a prisoner trapped in my thoughts it is terrible they won't shut off.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:34 am

cymbals:
I am sorry for your losses. I can't speak from personal experience, but I do remember talking to my wonderful psychiatrist about this 'anniversary effect.' It is very common, and people on the tapes even talking about feeling panicky when they would go to visit a place where they had a panic attack in the past. Your association is with the calendar, the time of year. Maybe it would help a little bit, when you notice those down feelings, to acknowledge that they partly may be a memory of how you felt before, in years past? I think, too, that recognizing that it is OK and normal to feel a little down during the holidays when people you loved have passed, and aren't there to celebrate it with you. Even people who have not suffered such losses experience depression during the holidays; it is such a volatile time.

I like your approach of using humor. Give yourself permission to feel down at times, but also give yourself permission to use positive thinking and humor so that you don't stay there.

Take care.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:35 am

Thereze:
Do you have the the program program? I can speak from experience that it is great, and can help so much if you really put the effort into it. I highly recommend it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 1:25 pm

I really appreciate all of your responses to my thread. I got through Christmas just fine with support from my wonderful wife, and friends. Sleeplessmom said it very well that this is an "anniversary effect" thing. It's just old feelings coming back. It's all part of this anxiety thing, and nothing more than that. Thanks again.

Tim